Audi has launched the new vehicle, S8, which’s set to rival Mercedes-AMG S63. The vehicle provides luxury as well as good pace, but how well it does on the UK roads, we find out. The new vehicle is somewhere in between the company’s luxury and performance cars. It’s meant to provide the refinement and comfort you want from a limo and the driver engagement and power you get from a supercar. So, you get the combination of both, but not the best of each.
So, it is a good change, but can’t be said for sure how well it would fair, as the vehicle will have competition from rivals like Mercedes-AMG S63 and BMW M750Li. The previous versions of the vehicle were regarded as all-rounders, they couldn’t meet the so-called expectations of customers who want both aspects.
The firm has brought in even more tech as well as the turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 petrol engine, to enhance the already technology-packed model. The engine is capable to develop 558bhp, which is 33bho more than what the previous S8 was able to produce. It can also develop 580lb-ft of torque. It provides the firm’s manual Tiptronic controls to all the wheels. There is, however, a sport differential that allows it to adjust the power sent to each vehicle according to the requirement. A high-tech adaptive air suspension is also there, which was developed to enhance the vehicle’s ride and handling.
We have driven the vehicle before in Germany, and we were impressed with it. But, we had not tested it in the UK, so this is our first opportunity to see if it can provide the same performance and refinement on the rougher and narrower roads. This is important to know, as, we are sure you know, the roads can have a lot of impact on a vehicle’s performance.
We have seen several very fast, yet silent electric cars, but how the S8 is quite as the low speed, is a different experience. There are an advanced active air suspension and a camera that scans the road ahead. The car uses a mild-hybrid unit and a belt-driven 48V starter-motor. It can reach 60mph in 3.4sec, which is a good time, especially if you consider that it weighs 2225kg.
The price of the vehicle is a little high, so the buyer would expect something great, which we think they will get. We have no doubt that the new S8 provides more luxury feel and driver engagement than the previous generations.