2008 Audi S8

Subtle Supercar

While the Audi S8's performance is akin to a full-throated roar, its styling comes across as more of a whisper.

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The S8 isn’t intended to be a quick-shifting corner carver — though it can do that — but a large yet discreet high-performance sedan for people who disdain wings, spoilers and hood scoops that make obvious a car’s sporting intentions.

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S8 owners may not be able to resist boasting that their ride has “a Lamborghini engine,” but that’s a bit misleading. The 450-hp 5.2-liter V10 in the Audi S8 is similar to the V10 in the Lamborghini Gallardo, but is configured and tuned in an entirely different way.

Only those in the know will recognize the S8 for what it is. The big Audi grille is so aggressive, even on Audi’s smallest sedan, the A4, that the distinctiveness of the S8’s schnoz might be lost. And unique exterior badges consist of two discreet “V10” symbols on the front fenders and a small “S8” on the trunk lid. The biggest giveaways are the huge 20-inch wheels and the quartet of exhaust outlets.

The S8’s instrument panel is classic, clean and simple — no trickery, no light shows, no strangely shaped instruments — in large part because of the smooth integration of its all-in-one MMI (Multi Media Interface). Unlike competing systems from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, operation of the MMI central selector knob and few associated buttons can be explained in a paragraph rather than an inch-thick owner’s manual.

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The S8's seats are firm and relatively supportive, but are by no means thick-bolstered sport seats, because that's not the character of the car. The rear seats have large headrests that can't be retracted, so they obscure a portion of the rearward view.

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On the road, gas pedal-stompers might find the S8 occasionally irksome, for both the throttle and brakes are touchy and don’t take well to ham-handed (make that ham-footed) operation. Throttle response is instantaneous and strong from a standstill and, with all four tires powered by the quattro system, isn’t even mitigated by wheelspin. The 4,586-pound sedan guns to 60 miles per hour in 4.9 seconds.

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The huge brakes — with front rotors as big as pizza pans — require deft modulation as the S8 comes to a stop, for they grip more strongly as the car slows.

The six-speed automatic transmission allows manual shifting via steering-wheel paddles and also has a sport mode that raises the shift points and holds the gear you’re in rather than upshifting as soon as you relax the throttle. This can be a boon while cornering vigorously.

The S8 has a finely tuned air suspension system that can be set — via the MMI — to react in comfort or dynamic (sporty) modes. There’s also an automatic setting that varies suspension tautness according to the way the car is being driven. Unlike some other Audi S models, even the sporty setting is not unduly harsh, though it’s perceptibly more firm and flatter-cornering than the comfort mode.

It makes sense that the S8 is the least harsh of Audi’s S models in terms of suspension calibration, because it’s based on the biggest, plushest sedan in the lineup that is aimed at well-heeled enthusiasts who aren’t compelled to peel out at stop lights or try to shave seconds off of their lap times on track days. Although, to be honest, the S8 is perfectly happy to pursue those goals as well.

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Is the Audi S8 for You?

Buy the S8 if
You’re looking for the ultimate combination of luxury and performance; you need enough interior space for four adults to spread out comfortably; you like to keep a low profile.

Keep Looking if
You prefer either more luxury or more performance; fuel economy is a concern; you like to turn heads.

Who Fits?
Four people fit comfortably, but don’t expect stretch-limo legroom in the back. (For that, check out the long-wheelbase Audi A8L).

Closest Competitors
BMW 7 Series; Jaguar XJ; Mercedes-Benz S-Class