(Due to insignificant model year changes, this 2007 review has been updated to include the 2008 model)

There was a time when you chose a vehicle for luxury and comfort or performance and speed, but not both.  That changed when AMG, the performance division of Mercedes-Benz, began building luxury cars with enough horsepower to leave so-called muscle cars in the rearview mirror.

BMW followed with luxury-performance sedans using the “M” designation, Jaguar with its “R” badged cars and Audi with “S” models.  This week’s test vehicle is the German luxury sedan Audi S8 powered by a whopping 450-HP Lamborghini V10 power plant. 

In 1998, Audi bought Lamborghini so it’s not surprising to find the two sharing expertise.  The V10 is the same engine that propels the Lamborghini Gallardo and that’s a good thing.

But in the highly competitive world of fast, comfortable luxury sedans, the horsepower bar has crept higher still. The Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG boasts a class best 604-HP and both BMW’s M5 and M6 ring up 500-HP.

The S8 may not be the horsepower leader in this class, but it absolutely leads in so many other categories.  What separates the S8 from the class competition is the standard Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Then, there’s the optional $6,300 Bang & Olufsen sound system, a 14-speaker, 1,000-watt, twin-amplified mega-system that’s nothing short of astonishing.  The acoustical sound qualities that fill the cabin make the Danish-made system worth every dime of its steep price tag.

Outside, the Audi flagship sedan enjoys a pleasing understated elegance.  Subtle styling cues like silver mirrors and door handles, quad exhaust, larger air scoops on the front fascia, 20-inch wheels and a razor thin rear spoiler separate it from the standard A8 sedan.  Only the small, red and black “S8” on the grille and rear deck lid and “V10” emblem on the front fenders are giveaways to what makes it so special. 

Inside, you’re greeted with aluminum door sills that wear the “S8” designation.  S8 sport seats are two-tone Valcona leather. They can also be requested in black.  The dash in my tester was trimmed in optional carbon fiber and aluminum accents.  Gray Birch is standard.  S8 instruments are white on silver-gray finish. 

Most vehicle operating functions are displayed on a 7-inch LCD screen located mid-center dash and operated by Audi’s Multi-Media Interface, or MMI.  Think of it as the Audi iteration of BMW’s iDrive, only much easier to understand and simpler to use.  It still requires time to figure out and I continue to prefer traditional intuitive manual controls for operating functions. 

Like automotive art, Audi interiors continue to be the best in the business. The S8 seemed to come equipped with a thousand seat adjustments, enough to suit any sized torso.  Oddly, the seats were heated but not cooled, a serious oversight for a $100,000 plus luxury sedan.

The 5.2-liter V10 propels the huge sedan with remarkable ease.  Audi says it takes just 4.9 seconds to reach 60 mph from a dead stop.  Zero to 100 takes just a bit over 12 seconds and the standing quarter-mile just 13.6 seconds.  I’m sure the S8’s lightweight, all-aluminum body panels and aluminum skeleton contribute to its performance.

All that power is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission featuring Tiptronic manual shifting with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters.  Handling is confident thanks to its suspension. It features an adjustable chassis with four setting choices:  automatic, dynamic, standard and lift — which raises the vehicle to its maximum height.  I couldn’t detect much difference between settings and left it on dynamic.

My weeklong test drive took place during 110 degree plus daytime temperatures. I was surprised the S8’s air conditioning couldn’t keep up with the heat.  Perhaps it was low on refrigerant, but I was disappointed nonetheless.

For 2008 I drove the less potent A8L powered by the smaller yet sufficient 4.2-liter, 350-horsepower V8.  The 4.2 offers plenty of power and the transmission shifts seamlessly.  This is one incredibly smooth handling car, especially considering its heft.  Body control is exceptional and the Quattro all-wheel drive grips the road like glue.

Standard safety gear includes ten air bags: dual front, front and rear seat mounted side airbags, inflatable curtain airbags and two front knee airbags.  Four-wheel disc brakes, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control and bi-Xenon headlamps are standard.  The A8 has not been crash tested.

For 2008 there are two new safety features: lane assist and side assist. With lane assist, the steering wheel vibrates when the A8 veers toward a painted lane line without signaling. Side assist tracks vehicles alongside the A8, activating a light in the side mirror when another car is present.

My 2008 A8L had a base price of $75,440 and a whopping $22,550 in options.  Still, I loved this car and my passengers did as well.  This is one car you could drive everyday and still never tire of slipping behind the wheel. 

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