2009 Audi A8/S8
by Jim Prueter -01/2009

Lord of the Rings

(This 2007 review has been updated to include both the 2008 and 2009 model years.)

There was a time when you would choose a vehicle for luxury and comfort or performance and speed, but not both. That changed when Mercedes-Benz introduced its AMG performance division and began building luxury cars with horsepower, leaving so-called muscle cars in the rearview mirror.

BMW followed with luxury-performance sedans using the “M” designation, ditto Jaguar with its “R” badged cars and Audi with “S” models. This test vehicle is the German luxury sedan Audi S8, powered by a whopping 450-horsepower Lamborghini V-10 power plant.

Audi bought Lamborghini, the Italian automaker, in 1998, so it isn’t surprising the two are sharing expertise. The V-10 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 is creeping higher. The Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG boasts a class best 604 horsepower; BMW M5 and M6 both ring up 500 horsepower.

Okay, so the S8 isn’t the horsepower leader in this class, but it absolutely leads in so many other categories. What separates the S8 from the competition in this class is the standard Quattro all-wheel-drive system not available on the others. Name another you say? How about the optional $6300 Bang & Olufsen sound system: a 14-speaker, 1000-watt, twin-amplified mega-system that’s nothing short of astonishing. The acoustical sound quality makes 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 doorsills that wear the “S8” designation. S8 sport seats are two-tone Valcona leather, or all black, if requested. Our dash 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 seven-inch LCD screen located mid-center dash and operated by Audi’s Multi-Media Interface, or MMI. Think of it as the Audi version of BMW’s iDrive, only easier to understand by far and much simpler to use. It still requires time to figure out and we much prefer traditional intuitive manual controls for operating functions.

Audi interiors continue to be the best in the automotive business, more like automotive art. There seems to be a thousand seat adjustments for any size torso to find a comfortable position. Oddly, the seats are heated but not cooled. We think that’s a serious oversight for a $100,000-plus luxury sedan.

The 5.2-liter V-10 propels the huge sedan with remarkable ease. Audi says it takes just 4.9 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour from a dead stop. Getting from zero to 100 takes just a bit over 12 seconds and the standing quarter-mile is accomplished in just 13.6 seconds. I’m sure the lighter all-aluminum body panel and aluminum skeleton help the performance by keeping the weight down.

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

Our weeklong test drive took place during a week of 110-degree-plus daytime temperatures. We were surprised that the S8’s air conditioning couldn’t keep up with the heat. Perhaps it was low on refrigerant, but still a disappointment.

For 2008, we drove the less potent A8L, powered by the smaller yet sufficient 4.2-liter, 350-horsepower V-8. The 4.2 offers plenty of power for me, and the transmission shifts are seamless. This is one incredibly smooth handling car, especially considering its heft. Body control is exceptional and the Quattro all-wheel-drive grips like the vehicle is glued to the road.

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 and S8 have not been crash tested.

For 2008 there are new safety features like lane assist and side assist. With lane assist, the steering wheel vibrates if the A8 nears a painted lane marking and the turn signal hasn’t been activated. The side assist feature keeps track of vehicles next to the A8 and activates a light in the side mirror when another car is present.

For 2009 the previously optional Premium Luxury Package is now standard, the only change for this model year.

The S8 is big, comfortable, graceful and when called upon, extremely powerful. It’s also a joy to drive and will make you wish you had one parked in your garage ready to go on command. It’s very impressive. It’s also very expensive.

Our 2008 A8L had a base price of $75,440 and still had a whopping $22,550 worth of options. Still, we loved this car and those passengers who rode in it did too. This is a car you could drive all the time and never tire of slipping behind the wheel.