The New Audi S8
Perhaps best known for its starring role in the block buster movie Ronan, the previous generation Audi S8 quickly became a cult favourite. It was the most dynamic executive saloon the road had ever seen, bringing even more street cred and respect for the Audi brand.
Now the new Audi S8 is ready to build on its predecessor’s legacy. Armed with V10 FSI® power, quattro® all-wheel drive and the innovative ASF® (Audi Space Frame) aluminium construction principle, the new Audi S8 delivers power, control and luxury of the highest calibre.
Of course, being an ‘S’ model, the new Audi S8’s design remains low key. Understated yet purposeful, its presence is undeniable. The Audi S8 builds on the Audi A8 which is one of the most awarded cars in Audi’s history and leads the way in Audi’s year of “Progressive Power”.
Now available in South Africa, the new Audi S8 sedan retails for R979 000 including the 5-year/100 000 km Audi Freeway plan.
Engine
The 5.2-litre V10 engine fitted to the Audi S8 shares its basic design with that of the Lamborghini Gallardo. However, it has been adapted for its role in Audi’s top sports sedan.
Choosing a V10 engine for the Audi S8 was the result of careful consideration. It was found that this engine has a much more sporty emphasis than a comparable twelve-cylinder power unit. In addition, the engine is more compact and much lighter.
Key areas of the Audi version have been reengineered compared with the engine in the Lamborghini Gallardo.
The bore has been increased from 82.5 to 84.5 mm; the stroke is 92.8 mm and the displacement 5204 cm³. A so-called bedplate structure – an intermediate frame – reinforces the extremely compact crankcase, which is made from cast aluminium.
In addition, the V10 version in the Audi S8 uses FSI® petrol direct injection. This permits a high compression ratio of 12.5:1 and a correspondingly more effective combustion process. The common rail injection system delivers the fuel directly to the combustion chambers in precisely metered amounts, at a pressure of up to 100 bar.
FSI® technology has impressively demonstrated its potential in motor sport – the Audi R8 racing car equipped with it participated in the Le Mans 24 Hours on six occasions for Audi, winning the race on five of those occasions.
The powerful ten-cylinder engine is designed for impressive torque as well as engine power. It generates 331 kW at 7 000 r/min and musters up 540 Nm of torque at just 3 500 r/min. At least 90% of the torque is available from as low as 2 300 r/min.
Against the clock, the Audi S8 races from 0 to 100 km/h in only 5.1 seconds at sea level. Top speed is governed electronically at 250 km/h.
Yet, despite this performance potential, the engine shows a distinctly modest thirst, needing only 13.9 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres – a figure achieved partly thanks to the consistent use of lightweight design, which clearly sets the Audi A8 range apart from its competitors.
With its innovative aluminium body, the ASF® (Audi Space Frame), the Audi S8 weighs just 1940 kilograms, including the quattro® drive. The result? A very favourable power to weight ratio.
Drivetrain
As is typically for a performance Audi, the new Audi S8 offers quattro® permanent all-wheel drive.
For the Audi S8, Audi’s new generation of quattro® is used with asymmetric/dynamic torque split. Normally, 40% is routed to the front wheels and 60% to the rear, this slight emphasis on the rear underlining the dynamic character of the Audi S8.
If the surface conditions change, the purely mechanical differential responds without any delay; diverting up to 85% of power to the rear wheels, and as much as 65% to the front wheels. If a wheel on one axle spins, it moreover overrides the Electronic Differential Lock (EDL) by applying the brakes.
The new Audi S8 is also equipped with a six-speed Tiptronic gearbox as standard. In keeping with the character of this saloon model, the final ratio of the automatic transmission is lower than on the conventional Audi A8.
The electronic transmission control is optimised to change gear more dynamically. The driver can call up the transmission’s Sport mode via the selector lever, making it possible to change gear manually with the shift paddles located behind the steering wheel.
For Audi, lightweight design is a philosophy that has implications for every area of a vehicle. The V10 in the Audi S8 weighs in at only 220 kilograms, 20 kg less than an equivalent competitor engine.
This means good axle load distribution and impressive road behaviour. For the same reason, the batteries and the energy management are housed in the luggage compartment.
Chassis
Riding on a cushion of air takes on a new meaning in the Audi S8. Naturally, Audi’s adaptive air suspension system is standard but has been tuned to cope with the performance demands an Audi S8 driver expects.
The basis is "adaptive air suspension sport" which is also available for the conventional Audi A8 as an option. On the Audi S8 however, the characteristics of the air springs and the shock absorbers integrated into the air-spring bellows have been made somewhat firmer.
With a further reduction in rolling and pitching movements, the sporty top model behaves with even greater agility and manoeuvrability, but is as stable and safe as ever. The elastokinematics of the rubber mounts in the axles have likewise been modified in keeping with the character of the Audi S8.
The variable steering ratio is roughly 10% more direct, for even more spontaneous handling.
Drawing information from seven special sensors and a number of other parameters, the damping responds adaptively to the prevailing requirements in a fraction of a second.
Its control system features four driving modes – automatic, comfort, dynamic and lift – which the driver can call up via the terminal of the MMI operating system. The body’s ride height is as envisaged in conjunction with adaptive air suspension sport, which is already 20 mm lower than standard. On the Audi S8, ground clearance is varied in three stages between 125 mm in the comfort mode and 95 mm at constant high motorway speeds.
Also equipped with 20-inch S-design cast alloy wheels, the Audi S8’s 18-inch brake system assures a superlative braking performance and features four large-size ventilated brake discs. As you’d expect, not only do the brakes perform well, they look good while doing so. The brake callipers are painted black, and adorned with a titanium grey S8 badge at the front.
The optional ceramic brakes are a further special feature of the Audi S8. They are made from a composite material comprising high-strength carbon fibres embedded in hard, frictionally resistant silicon carbide. These ceramic discs offer significant advantages compared with conventional steel discs. They are about half the weight, are largely insusceptible to heat fading and corrosion, and achieve an operating distance of up to 300,000 kilometres – four times that of steel discs.
Design
Models in Audi’s S range have always epitomised refined sports appeal and naturally the same applies to the Audi S8.
Visually, the Audi S8 is supremely athletic yet never aggressive. Compared to the Audi A8, the most striking differences are to be found at its front end. The single-frame grille now displays the S8 emblem in platinum grey, and its vertical struts have a chrome finish. Beneath the grille, there are three low air inlets cut into the front apron. The two large air inlets beneath the headlights are filled with honeycomb grilles.
Down the sides, in addition to the 20-inch wheels and the special brakes, three details hint at the potential of the V10 engine: emblems on the wheel arches, door handles with aluminium strips and the aluminium-look exterior mirror housings.
At the rear, the S8 emblem, a spoiler integrated into the luggage compartment lid, a subtle light edge in the apron and an exhaust system with four ellipsoidal tailpipes complete the range of optical modifications.
Interior
Like the exterior, the interior design of the Audi S8 reflects a character of dynamic elegance and high quality – from the supple flow of the driving area to the MMI (Multi Media Interface), which remains unequalled by any competitor thanks to its logical, intuitive operating principle.
The door sill trims are adorned with S8 emblems, and the inlays are in brushed aluminium or alternatively carbon fibre.
The three-spoke leather multifunction sports steering wheel with the S emblem features colour-contrasting seams and aluminium-look shift paddles. Leather and aluminium are used on the selector lever knob.
The needles on the instrument dials are in white, their scales in light grey and their values in the characteristic S italic script.
Safety
quattro® drive is one of the core areas of expertise of the brand with the four-ring emblem. It gives Audi drivers decisively more safety by always assuring optimum traction. The asymmetric/dynamic torque split that is possible on the new Audi S8 builds on this already significant advantage.
The high-performance brake system, too, makes a substantial contribution towards active safety. The Audi S8 is equipped with a dynamic stability system that can be deactivated if required. Its control strategy is tailored specifically to the dynamics of the Audi S8.
In common with all other Audi A8 models, the top model Audi S8 comes complete with a package of restraint systems that are perfectly matched to the highly rigid aluminium body. The package includes two front airbags, four side airbags and large-area Sideguard® head airbags. All five three-point belts in the Audi S8 are fitted with belt tensioners. Active head restraints for the front seats reduce the risk of whiplash injuries in the event of a rear-end collision.
The innovative lighting technology adaptive light with LED daytime running lights is standard equipment on every Audi S8. Here, the Xenon Plus headlights are equipped with static turning lights and dynamic cornering lights.
The separate LED daytime running lights, each of which consists of five white light-emitting diodes and consumes only a minimal amount of energy, can be considered yet another pioneering invention.
Equipment
The Audi A8 is already a luxuriously equipped saloon. It features for instance deluxe automatic air conditioning, the MMI operating system, the Driver Information System, the electromechanical parking brake complete with starting assist function, air suspension, the exclusive audio system and the electrically adjustable front seats.
The Audi S8 extends this package with a whole array of other standard features. In addition to adaptive light technology, the special 20-inch wheels and the 18-inch brake system, a navigation system with DVD drive and a surround audio system with CD changer.
The door armrest and the centre console in the Audi S8 are upholstered in leather, together with the seats. The sports seats are equipped with lumbar supports and a memory function.
Spectacular Sound
Danish Hi-fi and electronics specialist Bang & Olufsen has developed a state-of-the-art sound system for the flagship Audi A8/S8, which sets new standards even in the luxury segment.
The system, which is developed exclusively for the Audi A8/S8, pays heed to the actual acoustic characteristics of the car interior, such as internal space, shape and materials used.
Factors including driving speed, the corresponding wind effect and friction between asphalt and tyre are also taken into account. A perfect sound quality is thus achieved, with a total of fourteen active high-end loudspeakers, B&O Acoustic Lens Technology and more than 1,000 Watts of amplifier power.
Exclusively designed for the Audi A8/S8, the loudspeaker cabinets are made from carefully processed anodised aluminium, the very same material used in the construction of the sporty luxury saloon’s body.
Active speakers, each with its own individual amplifier, are housed within these cabinets. This means that the sound properties can be adjusted accurately in accordance with the precise function of the speakers within the overall concept.
The front tweeters use what is known as Acoustic Lens Technology, and act as perfect sound sources.
This sound system represents the state-of-the-art in audio reproduction, a perfect compliment to the sporty Audi S8.
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