Adaptive cruise control, part of a $3800 executive package, worked well while dealing with heavy traffic getting out of the more populated areas of the northeast. The S8 disappears under you, happy to operate in the background as you enjoy the scenery and listen to your favorite podcast for hours. As a cross-country cruiser, it’s tough to name anything better that’s not at least double the price, as I discovered on an 1100-mile trip from New York City to Portland, Maine and back. Like all big Audis, the S8 shines on the open highway. The act of clicking through menus or adjustments is therefore tedious, like watching Grandpa crane his neck over a new iPhone, pecking away at the screen with his clumsy fingertips. You can’t just press something like you would on a phone or tablet, you have to press down hard enough to elicit a vibration response from the screen to get it to register your input. These aren’t simple touchscreens, you see. The infotainment and climate control screens, the two portions of glass that occupy a vast majority of the dashboard, are equally pleasant to read and simple to navigate through, though I wish there were more traditional buttons and knobs to control the HVAC, as having to use a touchscreen while driving isn’t nearly as intuitive as pressing a button.Īnother downside of this particular touchscreen setup is the haptic feedback aspect of it all. But it’s easy to read and customizable, with two different cluster setups available. The instrument panel screen is packed with useful info, enough that it can be overwhelming at first glance. Step into the driver’s seat and you’re greeted to a trio of screens: One for the gauge cluster, one for the infotainment system, and one for the climate control. That’s not a bad thing, of course, seeing as how the A8’s cabin is one of the most pleasant places to spend time in this price range. It’s a sleeper through and through.Īside from a handful of carbon inlays and flashy badges, the S8’s interior is virtually identical to the A8’s. Most people, even enthusiasts, won’t stop to take a second look at this thing. The only real giveaways to its performance are the small exterior badges, the red brake calipers, and the quad exhaust tips. The black optic package selected on our tester-which includes black wheels, badging, and side mirror housings-meant a bit of brashness coming from the front end, but otherwise, the S8 looks elegant, never shouty. At 196.7 inches long, this car is physically large, but even in this Ultra Blue Metallic paint, the S8 hides its bulk well. One look at the S8 and you’re reminded why so many people like Audis. Beyond that you’ll find standard four-wheel steering and a torque-vectoring rear differential. There’s also a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that helps with extended stop-start use, coasting, and powering the car’s trick suspension (more on that later). The engine mates to an eight-speed automatic transmission that routes power through Quattro all-wheel drive. Here the mill is rated at 563 hp at 6000 rpm and 590 lb-ft at 2000 rpm. A spin-off of the company’s all-encompassing A8 "limousine", the S8 uses the same dual-overhead-cam, direct-injected, twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 found in the rest of Audi’s big S- and RS- branded cars. The $116,900 S8 is the big daddy of Audi’s sedan lineup. Audi S8 Holds Up Against RS 6 in a Drag Race.The 2020 Audi S8 Is 563 HP of Understated Muscle.And when you are pushing it to the limits, you can count on the powerful brakes to bring you to a stop quickly and safely. The V8 still intrudes a little when pushed to its peak, but that glorious sound is hardly unwelcome. The cabin is well-constructed, too, and the dual-pane acoustic glass muffles exterior noise to help create a serene yet sporty driving experience. These include a stellar suspension that easily eats up road imperfections, even at high speeds. However, that means that it gets all the perks of a luxury flagship. That being said, if you try taking a hairpin turn at high speed, you'll quickly be reminded that this is a full-size sedan. Even though it's two tons of metal that you are throwing into the corners, the excellent balance of the vehicle, along with a sport rear differential and all-wheel steering, ensure it never loses its composure. This is combined with highly responsive steering to create the illusion of a smaller sports sedan. Make no mistakes, the S8 is a lot of car to handle, but the 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 under the hood helps to keep it moving without a hassle.
0 kommentar(er)
