Vehicle Overview
What it is: Fortified with a 605-horsepower, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 engine, the Audi S8 is the hot rod of the A8 line. It comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive, an adaptive suspension and driver-selectable settings for the steering and suspension. Rivals include the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG and BMW Alpina B7.
What’s Special
- New black leather upholstery with red stitching
- 21-inch wheels
- Available full-leather interior
- Adaptive air suspension with lowered ride height
- Available Bang & Olufsen premium sound system
Here’s info on the regular A8:
What it is: The A8 is Audi’s flagship sedan and it’s available with a choice of two gasoline engines: a supercharged V-6 or a turbocharged V-8. Audi has dropped the gas W-12 engine, so named because it has four cylinder banks that approximate the shape of a W, and the turbo-diesel V-6. The diesel is shelved while Audi and parent company Volkswagen resolve an emissions-cheating scandal with government authorities. Competitors include the BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Lexus LS 460. A performance model, the S8, comes with a V-8 engine.
New for 2017
There are no significant changes.
Significant Standard Features
- 333-hp, supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine
- Eight-speed automatic transmission
- All-wheel drive
- Adaptive suspension
- LED headlights
- Heated leather front seats
- Automatic air conditioning
- 14-speaker Bose surround sound audio system
- Navigation system with Google Earth imagery
- Audi Connect with Wi-Fi hot spot
- Required in every new car: front airbags, antilock brakes and an electronic stability system
Significant Available Features
- 450-hp, turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine
- 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium stereo
- Rear entertainment system
- Head-up display
- Adaptive cruise control with forward collision warning
- Lane departure warning and prevention
- Night vision with pedestrian and animal detection
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