Audi S8: speedy sedan sharpened up

WHILE other parts of the world get regular A8 models, Audi South Africa takes the “go big or go home” approach by only offering the S8 performance variant locally, and now there’s a revised version in local showrooms.

The new Audi S8 starts at R2 759 000 before options, and the price includes a five-year or 100 000km Audi Freeway Plan.

Power comes from a 4.0-litre twinturbo V8 petrol motor that produces 420kW and 800Nm, allowing for a 3.8-second claimed 0-100km/h time.

Also part of the deal is a quattro allwheel drive system with a self-locking sport differential that actively distributes torque between the rear wheels during fast cornering.

Also standard in the 2023 model is predictive active suspension, which can actively regulate the position of the chassis in any driving situation thanks to electric motors that can load or unload each individual wheel.

What’s new for 2023?

The updated Audi S8 gets a more sharply contoured front end, which has a wider grille that’s now adorned with chrome angles that increase in size from bottom to top.

Digital matrix LED headlights come as standard, and Audi compares these to video projectors, with each headlight featuring around 1.3 million micro-mirrors that break down the light into tiny pixels, allowing it to be controlled with precision.

Inside you’ll find the latest MMI navigation plus system, supported by the third-generation MIB 3 architecture and featuring natural voice control as well as online and Car2X services from Audi Connect to augment the navigation system.

Standard features in the revised Audi S8 include Valcona leather upholstery with diamond stitching, seat ventilation and massage function, as well as a Bang & Olufsen 3D premium sound system, adaptive cruise control, Audi Virtual Cockpit Plus, head-up display and much more.

But if you want the party to be in the back, opt for the rear seat package that comprises a three-seat system with two electrically adjustable individual seats with four-way pneumatic lumbar support.

You might also want to order the cooler box and air quality package,

consisting of an ioniser and fragrancing.

Customers can also opt for a pair of 10.1 inch full HD displays built into

the front seatbacks, which can receive numerous video and audio streams via casting from the passengers’ devices.