Upgrading an already ‘uber’ luxurious car is no easy task, but Audi has tweaked the design of the S8 TFSI Quattro and added predictive active suspension to the package.
What remains unchanged is the V8 Biturbo engine that makes 420 kW of power and 800 Nm of torque, achieving the standard sprint to 100 km/h in 3,8 seconds, driving through an eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox.
The constant all-wheel drive Quattro with the self-locking sport differential is standard in the S8.
Up front, the base of the single frame grill is extended wider with chrome angles that increase in size from bottom to top, while the side air intakes are more upright.
The predictive active suspension can load or unload each wheel with additional power individually via an electric motor. When Dynamic mode is on in the Drive Select system, the large sedan shows its sporty side and turns firmly into corners, where the body hardly dips when braking.
In Comfort+ mode, the steering works cooperatively with the front camera. Subsequently, the function allows the car to recognize unevenness within the system limitations and predictively regulate the actuators.
In this mode, the predictive active suspension’s integrated curve tilting function reduces the lateral acceleration that acts on the occupants. Upon entering a curve, it elevates one side of the body and lowers the other to three degrees.
At speeds between 80 km/h and 130 km/h and lateral acceleration of up to 0,4g, cornering is scarcely noticeable - to help with getting in and out of the car comfortably, the body raises and lowers itself by up to 50 mm.
The standard Digital Matrix LED headlights use DMD (digital micromirror device) technology. Each headlight has 1.3 million micromirrors that show the light as tiny pixels.
One new function is lane and orientation lights for highways. Here, the headlights emit a carpet of light that illuminates the driver’s lane particularly brightly.
Infotainment is also available for rear seat passengers with two 10,1-inch displays at full HD resolution attached to the backs of the front seats. They display content from passengers’ devices and can receive numerous audio and video streams via casting.
MMI Navigation plus is standard and supported by the third-generation modular infotainment toolkit (MIB 3). The MMI touch response operating concept in the Audi A8 relies on two displays (10,1-inch and 8,6-inch) and natural voice operation.
The new Audi S8 TFSI Quattro is officially on sale in South Africa and comes standard with a 5-year/ 100 000 km Audi Freeway Plan.
