The S8 is the high-performance edition of Audi’s top-of-the-line luxury sedan A8. Its more powerful engine and brakes allow drivers to experience the thrill of speed while ensconced in a luxurious interior with all the comfort available through the latest technology.
What's New for 2014
The all-new S8 returned to the lineup in 2013 after a break of three years and carries over to 2014 without any changes or additions.
Choosing Your Audi S8
The powerful 4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that is the only one available in the S8 produces 520 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. Cylinder-deactivation technology helps fuel economy by shutting down up to four cylinders when they’re not needed for acceleration. The eight-speed automatic transmission includes steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters and the S8 includes Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system as standard equipment.
The base S8 has a long list of standard comfort, convenience and safety features, such as a Bose 14-speaker surround-sound audio system and power-adjustable, heated-and-ventilated front seats with massage and memory functions, but buyers can personalize their S8 by adding several options and packages.
Starting with appearance, the exterior offers nine neutral-toned color choices and three wheel options. Inside, diamond-stitched leather seats come in six colors, although the Balao Brown comes only in the Design Selection option package. There are also five interior trim choices; wood finishes include a leather shift knob.
Option packages include:
- Design Selection: Along with Balao Brown leather for seats and shift knob, this package also includes ash-wood inlays, an Alcantara headliner, cooled front seats (heated front seats are standard) and heated rear seats.
- Cold Weather: Designed for use in snowy regions and on ski trips, this package offers a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, and a rear-seat pass-through with ski bag.
- Driver Assistance: Adaptive cruise control and the pre sense plus collision-mitigation system increase driver and passenger safety.
Individual options feature technologies that increase safety and add entertainment to the S8:
- Night vision pedestrian detection
- Lane assist that notifies the driver if the car begins to leave its lane
- Rear-seat DVD entertainment system that includes two 10-inch screens
- Bang & Olufsen 19-speaker sound system
Without adding any options, the Audi S8 is still a very comfortable sport sedan with an extraordinarily powerful engine.