2013 Audi S8 Reviews, Pricing & Specs
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It’s big, it’s fat, it’s fast—it’s a German GT for an American audience. Somehow, Audi got this complicated concoction right with the S8, but it’s safe to say a lot has to do with the 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 that does the motivating.
Four liters doesn’t seem like much when faced with the task of hauling 4,400 pounds of sedan around, but 4 liters don’t mean what they used to. Today, a foundation like that can be built into a 520-hp, 479 lb-ft street shredder, and it’ll still return a decent mileage rating. Of course decent is relative, but with estimates coming in of 15 mpg city/24 highway, it has to be remembered that just a few short years ago such combinations would’ve been considered laughable rather than possible.
For those paying attention, the S8 was previously powered by a naturally aspirated, 5.2-liter Lambo V10, and despite dropping two cylinders and more than a liter of displacement, cylinder deactivation and forced induction account for a power and efficiency increase alike. Who was it that said you couldn’t have your cake and eat it, too? Apparently there's an addendum to that rule if you’re willing to pay more than 100K for your cake.
Now, there are problems when you cut out half the cylinders from a V8 engine, and it doesn’t take a lifelong car obsession to identify the acoustical advantages of a V8 over your average 4-cylinder. Addressing that disadvantage, Audi has fitted the 4.0-liter engine with active damping mounts that produce vibrations to counteract the imbalance that occurs when running at half power, and the stereo will even pump soundwaves into the cabin to trick your ears into thinking nothing is out of place.
Still, it feels sort of wrong.
Thankfully it sounds right, and once you stomp on that accelerator, the S8 will give you no indication that anything is amiss as the 8-speed automatic snicks through its cog-swapping duties with rapidity. And then there’s the power delivery, which serves up peak torque at just 1,700 rpm and continues pouring it on until 5,500, just 300 rpm short of peak horsepower. Add it up and the sum is more than enough to deal with the considerable heft of the S8, so much that you’ll forget its 2 tons as you zoom to 60 in a reported 4.2 seconds. Unfortunately, reality comes knocking when you try to turn.
Understeer and body roll are unavoidable here, and while the 40/60 torque split and vectoring rear differential will allow you to compensate slightly, doing so would be to ask the S8 to be something it’s not: a sports car. This is a car meant to soak up miles, not chew through corners. Even with Audi Drive Select set to Dynamic mode, which firms up the suspension, and tightens the throttle response and steering, the S8 still reminds you of every one of its 4,400 pounds.
But the S8 has never been about showing off, as much as that can be said for a car that runs on standard 20-inch rims. Most will be unable to distinguish it from a garden-variety A8—with only the grille, mirrors, V8T fender badges and quad exhaust to distinguish it. Inside the subtlety continues with sport seats you can actually get in the A8, a red-ringed start button and gray gauge faces with white needles. Of course, trim options here are unique to the S8, so you can customize at your discretion.
Big, fat and fast is a rough balance to achieve, and the 4.0-liter does it ever so much better than the old V10, which always felt like too much manic violence here. The V10 fits in a lithe little midengine supercar, but in the S8 it felt like giving meth to a mammoth. The S8 was lost, but now has been found.
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2013 Audi S8 Pricing
Trims & specs
Air Conditioning
Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Dual front air conditioning zones · Rear air conditioning: with independent controls · Dual rear air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Dual front knee airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Front side airbags · Front side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: element · Auxiliary audio input: iPod/iPhone integration · CD changer: 6 · In-Dash CD: DVD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Premium Brand: Bose · AM/FM radio · Rear audio: separate rear audio · Remote CD changer location: in glove compartment · Satellite Radio: SiriusXM · 1 subwoofer · Surround audio: 5.1 · Total Number of Speakers: 13 · 630 watts
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Front brake diameter: 15.7 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 14.0 · Rear brakes: ventilated disc
Comfort Features
Armrests: rear center folding with pass-thru · Center console trim: leather · Door sill trim: aluminum · Floor Mat Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front · Shift knob trim: wood · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Center console: front console with armrest · Cupholders: front · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Memorized settings: passenger seat · Multi-function remote: trunk release · One-touch windows: 4 · Power outlet(s): 12V front · Power steering: speed-proportional · Reading lights: rear · Steering wheel: power tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio · Storage: door pockets · Sunshade: power rear window · Universal garage door opener: Homelink · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating
Driver Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 22
Drivetrain
4WD Type: full time · Axle ratio: 3.20
Engine
Alternator: 190 amps
Exterior Features
Door handle color: body-color · Exhaust: quad exhaust tips · Exhaust tip color: polished aluminum · Front bumper color: body-color · Grille color: aluminum · Mirror color: silver-painted · Rear bumper color: body-color · Rear trunk/liftgate: power operated · Window trim: silver
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 3
In Car Entertainment
Infotainment: Audi MMI Connect · Infotainment screen size: 8 in.
Instrumentation
Fuel economy display: MPG · Warnings and reminders: lamp failure
Lights
Daytime running lights: LED · Exterior entry lights: puddle lamps · Headlights: LED · Tail and brake lights: LED
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Passenger Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 22
Rear Seats
Type: bench
Roof
Moonroof: remote operation
Safety
Active head restraints: driver · Camera system: surround view · Child seat anchors: LATCH system · Impact sensor: post-collision safety system · Parking sensors: front · Rearview monitor: in dash
Seatbelts
Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front · Seatbelt pretensioners: front · Second row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Driver seat power adjustments: height · Front seat type: sport bucket · Passenger seat power adjustments: height · Rear headrests: adjustable · Upholstery: premium leather
Spare Tire
Mount Location: inside · Size: temporary
Spare Wheel
Rim Type: steel
Steering
Steering ratio: 15.1
Suspension
Front Arm Type: lateral links · Front Shock Type: twin-tube gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: pneumatic springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: strut · Rear Shock Type: twin-tube gas shock absorbers · Rear Spring Type: pneumatic springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): front
Telematics
Navigation system: hard drive navigation system · Phone wireless data link: Bluetooth
Tires
Type: summer performance
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Wheels
Wheel spokes: 15
Windows
Front wipers: variable intermittent · Laminated glass: acoustic · Power windows: with safety reverse