RE: Audi S8 | Driven

[Jimbo89]

My Dad had an S8 about 20 years ago now before moving to the V8 X5. He says he loved the S8 but he went on to have 4 X5's. I suppose you can't get four kids and two labradors in a saloon.

It always made me feel sick, choppy and wallowy at the same time.

I wanted to like that one and I want to like this one, but they just have nothing that turns me on. A brilliant car I'm sure but an executive taxi rather than an automotive want. It may be cheaper than an S-Class or a Bently but those cars just feel special and make you feel special. These are just too old-school German, brilliant but cold.

[darnold1979]

I have a Dec 2016 S8 from the prior model lineup
Genuinely an epic engine / drivetrain combo
Surprisingly good family car

[anonymous-user]

20k depreciation a year takes some beating.

[FA57REN]

Thesprucegoose said:

20k depreciation a year takes some beating.

Barely a rounding error in terms of the business opportunities to which the back-seaters are being conveyed.

But what's with those screens in the back? No C-level will be getting his fingers dirty poking at some screen, he / she has a secretary for that.


Anyway this looks like the bleak future of motoring once it trickles down to the mass market. Oodles of power so you don't have to worry about gearing, absolutely no handling feedback and an Autonomous Mode button. Oh and a zillion computers and screens that will be unserviceable after ten years and so the whole car will be sent to China for reclamation.

Edited by FA57REN on Thursday 14th November 10:22

[Helicopter123]

Thesprucegoose said:

20k depreciation a year takes some beating.

I think you are being optimistic!

These will fall like an absolute stone, they always have done and always will.

[Limpet]

Love that interior. Audi always nails this.

[Escort Si-130]

Weight: tbc (est 2,230kg unladen)

Hmm, doesn't seem like it is that heavy

[V8 FOU]

FA57REN said:

But what's with those screens in the back? C-level will be getting his fingers dirty poking at some secretary instead of those.

FTFY

Edited by FA57REN on Thursday 14th November 10:22

[popeyewhite]

Owned an previous series S8. Lovely car but too long. i know it sounds odd but you could actually feel it in the way it drove. For premuim driving luxury I'd go S Class coupe (non AMG).

[Tomatogti]

I'm sure it's a capable executive taxi. But it just looks so dull and clinical both inside and out, a plus sized A4. As many have said an S class is so much more desirable. So few Audis excite me (though there are a few) - by and large they really do seem to be the aspirational car for people that aren't into cars.

[sidesauce]

Two Slips and a Gully said:

sidesauce said:

DeltonaS said:

Weight: 2,230kg unladen is what it says.

2,230kg. I repeat 2,230kg. Yes, it really says 2,230kg.

An S65 AMG weighs 2,250kg. Bentley's Flying Spur is 2,437kg unladen. That's an entire 200+ kg difference but funnily one doesn't hear people complain about that car - plus the S8 carries way more tech in it than the Spur does.

Because a Bentley or large Merc is expected to be a heavy barge.
Audi A8's were always engineered to be comparatively light. The S8 D2 was around 1700 - 1800Kg.

So 2230 Kg

Nope. The target market for this car simply will NOT care about things like that, particularly if they're being driven and spend their time in the back. You speak about weight in a flagship barge as if you're speaking about an Elise. It's simply not relevant anymore in this class to a non-pistonhead, at all.

[Jamescrs]

I love it, looks a great car, sadly well out of my budget and I suspect by the time they were in budget the bork factor would be huge.

[Helicopter123]

Tomatogti said:

I'm sure it's a capable executive taxi. But it just looks so dull and clinical both inside and out, a plus sized A4. As many have said an S class is so much more desirable. So few Audis excite me (though there are a few) - by and large they really do seem to be the aspirational car for people that aren't into cars.

Go and sit in an A8/S8.

I felt the same at first but the A8 is a lovely place to sit.

[SweptVolume]

"and a just-audible electrified whine"

I'm sorry, what? Why does the car whine? This sounds awful. I'd take some wind noise (ooo-er) to cover any electronic whinery.

[warch]

Jimbo89 said:

It always made me feel sick, choppy and wallowy at the same time.
.

I got this during a ride on a bendy B road in the V10 version, the huge powerful brakes and enthusiastic driving style didn't help.

The interior is very palatial but I reckon that dash and the white interior would be a bit much, it looks more like a car designed to impress rather a decent ergonomic design.

[mfp4073]

Thank goodness I haven't got a spare 100k to spend.....so many computers to go wrong and so bloody ugly. Why do most new cars have the most appalling cartoon style grills these days?

[Dave Hedgehog]

Harry’s new video was well timed given how ugly the S8 is

[MartinGLeeds]

Augustus Windsock said:

Love the idea of this as a car but I couldn’t bring myself to own one from new as the depreciation will be epic.
Plus as a car on the used market in say 5 years time, it would make my wallet tremble with fear at the thought of any of its complex electrical systems going Pete Tong.
And finally, I’d always have this image in the back of my mind that I’m buying a car that looks like a xerox’d version of a model that’s £60k+ cheaper....

That'll be the S6 then........pre Diesel ste........

Edited by MartinGLeeds on Friday 15th November 01:31

[Arsecati]

Thesprucegoose said:

20k depreciation a year takes some beating.

Then may I present to you sir, the 7-Series Beemer!

(Expect up to a £60k loss in one year on a 760!!!)

[neil1jnr]

Only on Pistonheads would you have people moaning about the weight of an S8. Can't help but laugh!