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- Highs Cruise-missile acceleration, tech-forward cabin, surprisingly athletic for its size.
- Lows Thirsty powertrain, looks too much like a standard A8, eye-popping base price.
- Verdict With its polished looks and gutsy V-8, the 2020 Audi S8 flies gracefully and under the radar.
Overview
To create the S8, Audi takes its flagship A8 luxury sedan and adds a significant amount of power and poise. A standard twin-turbocharged V-8 engine provides the punch, while a firmer suspension and upgraded brakes improve the big sedan's athleticism. Subtle visual enhancements inside and out include different wheels, bumpers, and special interior trim. But the S8 otherwise looks similar to its A8 sibling, meaning that this car is not meant for those who want their luxury sedan to be ostentatious. The S8's spacious, feature-packed cabin makes it a perfect rival to V-8–powered variants of the BMW 7-series and the Mercedes-Benz S-class, and its digital dashboard makes the Audi perfect for high-rolling technophiles.
What's New for 2020?
After taking the 2019 model year off, the 2020 S8 returns to the Audi lineup with fresh styling, a fully modernized powertrain, and a host of new tech features.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
The S8 starts at a pretty eye-watering price, so we'd be careful not to add too many options to the sheet. Luckily, the S8 comes comprehensively equipped with most of Audi's best features, such as a fully digital dash, fine interior materials, massaging front seats, and more. The Cold Weather package is a must for those of us in northern climes as it adds heated front armrests, heated rear seats, and adaptive windshield wipers to the mix. We'd also select the Executive package, which adds a set of Audi's laser headlamps with automatic high-beams, animated OLED taillamps—they perform visual acrobatics—plus headlight washers and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The S8's sole engine choice is a potent one: a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine making 563 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is standard, and the transmission is an eight-speed automatic. Audi claims a top speed of 155 mph, and there are fuel-saving systems, too, including cylinder deactivation and a mild-hybrid setup with a small electric motor and battery. At our test track, the S8 blasted to 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds. An active suspension system can control each wheel individually to improve ride quality, and it is tuned differently than that of the standard A8, promising improved cornering prowess thanks to reduced body roll. Audi also includes equipment such as a torque-vectoring rear differential and rear-wheel steering to increase agility; powerful carbon-ceramic brakes are optional.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
Even though the S8 is technically a hybrid, buyers shouldn't expect Toyota Prius-level fuel efficiency. The EPA estimates that the best we can expect is 22 mpg on the highway, with the city rating dropping down to just 13 mpg. Ouch. We haven't had the chance to test the S8 on our 200-mile highway fuel economy route, but when we do, we'll update this story with results.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
Fine materials line nearly every square inch of the S8's cabin, including diamond-stitched leather upholstery, a faux-suede headliner, and a stitched leather dash cover. The front seats offer standard heating, cooling, and massage, while the rear cabin offers tons of space for passengers to stretch out. To pamper those in the back seat even more, consider the Rear Seat Comfort package, which adds power-adjustable outboard seats with heat, ventilation, and massage, plusher headrests, heated armrests, and a remote control for the car's infotainment system. Four-zone automatic climate control is standard, as is a multi-color ambient interior lighting system. The trunk is generously sized and identical to that of the A8, which proved its mettle in our testing by holding six carry-on suitcases. For comparison the S-class held 5 and the 7-series held just three.
Infotainment and Connectivity
As with the standard A8, the S8's interior is a rolling tech showpiece. Multiple touchscreens control climate, audio, navigation, and myriad connectivity functions. Audi's 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit digital gauge cluster is standard, as is a 10.1-inch upper infotainment system and an 8.6-inch lower display. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, an on-board Wi-Fi hotspot, and in-dash navigation are all standard, and occupants can charge their compatible smartphones wirelessly using the S8's charging pad. Audiophiles will be happy to find that a 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen system is standard; for $5900, Audi will substitute a 23-speaker setup.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have performed crash tests on the S8. Audi offers several safety features as standard, but more desirable driver-assistance technologies such as adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist are optional. Key safety features include:
- Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Standard lane-departure warning
- Available adaptive cruise control with semi-autonomous driving mode
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Like its stablemates, the S8 is covered by a four-year/50,000 mile warranty policy. Buyers may find more value in the BMW 7-series' or Volvo S90's three-year complimentary maintenance plans.
- Limited warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
- No complimentary scheduled maintenance
Specifications
Specifications
2020 Audi S8
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED
$148,045 (base price: $131,495)
ENGINE TYPE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement
244 in3, 3996 cm3
Power
563 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque
590 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): multilink/multilink
Brakes (F/R): 15.8-in vented disc/13.8-in vented disc
Tires: Pirelli P Zero PZ4, 265/35R-21 101Y AO
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 123.2 in
Length: 209.0 in
Width: 76.6 in
Height: 58.6 in
Passenger volume: 111 ft3
Trunk volume: 13 ft3
Curb weight: 5256 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
Rollout, 1 ft: 0.3 sec
60 mph: 3.2 sec
100 mph: 8.1 sec
150 mph: 20.7 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 4.6 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.2 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 3.1 sec
¼-mile: 11.6 sec @ 119 mph
Top speed (governor limited, mfr's claim): 155 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 162 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.94 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 12 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 16/13/22 mpg
