Audi S8 plus: Aerobatics
Test of a super-powerful 605 hp limousine
What does "plus" mean here? the young man asked, banging on the side window as we stood in the Odeon at about 23:8 pm. A young man dressed for a party might phrase his question as simply as possible, but there's definitely a reason for that - what (and more importantly why?) could be added to a car like the S85? I answered him something like this: “plus” here means 605 horsepower more, that is, 8 horsepower, because the normal S520 has XNUMX horsepower. "Great!" He replies: “Really cool car!” Simple and clear. And quite right, objectively...
As the photographer went out into the cold to do his part with this material, and the author of these lines had the privilege of sitting comfortably on leather seats with thin upholstery with contrasting red stitching, we were surrounded by Lamborghini Huracán, several Porsche 991 Turbo, as well as a large number of limousines. with M and AMG lettering.
Nothing wrong. There is a pleasant sense of superiority in the S8 plus, given that none of these machines can be its rival. Not in a straight section. We are sitting in a luxury limousine that has more power than the first prototype. Audi-R8 for Le Mans since 2000. What's even better is that you don't need to be a pro racer to drive this amazing car. All sorts of cars drive by outside, while the elegant interior of the S8 plus stays calm and relaxed.
V8 with four-cylinder capability
The V8 engine hums very quietly, the eight-speed automatic has just passed fifth gear, and the quattro all-wheel drive system with sports differential is tiring. For now, the dual transmission doesn't require much work and typically transfers 60 to 40 percent of the torque between the rear and front axles. However, the S8 plus 4.0 TFSI quattro can behave quite differently. On our test track, it reported an incredible 3,6-100 km/h time of 180 seconds and a 8 km/h speed of less than ten seconds. And in case you're wondering: at full throttle, the S50 plus reaches the city speed limit of 1,6 km/h in exactly 99,999 seconds. Bad news for about 8% of all other cars that would ever want to race you at a traffic light. Yes, it's childish, yes, it's not that important, and yes, safety and the law should always come first. However, it's good to know. This is probably the most exciting feature of the S8 plus - with this car, you always know that you can do (almost) whatever you want. And especially in Germany, there are enough places where you can fully legally and safely enjoy the real possibilities of S8 plus. For example, on the AXNUMX motorway.
At the end of a smooth left turn, the end-of-settlement sign is visible, the empty highway is lost far ahead in the darkness of the night, and the matrix laser lights illuminate the area in front of the car in a truly wonderful way. We fly under the sign "Stuttgart: 208 km". It's time to switch to the "Dynamic" mode, which reduces the air suspension clearance by ten millimeters, to which another ten millimeters are added when crossing the 120 km / h limit. The modern highway today is three-lane, but is still on the track created back in 1938. The maximum allowable speed for a car's winter tires is 270 km / h - a joke. We go down to the exit to the right and return to Munich. At full throttle, the V-8 growls with muted bass, reminding you that the S8 plus can indeed carry the designation of RS XNUMX wheels.
We pull off the highway at the Ashenried exit, we back off the gas, and then Audi turns off four of its eight cylinders. No, we do not feel this fact in any way, but so it says in the message written on the control display. How is it that you don't feel anything in the cockpit? The “physical” phenomenon of destructive interference is to blame. With the help of sound waves generated by the sound system, the specific noise from the operation of the four cylinders is completely neutralized. As soon as the driver applies a little more gas, the temporarily deactivated four cylinders are immediately reactivated. Of course, this also becomes completely invisible to the driver and his comrades.
The half-cylinder shutdown system is aimed at saving fuel and in real conditions does make a significant contribution to this direction. However, in a class of two-ton sedans with more than 500 horsepower, this is not a very important factor in the performance of the car. With a more extreme driving style, consumption can rise to twenty liters per 100, and in such conditions the 82-liter tank reaches only about 400 kilometers.
It's time for the S8 to return to the city. The suspension is again in a comfortable mode and even on not very well-groomed asphalt the car drives like a real A8 - without the “S” and without the “plus”. As with other versions of the A8, here the air suspension is part of the standard equipment, but with settings specific to the S.
The base price of BGN 269 also includes fine leather seats and full multimedia equipment, including the Bose-Sound-System. Lacquer coating called Floret silver with a matte effect, which is available only for S878 plus, is paid additionally in the amount of 8 leva. Well, it's definitely not cheap, but it's definitely worth it - for cars like the S12 plus, there's positive logic to apply the 'how about a gargoyle - be shaggy' rule. The matt gray finish makes the impressive Audi truly stand out against the backdrop of a winter night, lending an extraordinary plasticity to the shapes, emphasizing them with a soft sheen.
We are heading towards the Hackerbrücke Bridge, one of the oldest wrought iron bridges in Germany, also made by MAN. In those years, together with all kinds of machines and engines, MAN produced almost everything that could be made from steel, including the Wuppertal suspension railway and the impressive railway bridges in Münsten. At night, the bridge looks like a set from the Blade Runner movie. The S8 crosses the bridge on its own - there is no traffic, only bicycles tied to metal railings around the stairs leading to the tram line, a reminder of mobility in Munich.
It is completely calm outside, our speed is 50 km / h, air conditioning and heated seats create a very cozy atmosphere in the cabin. Pleasant music sounds from the speakers of a great audio system. Pink Floyd somehow fits very well into the night landscape. It's time for the song "Wish you were here" - time for the photographer to take some last night photos in one of the city's most beautiful historic districts. Traffic is getting weaker. It's a good time to be alone with your thoughts. There is no dispute - we will remember our meeting with this car for a long time. Here is the song "Shine, crazy diamond": "Shadows threaten at night, exposed to the light." Time to go home. Matrix headlights turn the night landscape in front of the car into daylight. Maybe Roger Waters sings about it? At least that's how it seems to us at this memorable moment.
Text: Heinrich Lingner
Photo: Ahim Hartmann
Evaluation
Audi S8 more
The dynamic performance of a supercar combined with the comfort of a high-end luxury sedan – the Audi S8 plus comes astonishingly close to this ideal. The fact that the price and fuel consumption are high does not matter in this case.
technical details
| Audi S8 more | |
|---|---|
| Working volume | 3993 cc cm |
| Power | 445 kW (605 hp) at 6100 rpm |
| Maximum torque | 750 Nm at 2500 rpm |
| Acceleration 0-100 km / h | 3,6 with |
| Braking distances at a speed of 100 km / h | 36,7 m |
| full speed | 305 km / h |
| Average consumption fuel in the test | 13,7 l / 100 km |
| Base Price | 269 878 levov |
