AUDI has revealed Australian pricing and particulars of its flagship mild-hybrid S8 sedan, providing a sharper design, new tech, and the identical stonking efficiency we’ve come to count on.
The luxe limousine sits on the prime of the A8 vary and can price Aussie patrons $273,400 plus on-road prices, making it the most costly Audi on-sale Down Underneath and a good chunk of change greater than the outgoing mannequin.
The $13,523 worth hike over the outgoing mannequin is considerably justified, because the upcoming S8 scores new digital matrix LED headlights borrowed from the e-tron S, the A8’s 48-volt mild-hybrid system as customary, and a twin-turbo V8 with cylinder deactivation.
“The brand new Audi S8 is in rarefied air on the pinnacle of our mannequin vary,” mentioned Audi Australia director Jeff Mannering.
“The Audi S8 is a kind of actually particular automobiles that’s revered by many, however solely owned by a number of.”
The brand new S8 represents Audi’s no-holds-barred try at mixing luxurious with efficiency, because the car-maker’s prime canine sedan since 1994.
“It stands aside for its distinctive mixture of efficiency, luxurious and innovation that’s scarcely discovered anyplace out there,” mentioned Mr Mannering.
“The refreshed S8 continues this legacy, with new options that may guarantee it retains its eminence on the peak of the Audi vary, and of the luxurious sedan market.”
On the efficiency entrance, energy comes courtesy of a 4.0-litre TFSI twin-turbo V8 with ‘cylinder on demand’ (CoD), helped alongside by the S8s mild-hybrid system, producing 420kW of energy and 800Nm of torque.
These hefty energy figures equate to a 0-100km/h time of three.8 seconds and electronically restricted prime velocity of 250km/h – loads of efficiency for a luxurious sedan.
Drive is distributed via a tiptronic eight-speed transmission, with quattro all-wheel drive system permitting as much as 85 per cent of torque to be despatched to the rear treads. Underneath regular operation. torque is distributed 40:60 entrance to again however stays variable.
Audi attributes the V8s soundtrack to its 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 firing order, funnelled via a twin exhaust system that’s managed through the Audi drive choose system.
The 48-volt mild-hybrid system can recuperate as much as 8kW of energy whereas coasting or beneath mild throttle openings, in addition to offering energy for the idle-stop system, equating to a gas saving of as much as 0.8 litres per 100km.
Audi’s CoD cylinder deactivation expertise takes gas financial savings one step additional, permitting the S8 to run on 4 of its eight cylinders, contributing to the claimed 10.5L/100km mixed gas consumption.
Consolation is a key issue within the S8 and the upcoming mannequin options ‘predictive energetic suspension’ expertise, appearing off numerous sensors and a video digicam to always alter the journey.
The S8 is even able to loading or unloading particular person wheels through an electrical motor, balancing the chassis to realize what Audi claims are “physics-defying dynamics”.
A modernised exterior design stays Audi-esque, muscular sufficient to trace on the S8s efficiency potential whereas retaining luxurious limousine strains.
Digital matrix LED headlights have been borrowed from the e-tron S as customary, with 1.3 million micromirrors splitting the sunshine into tiny pixels. OLED taillights are customary, which improve visibility primarily based on proximity to trailing automobiles.
Occupants are handled to the identical stage of luxurious they are going to be used to within the outgoing S8, however a brand new digital TV enhances the well-appointed infotainment providing.
Audi’s newest security tech is fitted to the S8, with park help, 360-degree cameras, and all the standard driver security aids.
Significantly useful, is Audi’s pre-sense expertise that may increase one aspect of the automobile to mitigate affect within the occasion of a aspect collision. One other new addition is evening imaginative and prescient help, which makes use of the digital matrix LED headlights.
