Audi S8 Plus: review

The standard S8 features an impressive 513bhp, which it seems is plenty enough for everyone but Audi itself.

In the marque’s drive to build the ultimate executive express, the model’s latest incarnation – the S8 Plus – now boasts 597bhp from its 4.0-litre V8, thanks to the aid of two turbochargers. It’s the hottest-ever S-badged Audi. Our testers tried it out.

At just under £100,000, the newcomer takes Audi’s accustomed performance and luxury to another level. Whether it’s enjoyed from the driver’s seat or from the luxurious rear compartment, the experience is sublime.

Quilted leather upholstery can be enhanced by an optional massage function, and hi-tech sound-cancellation protection from the noise and bustle of the outside world means passengers can relax in the ultimate tranquil environment, at whatever speed they’re travelling.

Selectable drive modes adapt the S8 Plus’s handling and performance to suit. Comfort provides the ultimate in, well, comfort, while Dynamic literally shifts the S8 into another gear. The 0-62mph sprint takes an astounding 3.8 seconds, and the relentless V8 just keeps on accelerating right up to an artificially restricted 189mph (up from the standard 155mph).

The black-painted quad exhausts growl and bellow as the engine’s torque – up to 553lb ft via the overboost function – pulls and pulls. A Tiptronic eight-speed automatic transmission sends power to all four wheels, via a centre diff and an electronic limited-slip rear diff.

Dynamic mode stiffens the suspension, enabling remarkably flat cornering on the uprated air springs. Additional braking power can be obtained by speccing the carbon-ceramic brakes included in the optional Dynamic Pack.