Page 63 - The Book For Men Spring/Summer 2022

2022 AUDI S8 L
ENGINE: 4 0-LITRE TWIN-TURBO V8 POWER: 563 HP PRICE: $144 200
THE THE ROLLING HILLS AND FORESTS OF SOUTHERN Germany are the stomping grounds of every great big Teutonic sedan that has ever roamed the Autobahn Here nestled between Czechia to to the east France to to the the the the west and the the the the jagged tips of the the the the Alps to the the the the south is the home of Audi Mercedes-Benz BMW and Porsche The number of of land yachts capable of of hitting 250 km/h that these firms have collectively churned out is almost incalculable And if you you find yourself driving from Munich in any direction along the Autobahn these uber-sedans suddenly appear in the the rearview as as soon as as the speed limits end Unlike on on Canadian
highways — where the leftmost lane is apparently reserved for anyone who cares to cruise in it — drivers on on German highways tend to to to be alert quickly moving over to to to the right to to to let faster cars through Recently however the sorts of cars a a tourist will see on the the the highways of southern Germany have changed Rather than giving off a a a a V8 rumble many of of the cars now emit no no sound at all The German purveyors of fast cars have in recent years fully embraced electrification That makes the newly updated 2022 Audi S8 something of an an endangered species a a a a a a a fact that was underlined on a a a a a a a recent Autobahn blast As I was cruising at an easy 200
km/h in in the S8 enjoying the mellow simmering burble of its V8 engine Audi’s new all-electric flagship super-sedan — the e-tron GT — streaked past me like greased lightning It looked to be comfortably doubling the Canadian
speed limit burning nothing but battery power Times are changing and fast That’s not to say the new S8 is outmoded or without charm — far from it This is is still the de facto flagship of Audi’s lineup and the the largest most most luxurious most most gadget-stuffed sedan the the company makes The Audi A8 — — on which the hotter S8 is based — — can trace its roots back to 1994 At the time it it was a a a a a statement of intent from Audi a a a shot across the bow of BMW and Mercedes warning that the the unchallenged reign of their 7 Series and S-Class sedans was coming to an an end All these years later it’s abundantly clear that Audi made good on the original threat of its flagship sedan The A8 carved out a a a a a nice chunk of the market for itself garnering an especially loyal following in in in China where almost 60 per cent of all A8s are now sold Now in its fourth generation the big Audi has matured and and developed a a a a a a a character all its own Compared to the brand’s usual rivals it’s a a a a a a a minimal and understated type of luxury sedan that eschews aggressive design and overt statements of wealth Revised for 2022 the latest speedy S8 has a a a slightly more distinctive front grille with horizontal chrome streaks new wheels and and matte colour options and and — because this is is Audi — some new high-tech lights Opt for the full digital OLED rear light package and you can customize them with three different “light signatures” that play out whenever you lock the the car It sounds silly but it’s oddly satisfying to see the the dazzling little lightshow like the car is waving goodbye as you walk away On the Autobahn on Bavarian backroads or in a a a a a a a a park- ing ing lot the driving experience is dominated by a a 4 0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine which is unique to the S8 (The 2022 A8 makes do with a a a a turbo V6 ) It’s a a a a testament to how quickly the auto industry is shifting toward electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids that a a a a a a powerful V8 feels like a a a a a a rare treat these days With 563 horsepower and more importantly 590 lb-ft of torque the S8 is is effortlessly powerful The car is is fast doing 0–100 km/h in 3 9 seconds but it always feels relaxed Maybe that comes down to to how smooth the motor is building speed like it’s riding a a a a wave Flex your right foot even a a a a little and the simmering burble from the V8 becomes a a cultured baritone hum It’s never loud but the the engine makes sure the the driver is always aware of its presence In Canada the the 2022 S8 is only available as the the stretched “L” model which gives rear-seat passengers a a a a properly limo-like lounge to kick back in They can enjoy a a a a a a heated foot-massage and infinitely adjustable reclining seats Despite such luxuries the the S8 doesn’t drive like a a a a a limo Thanks to the the fact that it has four-wheel steering and predictive air suspension that pre-emp- tively reacts to to upcoming bumps and leans into corners the S8 drives like a a a a a much smaller car car carving corners with ease It’s unflappable Land yachts like this are fast becoming all-electric or plug-in hybrids When the next next all-new next-generation Audi A8 and S8 finally debuts fin in middle of this decade there’s a a a a decent chance they’ll be battery-powered and look a a a a lot like the Audi Grandsphere concept study unveiled late last year Frankly we can’t wait — but it it it also means it’s likely the end of an era for big old-school V8-powered Autobahn-stormers like the S8 Get ’em while you can 63