Fans of classic 1997 Robert DeNiro spy thriller Ronin, rejoice - Audi's bringing out a new turbo V8 S8, the hot version of the A8 luxury car. The original S8 had a starring role in that epic action movie, and like that original version, this one's packing a V8 engine.
V8 turbo with 800Nm of torque
Unlike the original's 340hp 4.2-litre V8, though, this one's got a 571hp twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8, which also brings a massive 800Nm to the party. That engine gets iron cylinder liners for ultra-smooth running, and the cabin's got an active noise cancelling system to keep it as quiet as possible. Well, not all that quiet - mash the throttle pedal and active flaps in the exhaust open up to bring out all of that meaty V8 noise. Audi isn't quoting a 0-100km/h figure yet, but with all that torque and quattro four-wheel drive, we suspect 'brisk' will just about cover it.
Active suspension that reads the road ahead
Mind you, it's not all bombast and noise. This S8 is actually a mild-hybrid, using Audi's 48-volt system to enable coasting with the engine switched off, fast restart and an extended start-stop range. That alone knocks 0.8 litres/100km off the fuel consumption figure, and there's cylinder shut-down as well, for even better economy.
The S8 gets fully active air suspension, that comes with actuators that can lift or push down a wheel, depending on the road surface ahead. The car actually watches the road ahead through a clever camera system and knows when bumps and lumps are coming up, and can then move a wheel out of the way as needed.
Body can tilt into corners
There's also a clever new Comfort Plus setting which, when cornering hard, actually leans the body of the car into a corner by as much as three degrees, which reduces lateral acceleration and means your passengers won't know quite how much fun you're having.
There's more - Dynamic setting firms everything up and cuts body roll in half, compared to standard settings, and Audi says that the balance of the car in Dynamic mode is 'neutral to mild oversteer.' Yes please... There's also all-wheel steering, which can make the S8 more agile at lower speeds, and yet make it feel more stable and secure at higher speeds. Audi says that, thanks to the four-wheel steering, the S8 can: "eradicate any hint of understeer."
On a more practical note, the suspension also automatically raises the car by 50mm when you're getting in or out. Which is only polite.
Stopping one should be pretty easy too - the S8 get optional carbon-fibre ceramic brake discs with a diameter of 420 millimetres at the front axle and 370 millimetres at the rear. The ceramic brakes are internally ventilated, low-wearing and including the callipers are 9.6 kilograms lighter than cast iron discs. Each of the front callipers has ten pistons.
Style-wise, the S8 is pretty subtle (as S8s always have been). There are small details in the bumpers and side skirts, quad exhausts, and special door mirrors. That's about it on the outside. Inside, the S8 gets a model-specific dash inlay of 'Carbon Vector' material, as well as lots of dark, brushed, matte aluminium, sports seats, and, of course, all-digital instruments and twin digital touchscreens for all of the major controls.
There are no fewer than 38 separate driver assistance systems, divided into City and Tour packages. The latter comes with Adaptive cruise assist - a stand-out feature that combines the functions of adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist and lane tracking. In combination with predictive efficiency assist, it brakes and accelerates the S8 in anticipation of the conditions ahead.
In the City assist package, Audi pre sense side joins the systems pre sense front and pre sense rear to create Audi pre sense 360°. If the system detects an impending side impact, it can operate together with the predictive active suspension to instantly raise the body by as much as 80 millimetres. This brings the sill into a better position to absorb the impact energy, mitigating the potential consequences of the accident for the occupants.
Driving all of those systems are no fewer than five radar sensors, six cameras, twelve ultrasound sensors and a laser scanner on board.
Orders for the new S8 will open in the Autumn, and first deliveries should begin before the end of the year.