skiwi
February 12th, 2007, 08:22
from autoweek...
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070209/FREE/70206002/1005/FREE
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RAYNAL: It was snowing, not the best time to drive a 450-hp car, but I shouldn’t have worried. The S8 worked like a snowmobile, and that’s not even the best part.
No, the best part is the way this beast drives. It’s like a supercar (60 mph comes in five seconds) with a rear seat and all-wheel drive. I loved the Lambo-based V10’s growl when I booted it—that 450-hp figure, by the way, is more than the R8 Audi just introduced.
The adjustable suspension felt superb. I’ve read reports in other magazines that say this thing rides harshly. I couldn’t disagree more.
GRITZINGER: Talk about a big car that gets everything right. From its curb appeal to interior appointments to the massive power source under the hood, it doesn’t get much better than the S8. As much as Mercedes-Benz has done a superb job with the S-Class and its higher-end AMG iterations, the S8 is almost a sleeper in this segment. Part of the appeal is that all the power gets to the ground so cleanly via the awd, with no wasted effort.
Throttle tip-in felt a bit quick for my tastes, which meant I tended drive away from a stop less smoothly than I’d have liked. But if you need a big car that can make short work of your executive-level commute, look no further. The S8 is your rocket ship, ready to launch.
MANDEL: The Audi designations are clearer to me now that I had a weekend with the S8: S stands for Stealth and 8 is what it does to the competition, past tense.
I absolutely love the subtle nature of this overzealous beast, the regal way in which it conducts itself on the road, at the country club and in school parking lots. It is self-assured and confident, and those who drive it should be, too. There’s no problem traveling at a high rate of speed if the opportunity and conditions present themselves; it is equally at home driving at posted limits, though there is a sense of bridled passion waiting to be released. Still, it cruises well and struts with the best of ’em.
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070209/FREE/70206002/1005/FREE
--------------------
RAYNAL: It was snowing, not the best time to drive a 450-hp car, but I shouldn’t have worried. The S8 worked like a snowmobile, and that’s not even the best part.
No, the best part is the way this beast drives. It’s like a supercar (60 mph comes in five seconds) with a rear seat and all-wheel drive. I loved the Lambo-based V10’s growl when I booted it—that 450-hp figure, by the way, is more than the R8 Audi just introduced.
The adjustable suspension felt superb. I’ve read reports in other magazines that say this thing rides harshly. I couldn’t disagree more.
GRITZINGER: Talk about a big car that gets everything right. From its curb appeal to interior appointments to the massive power source under the hood, it doesn’t get much better than the S8. As much as Mercedes-Benz has done a superb job with the S-Class and its higher-end AMG iterations, the S8 is almost a sleeper in this segment. Part of the appeal is that all the power gets to the ground so cleanly via the awd, with no wasted effort.
Throttle tip-in felt a bit quick for my tastes, which meant I tended drive away from a stop less smoothly than I’d have liked. But if you need a big car that can make short work of your executive-level commute, look no further. The S8 is your rocket ship, ready to launch.
MANDEL: The Audi designations are clearer to me now that I had a weekend with the S8: S stands for Stealth and 8 is what it does to the competition, past tense.
I absolutely love the subtle nature of this overzealous beast, the regal way in which it conducts itself on the road, at the country club and in school parking lots. It is self-assured and confident, and those who drive it should be, too. There’s no problem traveling at a high rate of speed if the opportunity and conditions present themselves; it is equally at home driving at posted limits, though there is a sense of bridled passion waiting to be released. Still, it cruises well and struts with the best of ’em.