2023 Audi S8

Few cars blend luxury and performance quite like the 2023 Audi S8, which pumps up its pace with a 563-hp twin-turbo V-8. Based on the spacious and comfortable A8 sedan, the S8 offers all the trappings of a large luxury car including available massaging seats, high-tech infotainment, and a quiet cabin lined with upscale materials. Its suspension has been tuned to provide better handling than the A8, and the S8 corners with the tenacity of a much smaller sports sedan. That sort of athleticism is a rarity in the large luxury car class where the S8’s only real rival in that regard is the similarly zesty Maserati Quattroporte.

Warranty

Like its stablemates, the S8 is covered by a four-year/50,000-mile warranty policy. Buyers may find more value in the BMW 7-series or Volvo S90's three-year complimentary maintenance plans.

Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
Powertrain warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
No complimentary scheduled maintenance

Engine

The S8's sole engine choice is a potent one: a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine making 563 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is standard, and the transmission is an eight-speed automatic. Audi claims a top speed of 155 mph, and there are fuel-saving systems, too, including cylinder deactivation and a mild-hybrid setup with a small electric motor and battery. At our test track, the S8 blasted to 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds. An active suspension system can control each wheel individually to improve ride quality, and it is tuned differently than that of the standard A8, delivering improved cornering prowess thanks to reduced body roll. Audi also includes equipment such as a torque-vectoring rear differential and rear-wheel steering to increase agility powerful carbon-ceramic brakes are optional.

Fuel

Even though the S8 is technically a hybrid, buyers shouldn't expect Toyota Prius-level fuel efficiency. The EPA estimates that the best we can expect is 22 mpg on the highway, with the city rating dropping to just 13 mpg. Ouch. We haven't had the chance to test the S8 on our 75-mph highway fuel economy route, but when we do, we'll update this story with results.