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A large sedan with a 4.0L 520-horsepower twin turbocharged V8, the Audi S8 provides a compelling package for a quick blast from Orange County to Laughlin, Nevada swapping Interstates for surface roads and Route 66 – the “Main Street of America”.  Think of this as a familiarization trip to get fully acquainted with the interactive technologies of the S8.  Most of it has to do with the multi-media interface (MMI) with navigation, audio, phone and even seat adjustments shown on the center screen.  Audi’s NAV system includes a Google Earth view that lost its terrain view data over the desert, but that was not Audi’s fault, just that the Google folks have not gotten around to mapping uninhabited terrain much.  BTW, the S8 is rated at 15-mpg in the City and 26-mpg on the highway.  Returning from Laughlin resulted in 24-mpg.  Not bad at 75-mph cruising speeds.

Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go Really Works Spending more time on Interstates on the return, the S8’s adaptive cruise control system really came into its own.  Even in very heavy traffic descending the Cajon Pass in San Bernardino County the cruise maintained speed and distance.  The spacing was a bit long and a few times someone would slip into the space causing the Audi to brake to adjust the distance again.  When traffic slowed to a stop, so did the S8.  This trip made me a believer in these advanced cruise control systems.

Two-Laners a Snap Admittedly, Route 66 is pretty deserted these days, even on a Saturday, but there are usually double yellow lines preventing passing.  When passing is allowed, inevitably there is a car approaching too soon.  Or is it?  A car with 520-horsepower gives you the confidence to punch it and go.  In the auto industry, there is a measurement called TED – Time Exposed to Danger.  This is usually the time to accelerate from 50-mph to 70-mph.  Well in the Audi, TED is very short almost feeling instantaneous from 50-mph to 80-mph.  Going to full throttle in the S8 generates an outstanding grumble from the exhaust.  I bet the cars passed by the S8 at full throttle were impressed when it flashed by.  Yeehaw!

Comfort Seats are the Ticket If you read the VehicleVoice reviews of the S7 written last week, you’ll remember that we were not particularly impressed with the sport seats in the car and noted that comfort seats were available as a $1,950 option.  Well, they are standard in the S8 and come with 22-way adjustment.  With these seats you can back off the bolsters to provide more spacious seating and get a massage at the same time.  When you are adjusting either front seat from the side-of-the-seat controls, a graphic appears on the center display showing you what adjustments you are making.  Nice.

Ride Quality Suffers With Aggressive Tires The S8, being the performance package for the S8, is set up for spirited driving with very aggressive 21-inch 35 aspect ratio Continental summer tires.  Even selecting the “Comfort” (rather than “Auto” or “Dynamic”) setting on the vehicle dynamics system resulted in a busy choppy ride at low speeds.  At higher speeds – lets admit to ten or fifteen mph over the speed limit at times – the car felt much more at home absorbing irregularities with ease.