You might expect, given that this new Audi S8 is powered by a V10 engine normally found in a Lamborghini, that this is going to be a tale of statistical superlatives, of mindbending speed and awe-inspiring abilities. But it’s not, for that is not the Audi way. The S8 may have 444bhp, but expect it to explode down the road like, say, a Mercedes S 55 AMG and you’re going to feel sorely let down. And expect it to handle like that other V10 über-saloon, the BMW M5, and you won’t feel much better.
So forget right now any notion that this is a supercar that just happens to have four doors and a big boot, for it is nothing of the sort. Yes, it will hit 62mph in 5.1sec and accelerate hard to its 155mph speed limiter, but in the 21st century these are increasingly everyday figures and a poor guide to the appeal of this new car.
Full review here