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By Jonathan Crouch

Audi's biggest and beefiest sports saloon is better than ever. Jonathan Crouch drives the improved version of the fourth generation 'D5'-series S8.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 84

The Audi S8 has always worked to a demanding brief. That of delivering the conflicting virtues of limousine-like progress and sports saloon dynamism. In this facelifted fourth generation form, the car features a slightly sharper look but the engineering's unchanged, which means you get a potent 4.0-litre twin turbo petrol V8 featuring mild hybrid tech and putting out 571PS. Perhaps more significantly, there's still arguably the most sophisticated suspension package that the Ingolstadt brand has ever offered on one of its models. Sounds promising.

Backgroundword count: 157

The Audi S8 has long occupied a special niche in the super saloon firmament. On paper, it's hopelessly outgunned by rivals with bigger engines, but if you look beyond the Top Trumps figures, it's a car that just oozes cool. Every version of the S8 has always had something exotic about it, starting with the original 4.2-litre 'D2' model of 1997 made famous as the getaway car in the Robert de Niro film 'Ronin'. A 5.0-litre V10 MK2 'D3' version followed in 2006, followed by the 4.0-litre V8 'D4' variant launched in 2012. This fourth generation 'D5' design was launched in 2019 and remains very much the 'Ronin' car, the ultimate low-profile, high-drama getaway choice. It retains a more responsible version of its predecessor's potent twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 beneath the bonnet, a powerplant that makes this Audi a very effective long distance express indeed. This is still the genuine article. Even more so in this facelifted form.

Driving Experienceword count: 241

The 571PS 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 under the bonnet of this fourth generation S8 might be 34PS down on the output generated by the final 'S8 plus' version of its 'D4'-series pre-2017-era predecessor, but pulling power has increased in this generation to a thumping 800Nm, so it's very definitely quicker in the real world. Torque is transmitted to tarmac via an upgraded 8-speed tiptronic auto gearbox, predictive active suspension, dynamic-all-wheel steering and quattro 4WD supplemented by a rear sport differential which constantly varies the amount of drive sent to each individual rear wheel. The quattro system's variable too. Depending on the conditions, up to 70% of torque can be directed to the front wheels - or alternatively, up to 85% of power can be directed rearwards. And of course this S8 is fast; 62mph from rest takes just 3.8s. Perhaps the key change made with this 'D5'-series model though is the addition of its 'Predictive Active Suspension' system, which uses a camera to scan the road ahead as you drive, along with electro-mechanical actuators that constantly vary the ride height to suit the tarmac ahead, separately loading or relieving each wheel based on road conditions to an extent that depends on the 'drive select' driving mode you've chosen. Choose 'Comfort+' for instance and the suspension tilts the body into the turns to reduce lateral load. Choose 'Dynamic' and body roll is cut by around half what you'd get with standard sprung suspension.

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