Hold on to your hats
White knuckles and the clatter of grinding
teeth are constant harbingers of the concentration needed to pilot the Audi S8.
Yep, it’s that fast. Its burly 4.0- liter V8 engine is breathed upon by two
twin-scroll turbochargers helping pump out 382kW and 650Nm of torque strewn
evenly across the rev range from 1,770 – 5,000rpm. This makes it the most
powerful S8 yet. What happens next is frightening…Put your foot down, listen to
the turbo-chargers wind up for a moment and prepare to be hit on the chest by a
sledgehammer as that massive torque makes its way through the Quattro
drivetrain onto all four wheels. The S8 surges forward like a tar-starved
savage reeling-in the 100kph marker in just 4.25 seconds and 400m board in
12.23 seconds – that’s not much slower than an R8 V10. The inertia-free
immediacy to the in-gear shove coaxes your colon into a premature state of
peristalsis as the S8 teleports itself from 60-100kph and 80-120kph in 2.05 and
2.73 seconds respectively. Surprisingly though, the S8 can be genial when given
the chance. It benefits from cylinder deactivation that shuts the inlet and
exhaust valves on cylinders 2, 3, 5 and 8 when the engine is under low load,
helping foster better fuel economy – we managed to return a read-out of
10.7ℓ/100km over our economy test route.
After driving the Audi the BMW feels almost
docile. Make no mistake, it’s still properly quick – it just isn’t able to
evoke the same sense of sphincter-clenching acceleration as the M5 with which
it shares its 4.4 liter V8 twin-turbocharged engine, let alone the Audi.
However, bear in mind the 750i produces 52kW less than the S8 while the torque
figure of 650Nm is equaled. Regardless of mode, the 750i lacks the immediacy
and throttle response of the S8 and subsequently fails to match its
acceleration figures. Put to the test, the 750i managed only a 5.2sec 0-100kph
sprint and 13.36sec quarter-mile time but did put in a better showing in the
tractability tests, covering 60-100kph in 2.5 seconds and 80-120kph in 2.91.
It’s a light drinker, too, thanks to Eco Pro mode. Along with auto stop-start
and brake energy regeneration technology, Eco Pro features a coasting function
that decouples the engine from the transmission for more economical cruising
between 50-160kph. Over the same 80km test route the 750i managed to better the
S8 with a 10.4ℓ/100km return.
BMW
750i - Inside it's a totally different story with a
combination of stitched saddle brown leather, smooth plastics and burled walnut
veneers
Road and track
Let’s be honest here, neither of these two
limos are natural track athletes, but don’t let their elongated proportions
deceive you. The S8 is surprisingly balanced for a car of its size and weight.
I repeatedly had to remind myself I was driving a five-meter-plus saloon such
was the S8’s ability to mask its dimensions. The secret to the S8’s athleticism
lies not only in the adeptness of its Quattro drivetrain and sports
differential but also its adaptive air suspension that helps keep weight
transfer to a minimum in cornering situations. Grip is in abundance, which
instills the driver with the confidence to get onto the throttle earlier and
use the massive reserves of torque to pull it out of the corner. But it’s not
all point and squirt – the S8 struggles through tighter and narrower
transitions and doesn’t feel as compliant as the BMW over abrasive road
surfaces.
BMW
750i couldn't match the S8 on acceleration losing out to it on both the
0-100kph and quarter mile runs
From the moment you direct the 750i through
a corner it feels cumbersome and more so under heavy braking. It neither
corners nor changes direction as responsively as the S8, which is surprising
considering our test unit came fitted with the optional Dynamic Drive (body
roll stabilization) and Integral Active Steering (IAS). That said, it is easier
to maneuver around town and in tighter confines than the Audi due to its
shorter length and the rear-steer functionality of the IAS. The 750i trumps the
S8 for ride comfort with standard self-leveling air suspension that irons out
every little niggle, bump and imperfection, even in its sportiest setting.
Verdict
In picking a winner in this stratosphere,
both cars are immensely impressive, offering vastly different driving
experiences and dynamic characters. Most customer decisions will be defined by
personal (read badge) choice, bragging rights, residuals and pricing. The BMW
750i offers a lavish limo experience with excellent ride comfort and build
quality.
Put
your foot down, listen to the turbochargers wind up for a moment and prepare to
be hit on the chest by a sledgehammer as that massive torque makes its way
through the S8's Quattro drivetrain onto all four wheels
But with the Germans’ propensity to fill
the niches their counterparts create, it’s interesting to see that BMW is yet
to introduce a performance variant to rival the likes of the S8, Mercedes-Benz
S63 AMG and Porsche Panamera. While neither the S8 nor the 750i can match the
residual values of these aforementioned rivals, our choice between these two
comes down to pricing and driver enjoyment. Our 750i test unit will set you
back $174,020 ($33,530 of which comes from optional extras) and no, a chauffeur
is not standard!
Even the base price of the 750i ($140,240)
is $3.9k more than the S8, which costs $136,299 in standard guise (or $140,240
in our test trim). The reality is that despite its optional extras, the 750i
couldn’t warrant its price premium over the S8 in this test. The S8 emerged the
more focused, driver’s car of the two and is as adept at transporting a brace
of VIPs as it is performing through twists and turns. You get the sense that it
wasn’t designed exclusively for passengers but also with drivers in mind. Thus
the Audi S8 wins this Teutonic tussle.
