The most luxurious member of the new Audi S family, to be revealed at 2011 IAA, is the new S8.

As the top of the range model, the S8 comes with a 4.0 liter V8 delivering 382 kW (520 hp) and 650 Nm (479.42 lb-ft) of torque. That enables this gigantic car to go from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in just 4.2 seconds. The engine is mated to an eight-speed tiptronic, and delivers power through the quattro system. Average fuel consumption is 10.2 liters per 100 km (23.06 US mpg).

Despite the space frame and lightweight construction, Audi S8 weighs 1,975 kilograms (4,354.13 lb). To make up for that Audi has given the car a specially tuned adaptive air suspension with variable damping, 19 to 21-inch wheels and powerful brakes.

The S8 is all about elegance and luxury though, not sporty driving. That’s why it comes with bewilderingly long list of equipment sand features, some of which are mentioned after the pictures…

The multi-way, power-adjustable comfort sport seats have been designed exclusively for the S8. They are optionally available with exclusive seat upholstery in quilted lunar silver. The stitching and piping are in contrasting steel gray, while the upper inlays on the instrument panel and tiptronic selector lever present the material Carbon Atlas.

The leather multifunction sport steering wheel has color-contrasting stitching and an S8 emblem, which can also be found on the instruments. Typical of the Audi S models, these have gray dials with white needles – a design which is repeated in the classic analogue clock. The illuminated door sill trims with the S8 logo are a further eye-catcher. The display of the driver information system and the MMI monitor greet the driver with special S8 screens. The shift paddles and pedals are in an aluminum-look finish; a red ring frames the start button.

The S8 offers a wide selection of interior colors, inlays and seat upholstery. These include particularly soft Valcona leather and seats with ventilation and massage functions. The leather package, a DVD changer, the convenience key with sensor-controlled lock for the trunk and the ambient lighting package round out the list of standard interior equipment. The Audi S8 is also equipped with the innovative LED headlights and double glazing.

Equipment
Beyond the generous standard equipment, Audi makes all of the high-end options from the A8 series available in the new S8. The driver assistance systems, which are closely networked with one another and the navigation system, are particularly innovative.

The core of these is the adaptive cruise control system with stop & go function; others include Audi side assist, Audi lane assist, the speed limit display and the night vision assistant with highlighting of detected pedestrians.

Supplementing these technologies is the safety system Audi pre sense, which is available in a number of versions. A new break recommendation function uses steering motions and additional parameters to detect if the driver is getting tired and issues an appropriate warning.

New to the A8 family is the parking system with 360° camera. Four small cameras record images of the sedan’s immediate surroundings and a computer splices them together. The driver can call up a variety of views on the MMI monitor, including a virtual top-down view. The system enhances safety while maneuvering and in narrow driveways. Special views allow the driver to see cross-traffic.

The MMI navigation plus, which comes standard, represents the state-of-the-art in infotainment systems. It includes the groundbreaking MMI touch input system, a large hard drive and a high-resolution 8-inch display. The high-end system can be combined with the likewise standard Bluetooth online car phone, which brings special Internet services to the car and provides WLAN connectivity for mobile devices.

The Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System with its 1,400 watt amplifiers and 19 speakers impresses with its amazing sound.