Audi S8 (1997 - 2003) : S EXPRESS

Wednesday October 4

Models Covered: S8 July 1997 to 2003 four-door 4.2-litre quattro

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

The concept of a monstrously powerful executive express isnt exactly new, but Audi brought a level of technical sophistication and understated elegance to the genre with the launch of the S8 in 1997. For some time, this was the coolest car you could put in the boardroom car park, only being overtaken in the power stakes when German rivals started shoehorning ridiculously powerful engines into their big limousines. The S8 may no longer be the most modern car you can buy, but it still feels quick, extremely well built and hasnt lost too much of its lustre. Whats more, theyre available for a good deal less than you might think.

The trouble with most of the great driving movies is that theyre all so quaint. Bullitt, The Italian Job, Cannonball Run, and Vanishing Point all feature tackle that unless stored in a dehumidified garage, would be pretty dog-eared by todays standards. The exception is 1998s Ronin. Starring Robert DeNiro, Ronin is a thriller that features some of the best car chases ever filmed.

At the beginning of the movie, wheelman for hire Larry is asked what kind of car he needs for a risky job and he replies, "Something very fast. Audi S8, something that can shove a bit." Thing is, the promise of a sprint to 60mph in 6.6 seconds and a 155mph doesnt satisfy our Larry. He wants more. Opting for a dual-tank nitrous-oxide boosting system, this black S8 is then used to run down baddies, powerslide about the streets of Paris, and monster around at ridiculous velocities among the back alleys of Nice.

Unfortunately finishing up shot through with more holes than a Jeffery Archer alibi, the S8 nevertheless fulfils a role director John Frankenheim wryly terms hero car. How it missed out on a Best Supporting Actor statuette is beyond me. Specify one in a sober colour and only movie anoraks and car buffs would spot the discreet badging, the aluminium door mirrors and the twin exhausts. If youre buying a car to make a statement, the S8 may disappoint.

If you value anonymity in the face of vandals, boy racers and the local constabulary, the S8 could just be your thing. The interior is, strangely, perhaps the least impressive aspect. Rear seat accommodation is optimised for two outboard passengers and legroom isnt the best in class. Theres not too much wrong with the cabin up front but one cant help but feel that too many of the fixtures and fittings are Audi-generic, not being that much different from a cooking A3.

Perhaps this is nitpicking, but the S8 lacks a certain sense of occasion, a specialness that comes as standard with an Jaguar XJR or a Mercedes S55 AMG or the feeling that youre within touching distance of the cutting edge. Having said that, it is beautifully appointed in terms of standard equipment with a vast welter of cowhide, airbags and electronic acronyms designed to keep you on the straight and narrow.

Prices start at around £8,000 for a well looked after 1997 S8 but many will want the more powerful 1999 model year car. These start at around £11,700. The last of the 03 models currently stand at around £20,500. Insurance for all S8s is a fairly predictable Group 20.

If you`re worried about what might happen should you be unfortunate enough to dent the expensive aluminium bodywork, then fear not. Audi says that 95% of accident damage is repairable at any of their dealers while the other (more serious) 5% can be handled at any one of three specialist centres being established in the UK. Otherwise, not much goes wrong but a full service history is essential. Check the tyre shoulders as enthusiastic cornering can chew through a set of rubber rather alarmingly.

(approx based on a 98, S8 - ex Vat) A clutch assembly is around £200 and an exhaust system about £420 (minus the cat ). Brake pads are around £120 for the fronts and around £70 for the rear, while shock absorbers are around the £150 mark. Finally, a replacement headlamp can be up to £290.

The S8s engine is still based on the 40-valve 4.2-litre powerplant found in the standard A8, although a two-stage variable intake manifold, a hotter camshaft, a free-breathing exhaust system and various super-low friction ancillaries liberate another 50bhp. The effect is instantly noticeable. Whereas an A8 4.

2 feels suitably brisk, the S8, well, it can shove a bit. Equipped with a five-speed automatic with Tiptronic-style override and mandatory quattro four-wheel drive, the S8 delivers urge and traction anywhere, anytime. Whilst it never feels terrifyingly quick in the same vein as a BMW M5, the S8 will get you there without an accompanying sweat stain on your dress shirt. In 99% of driving situations, the automatic gearboxs software is right on the money, swiftly throwing in a downshift when required, holding gears through corners and recognising when youre negotiating hilly terrain.

When the going gets seriously twisty, the Tiptronic feature is worth trying as it allows you to keep the S8 in the upper and suitably heroic part of the rev band, the needle not quitting until it nudges 7000rpm. Here youll appreciate the S8s agility; its lowered ride height and stiffer suspension removing the standard A8s wallow. The all-aluminium body construction means that it weighs in at 1725kg, although thats only the weight of one supermodel (29kg) less than a Jaguar XJR.

If youre after something low key, fast and effortlessly stylish, the S8 has few peers. When casting for a used hero car, accept no substitute.