A Slovenian philosopher, Slavoj Zizek, talks about love as an example of cosmic imbalance, going so far as to say that the way we single something out, elevating it and diminishing all other things, is a form of evil.
If that's true, then no doubt all Audi S8 owners must be more nefarious than other car owners. After sitting in the S8 for a few days I could easily understand how they might diminish the importance of other things. Yes, maybe love is evil, because while I was behind the wheel with the stereo up I completely forgot that others don't have it so good. Of course it did occur to me at the end of the testdrive that I don't have it so good either, since I don't own the car.
The Audi S8 has a lot to love. Under the hood is a 450hp, 5.2-liter V10 FSI engine with Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive. The 0-60 is 4.9 seconds, plenty fast for a luxury vehicle. Combine a powerful engine (weighing less than 500 pounds) with the sophisticated suspension system and you have a dream ride. The driver has terrific control over that ride by accessing the suspension options on the "Multi Media Interface" (MMI) screen. Choose "Automatic," "Comfort," "Dynamic" and "Lift" to determine ride height. In "Automatic" mode the suspension sensors "read" the road and dampers adapt accordingly. In "Comfort" the Audi is pure luxury, just coasting on air and in "Dynamic" the S8 definitely feels sportier than a four-door luxury sedan has a right to. As for interior design, the S8 is hands down the most attractive, eye-popping vehicle of the year. It's no overstatement to say that the combination of carbon fiber, metal and Alcantara suede throughout the interior is genius, perfectly thought out. The designers were careful not to go even a hair overboard. Then you add the B&O system and you have something that is just so artistic in its juxtaposition.
Bang a DrumWe could go on for pages swooning over the mechanics and performance of the S8, from the aforementioned engine to the six-speed transmission and paddle shifters to the lightweight aluminum chassis to the braking system and so forth. But while we really fell for the entire car, it was the Bang & Olufsen system in the S8 that was more like love at first sight. The Advance Audio System (an optional upgrade over the standard Bose system) is exactly what you would expect from B&O. Incredible design without compromise. Speaking of not compromising: According to an article in Fast Company, during the development of a new product the company's president wanted to change a small part of a design, but was overruled by the chief designer who just happened to be a "freelancer." The president backed down. Most designers can only dream of having that kind of veto power. From their point of view, executives usually meddle too much with their input and in the end undermine a design. Not with B&O, and not with the Advanced Audio System.