Hart of gold

9:46am Friday 28th December 2007

LEAFING through the brochure for the Audi S8 and there are plenty of clues as to how special this machine is. Even in standard guise, the presence of an Audi A8 on the driveway denotes a large degree of personal success, but the S8 significantly ups the ante. It inhabits a small, select club of sporting saloons that specialise in big numbers: high output, high performance and high price.

£70,000 is big by most standards, but so is the spec list. Not only does the S8 share the aluminium construction and Quattro four-wheel drive layout of lesser A8s, but under the bonnet lies possibly the finest engine to be found under an Audi bonnet. The 5.2-litre V10 powerplant bears a striking resemblance to the one found under the rear deck of the Lamborghini Gallardo, so its breeding is without question. This is a super saloon with bite.

The inside is more akin to the presidential suite of a modern hotel

Not that it abandons its luxury origins however. Slide into the Nappa leather seats and the cabin is akin to the presidential suite of a modern hotel: carbonfibre and aluminium inlays meet the fine leather and Alcantara trim to give a real sense of expense.

Then there's the technonolgy. The S8 gets a fingerprint recognition system as standard, so you and three other chosen ones can securely enter and start the car. What's more, each user can set their own preferences for everything from the seat and mirror position to audio and climate settings - James Bond would love it.

The Bose stereo, power closing doors and electric everything means enough gadgets to make traffic jams interesting. It also performs its limousine duties just as well as its lesser siblings too. Although it has massive 20 inch wheels with low profile tyres and a sportier air suspension set-up, it can still waft along with the best.

Fiddle with the settings and in comfort mode it gives nothing away to competition, and the high level of sound proofing and refinement makes it a pleasure to travel in. It is also much easier to drive than a car of this size and performance has any right to be: the view out is good and the controls are well-weighted and easy to use. It remains a thoroughly comfortable and usable machine, just with a darker side too.

The exterior changes are the first hint. Those massive wheels are a signal of intent, while the quad exhaust pipes at the rear are functional as well as attractive. It also looks considerably leaner and meaner, although there are no sheet metal changes. Firing up the engine removes all doubt however, as the 10-cylinder unit produces a delicious snarl. Even with the gearlever set in Drive, a gentle squeeze of throttle propels the S8 forward with vigour.

The gearbox responds well in automatic mode, anticipating a switch from cruise to sprint, but the power and noise are best exploited by using the shift paddles behind the wheel. This turns it into a genuine sprinter: the 0-62mph time of 5.1 seconds is violently fast for a car this size, while the governed maximum of 155mph hides the potential to reach 170mph.

All that performance is reigned in superbly by the standard ceramic brakes, which shed heat and therefore resist fade far better than iron discs. The handling is also remarkable, helped by the four-wheel drive but also the composed air suspension and light weight construction. This is a comfortable executive with a pair of running spikes close at hand. This dual personality is the core appeal of the S8. It requires a substantial investment to buy, no question. What you get in return however is worth the outlay.

It is never too sporty to cosset and soothe away the miles, and neither is it out of its depth on the twisty route home. All the while that fabulous engine is your constant companion, ready to strut its stuff and blast out a wonderful tune. The S8 is efficient and composed like a German saloon, but with the passion and soul of a true Italian.