D4 S8 - Thoughts & Impressions

[tonupkid]

Sat in a new D4 S8 yesterday.
I'm not a fan of the exterior, it looks a little slab sided to my eye and I'm still uncertain which model I'm seeing when approaching from the back.
Well the interior is a truly lovely place with loads of soft upholstery and lots of shiny highlights here and there.
I checked out the centre arm rests. No height adjustment!!! No stowage in the arm rests themselves, and very shallow storage in the centre below them.
I did a double take at the dash. First off it was the usual sexy arrangement of dials. But on closer inspection I believe that the entire thing is a screen. A monitor, and not a very good one. The dials and everything, including the chrome dial surrounds being a figment of some chip. It was surprisingly low resolution.
I got out, and gently pushed the door to only to discover that there's no soft close. I thought that this was on all the D3 S8's. Anyway, not a deal breaker.
Finally after wandering around the showroom I realised that the wheels on the S8 were identical in design to the A4 loaner I had just taken back. And an A7, A3 and A1. Probably every car in the range
I've always liked the idea that the 8's are set a little apart from the range, as in better. And the S's came blessed with some standard stuff that you had to pay a little more to get on the other models.
What's going on?

[steamship]

That's it, I'm not buying a new D4 S8! Come to think of it, I can't even afford a D2 S8 . Anyway, glad to see that someone else thinks the new A8/S8s are too bland looking from outside. That's something I liked about the D2 and D3 versions, individuality.

[71camaro]

Originally Posted by steamship

That's it, I'm not buying a new D4 S8! Come to think of it, I can't even afford a D2 S8 . Anyway, glad to see that someone else thinks the new A8/S8s are too bland looking from outside. That's something I liked about the D2 and D3 versions, individuality.

D2s look like a big A4.

[The_Laird]

Originally Posted by 71camaro

D2s look like a big A4.

Can we ex-communicate someone from this forum?

[ScottD3]

Originally Posted by 71camaro

D2s look like a big A4.

I can kinda see it but surely the 8 is closer to the 6?

The lines between each model is getting very blurry with each newer model.

A1 is a smaller A3, A3 small A4 and so on.

I do like the D4 but agree that the S version needs something a little bit more on it to make it stand out from the normal A8.

Also noticed that Audi appears to be getting very stingy with their standard options on recent models.

A1 does not come with heated mirrors, A3 you have to spec the footwell lights and door lights. It would not be surpris if you had to spec soft close doors on the S8 and a glove box light.

[Phil303]

Originally Posted by steamship

That's something I liked about the D2 and D3 versions, individuality.

All Audi models (like most manufacturers) have looked like bigger and smaller versions of each other for years now - corporate face and halo effect and all that jazz.

The D2 does look like a mix of A4's; the front from the B6 family and the rear from the B4 models with the large light clusters (which personally I love the look of).

I have to look twice to tell most current and former A6 and A8 models apart. I would say that the D2 stands out now by virtue of being a 20+ year old design, but that's what I like about it. To most people it simply looks like an dull, ancient Audi and therefore you can go about your business without attracting attention.

[sarg]

First off, let me declare that I like the D4, more than the D3

I had a poke around a D4 S8 at Goodwood a few weeks ago.

It is indeed a lovely place to be, but the one memory I came away with, above all else, was how worn the drivers seat was - now, I don't know how many people how jumped in and out of a show car, probably in the thousands, but the wear (this was a new unregistered car) was noticeable immediately and unacceptable for a near enough £100k car, in my opinion.

I did take some photos, but not taken them off the camera yet, will upload them when I get round to it.

[HPsauce]

Originally Posted by Phil303

All Audi models (like most manufacturers) have looked like bigger and smaller versions of each other for years now

Time was, and this seems to have passed now, when the smaller models had a significant "style lag".
The top-end models would look distinctive and then, over time, the "styling cues" would appear in lesser models, so that buyers could feel the "halo effect". By then the expensive models would have moved on again.
Oddly, I don't think the D2 ever really was used much this way, one reason I like it.

[71camaro]

To someone who doesn't know, that could be the same car.

Originally Posted by The_Laird

Can we ex-communicate someone from this forum?

[Phil303]

Originally Posted by HPsauce

Oddly, I don't think the D2 ever really was used much this way, one reason I like it.

I think the 1994 launch of the D2 did trickle down to the later A4 models. As I mentioned, the D2 has elements of the models that came slightly before it (rear end) and styling cues copied by the ones that followed. As luck would have it, I happen to have a shot of the two side by side which I'll dig out later.

The B6 entered as the D2 finished, so the B6's (at least) had front design elements dating from a good 8 years previously and a rear that echoed the TT up until they had a front and rear makeover in 2005.

I'm even boring myself now.