Sedans don’t attract buyers the way they used to, but that’s not stopping Audi from improving the breed. For 2022, the four-ring brand has spruced up its A8 and S8 flagship four-doors, making them more appealing than ever.
The 2022 Audi A8 gains a number of visual changes for the latest model year. For starters, the S Line exterior package is now standard. This includes special air intakes on the front fascia that are dressed up with unique blades. An insert of a new design filling the wider single-frame grille is included, too. Gone are the bright, horizontal bars that ran across this opening in previous years. LED headlamps are standard, as are customizable OLED taillights. Yep, this car lets you change its rear lighting signature, which is neat. The A8 also gains a new rear diffuser insert.
As for the high-performance S8, it, too, gains a wider grille, one enhanced with angular chrome accents for a brighter look. Quad exhaust outlets at the rear hint at this car’s ground-pounding performance. The 2022 Audi S8 is available with Digital Matrix LED headlamps. Each assembly features 1.3-million micro-mirrors that allow the light beams to be controlled in unique ways. These lamps can also display unique animations when the car is started or turned off. In the future (if US regulations permit), the S8’s optional Digital Matrix LED headlights can also automatically illuminate lane markers and even selectively dip their beams to avoid blinding driers in the oncoming lane.
Further enhancing these big, bruising sedans, a Black Optic Plus Package is available on both the A8 and S8. This options group treats the mirrors, badges, Audi rings and 21-inch wheels to a sinister black finish.
The A8 is powered by a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 that delivers 335 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. That’s enough oomph to get this flagship four-door to 60 mph in a curt 5.6 seconds. But if that’s somehow not enough performance for you, consider stepping up to the S8. It features a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that’s good for 563 hp and a walloping 590 lb-ft of twist. What kind of speed does that deliver? How ’bout 60 mph in 3.8 seconds?
The 2022 Audi A8 should start around $88,000, though the S8 is much richer than that (naturally). This high-performance sedan kicks off at roughly $118,000. Both prices include destination fees, which should total $1,095.