• Petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid options
• All come with plenty of performance
• S8 model turns up the heat with a 4.0-litre V8

A reasonably wide range here to suit most budgets and preferences – from six-cylinder petrol and diesels, plus a plug-in hybrid and the performance-focused S8.

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Petrol engine

This is the best option for anyone buying an A8 who doesn’t need a continent-crushing fuel range or massive acceleration. It delivers impressive punch, but it does so in a refined and eager way, revving cleanly to 7,000rpm should you be in a sporting mood.

Dynamic mode delivers meaningfully sharper gearchanges, and a more responsive throttle brings better mid-range punch as a consequence. Then in Efficiency mode, the A8 will coast when off the throttle, but only between 35 and 100mph.

Diesel engine

The V6 TDI version is an effortless performer. Acceleration is rapid, but in Comfort mode, it never really feels it thanks to a slightly lazy throttle necessary for wafty driving.

But stick it in Dynamic and the TDI wakes up, with instant response, and plenty of get-up and go to match that sub-six-second 0-62mph time. It definitely feels happiest at high speeds, where the 70mph motorway slot trickles along at little more than 1,500rpm, but with plenty in reserve.

The diesel engine is quite gruff, but it’s so well insulated that you’ll seldom hear it, especially if you’re running it with the impressive B&O stereo system on anything other than minimum volume.

Plug-in hybrid engine

This plug-in hybrid is the best all-rounder in the range thanks to the wafty silence of its electric drivetrain around town and the extra flexibility and shove of its petrol V6. On electric power alone you can reach 84mph.

That means you only really need petrol assistance to accelerate faster than the electric drivetrain allows, and this is helpfully managed by an artificial ‘stop’ in the gas pedal’s stroke, allowing you to access maximum propulsion from the battery without waking up the V6.

Regenerative braking linked to the traffic around you and sat nav data means the car can be slowed down without using the physical discs and pads 90% of the time, helping claw back power for the battery. It also helps with the overall calming effect of this drivetrain, because the car will begin to slow down for a roundabout or junction way before you’ve even seen it, so you arrive at the right speed without any need for a harsh stop.

High-performance engine

This performance-focused S8 is powered by a 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged petrol V8 shared with the Q8. This offers up 571hp and 800Nm of torque and it offers more than enough performance on road to keep you ahead of the pack.

The muted growl from the V8 engine is almost addictive – quiet when you’re cruising and melodious when you give it some beans. Acceleration off the mark is very impressive, but where the S8 comes into its own is in its overtaking ability, with instant and near-brutal surge between 40-70mph. That takes the stress out of day-to-day driving, especially on busy motorways with stop/start traffic.

In short, if you don’t need the TDI or TFSI e’s economy and lower tax, the S8’s the one to go for enthusiastic drivers.

What’s it like to drive?

• Comfort a priority in a car like this
• Solid grip and strong roadholding
• Long wheelbase cars require careful road placement

The Audi A8 is designed to offer maximum comfort for rear-seat passengers, but the four rings on the grille means it also needs to be capable of putting its power down to the road confidently in all weathers.

Drive modes range from Comfort to Dynamic, while there’s a middling setting called Auto that tries to predict what sort of response you want from the suspension. That said, even in Comfort mode, you’ll be surprised at just how agile a huge car like this can be.

As you’d expect the A8 comes as standard with air suspension so its handling remains calm and unflustered – and it’s capable of cornering quickly and without drama. Driver enjoyment is not a huge priority in a car like this and in fact the various methods employed to isolate passengers from road defects and noise means the driver feels a bit subtracted from the actual process too.

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There are two suspension set-ups, both of which are air-ride systems. The ‘entry-level’ air suspension set-up is computer controlled and from our test drives, handles high-speed very well indeed. All road surface imperfections are shrugged off.

At low speeds, sharp irregularities do make their way through, though, but they tend to be heard more than felt.

The optional active suspension is very interesting indeed. It takes the standard air set-up and controls ride height and wheel position, as well as damping and ‘springing’. The A8 remains flat and smooth at all times and it’s every bit as compliant as the standard car.

Noise insulation is impressive, too, with little in the way of wind, road or tyre noise intruding into the cabin – and it’s clear that Audi has worked very hard indeed on pushing the A8 to the head of the class in terms of refinement.