Logbook: Mile Markers: Audi S8

02/01/2008

At 19,185 miles and counting, the Audi S8 has traversed nearly 4,000 miles of road since our last update. Traveling the California coastal regions from Sonoma County to San Diego County, the German flagship remains the road trip favorite of the fleet.

15,379—Electrical glitches have finally taken their toll on the $6,300 Bang & Olufsen sound system. The hydraulic lift system for the driver’s side tweeter has stopped working.

15,640—"The air conditioner and sound system problems are finally resolved after two full days of service at Beverly Hills Audi," writes assistant editor Paul Meyers. Although the electrical glitches are fixed under warranty, our pocketbook is still $450 lighter after the cost of the standard 15,000-mile service.

16,200—"It is easy to forget how swift and powerful the V-10 engine really is," says Meyers, "but I have the speeding ticket to prove it."

17,900—"The Audi’s smooth ride and superb handling are perfect compliments to the coastal roads of Sonoma County," writes editorial director Bruce Wallin. "But the car’s considerable girth also becomes evident on the narrow highway, where you sometimes need to straddle embankments or, worse, cliffs, to avoid oncoming trucks."

18,715—"I stopped for fuel and the release button failed to open the filler," writes Meyers. The trunk release was also inoperable, but after restarting the car and shutting it off again, everything returned to working order.

2007 Audi S8
Price As Tested: $113,910
Engine: 5.2-liter V-10
Power: 450 hp at 7,000 rpm
Torque: 398 ft lbs at 3,500 rpm
Odometer: 19,185 miles