Kudos to Audi and the 2022 Audi S8 for persisting with high-performance, stylish flagship sedans in the current year. With the continual migration towards SUVs, the traditional sedans must offer compelling features to retain their allure. The S8 achieves this through its innovative predictive active suspension system, which raises the vehicle by a few inches to facilitate easier entry and exit. Will this system sway potential SUV buyers? Share your thoughts.
During the New Year’s weekend, I experienced the new S8 first-hand, and the standout feature for everyone was undoubtedly the predictive active suspension system. Its impact is most noticeable when stepping into or out of the car: the moment any door is opened, the car raises by two inches on its suspension like a diligent soldier snapping to attention. The transition is swift and seamless. Witness it here:
Once the automobile detects that all the entrances are shut, it gradually descends back to its regular position. Indeed, it does feel slightly amusing internally when the vehicle executes this action. Nevertheless, I found it quite enjoyable. This functionality was exceptional.
Naturally, facilitating ease of entry and exit is not the only objective of the proactive active suspension. Its purpose also includes absorbing the undulations and irregularities of the road by priming the framework where necessary. The mechanism operates through an electric motor at each wheel, and its reactions are determined by the vehicle’s driving mode. For instance, in sport mode, the tendency for the front of the car to dip and lateral rolling are minimized.
Within the comfort setting, the front camera collaborates with the steering, enabling the vehicle to sense any uneven terrain and prompt the system to respond appropriately. Audi also asserts that a “curve-tilting feature” diminishes the sideways force experienced by passengers.
“When entering a bend, it raises the side of the body on the outward side and lowers the opposite side, tilting it towards the curve by up to three degrees,” a representative from Audi informed me. Think of it as counterbalancing, with the primary aim being passenger comfort. Undoubtedly, while I was behind the wheel, the ride was extremely comfortable.
Incidentally, this feature is not new on the 2022 S8. It made its debut on the current Audi A8 about four years ago, but due to supply chain challenges, it is now more widely available. Here is an Audi video demonstrating the functionality and providing a glimpse of what occurs beneath the vehicle’s surface.
On the S8 I evaluated, the prophetic active suspension system was a $6,000 add-on. I acknowledge that this entails a significant expense for what essentially delivers a highly comfortable ride and an interesting novelty.
Nevertheless, here’s the catch: I’m quite whimsical, and witnessing and experiencing this feature was equally amusing. It was a novelty I hadn’t encountered elsewhere before. Just the display itself is sufficiently alluring to me. What would be the repair cost if it malfunctions? As my mother always says, some questions are best left unanswered.
Have a suggestion? Email me: kristen@thedrive.com