2022 Audi S8 Facelift Debuts With Subtle Changes Because Bigger Ones Weren't Necessary

Audi is not wasting any time as aside from unveiling the facelifted A8 and A8 L – plus China's further stretched A8 L Horch – it's also taking the wraps off the S8. The sporty sedan is arguably among the most desirable cars to carry the Four Rings, and for 2022, the peeps from Ingolstadt haven't messed around too much with the winning recipe. The Mercedes-AMG S63 rival retains the familiar look, but with some subtle changes.

For starters, the front grille is now slightly wider than before and has lost the horizontal bars in favor of a new mesh pattern with honeycomb-like elements lending it a sportier look. A similar singleframe treatment is also available for the regular A8 fitted with the first-ever S Line exterior package. Much like the lesser trim levels, the hotter S8 gets fresh graphics for the digital matrix LED headlights and OLED taillights to echo recent offerings from the German premium brand.

Available in some of its major markets such as the United States and China exclusively with a long wheelbase, the S8 retains its quad exhaust tips typical of an S-badged performance model from Audi Sport. All-wheel steering comes as standard equipment, and so does the predictive active suspension, and a sport differential to sharpen up handling by actively distributing torque between the rear wheels. At an additional cost, buyers can opt for carbon-ceramic brakes for superior stopping power.

At the heart of the Audi S8 remains the familiar twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine with 563 horsepower (420 kilowatts) and an ample 800 Newton-meters (590 pound-feet) of torque. The understated fullsize luxury sedan sprints to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.8 seconds, which is remarkable for such a large and heavy car powered by a combustion engine.

There's sadly no amped-up Plus version for the time being as was the case with the previous-generation S8. We also wouldn't hold our breath for an RS8 either since Audi has refrained from giving its biggest sedan the full-fat RS treatment, much like BMW isn't doing an M7.

The revised Audi S8 is scheduled to go on sale in Europe next month and will cost €144,800 before options in Germany.