Compare the2023 Audi S8VS 2023 BMW M8

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi S8 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW M8 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The S8 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The M8 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the S8 helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard and even aims one of the vehicle’s headlights in the direction of the person or object. The M8 doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the S8 and the M8 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The Audi S8 weighs 742 to 1007 pounds more than the BMW M8. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The S8’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (590 vs. 553) than the M8’s 4.4 turbo V8.

On the EPA test cycle the S8 gets better fuel mileage than the M8 Competition (15 city/23 hwy vs. 15 city/22 hwy).

The S8 has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the M8 (21.7 vs. 20.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better stopping power the S8’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the M8:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the S8 offers optional 21-inch wheels. The M8’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The S8 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the M8; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The front and rear suspension of the S8 uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the M8, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The S8 has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The S8’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The M8 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the S8’s wheelbase is 11.9 inches longer than on the M8 Gran Coupe (123.2 inches vs. 111.3 inches).

The design of the Audi S8 amounts to more than styling. The S8 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .28 Cd. That is significantly lower than the M8 (.34) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the S8 get better fuel mileage.

The S8 uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The M8 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The S8 has 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear headroom, 7.7 inches more rear legroom and 3 inches more rear shoulder room than the M8 Gran Coupe.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the S8’s available rear seats recline. The M8’s rear seats don’t recline.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the M8, the S8 has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The S8 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The M8 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the S8 has standard extendable sun visors. The M8 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The S8 has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the rear. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The M8 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The S8 has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The M8 doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The S8 has standard massaging front and optional massaging rear seats. Massaging seats aren’t available in the M8.

The S8 offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The M8 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The S8’s optional Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The M8’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.