Friday Fleet Notes: 8.17.07

A few of us got in the last of our summer vacation this week, so the notes aren't as extensive as usual. Luckily, we got quite a few impressions on one, joyous driving in another and some awkward moments in a new convertible.

Mitsubishi Outlander XLS 4WD

The Outlander turned out to be an awfully fun SUV to drive, but if Mitsubishi wants to move a ton of them, it’s going to have to improve the look and feel of the interior. For as strong as the engine was (and as good as the gas mileage was, for this class), the cheap plastic feel of the dash and doors was off-putting. There's a cubbyhole on the top of the dash, which is a great place to stash stuff, but the plastic top was curling down a bit at the corners, cheapening the feel of the car.

Road-Tripping in the Audi S8

The Audi S8 sports sedan is one of a few cars we’ve had at the Cars.com offices recently that comes close to or exceeds the $100,000 mark. The S8 starts at $90,000, while our option-laden tester easily exceeded $100,000. We drove the S8 to the Road America racetrack in Elkhart Lake, Wis., for the American Le Mans Series race, where an Audi team just happened to take the checkered flag in their class. Three of us Cars.com staffers — reviewer Kelsey Mays, multimedia producer Eric Rossi and myself — took the 350-mile round trip up to Elkhart Lake. We spent around six hours driving total, which turned out to be an easy feat in the massive S8.

Audi's Bang & Olufsen Sound System Reviewed

About a year ago, I was intrigued by images of Audi’s upcoming Bang & Olufsen premium sound system for the A8 sedan. It looked terrific, but no car stereo system I’d ever tested had lived up to a $6,300 price tag. Then last week I got to test one out for myself in a black S8. Not only was it worth every cent, it was pure aural heaven.

The one thing you can’t escape about the system, before you even hear it, is that it looks cool. How does a sound system impress with looks? The speaker covers are all real metal, and two directional tweeters literally rise out of the top of the dash when you turn the key. Talk about trick.

Kicking S: Audi S8...Not As Great

After starting with the small S4 and RS4 and progressing to the midsize S6, all that remained was the flagship car, based on that most luxurious of land barges, the A8. I knew the S8 ($92,000 base, $110,170 as equipped) would be bigger, but would it be better?

In short order I decided it isn't the strongest S car — unless you're talking about engine strength, in which it leads the family with 450 horsepower from roughly the same 5.2-liter V-10 that drives the S6. In fairness, your take on the S8 would depend on what you want in this kind of car. I favor the complete package, which is why the S6 is my favorite. The S8, in my opinion, is a rolling contradiction.

After starting with the small S4 and RS4 and progressing to the midsize S6, all that remained was the flagship car, based on that most luxurious of land barges, the A8. I knew the S8 ($92,000 base, $110,170 as equipped) would be bigger, but would it be better?

In short order I decided it isn't the strongest S car — unless you're talking about engine strength, in which it leads the family with 450 horsepower from roughly the same 5.2-liter V-10 that drives the S6. In fairness, your take on the S8 would depend on what you want in this kind of car. I favor the complete package, which is why the S6 is my favorite. The S8, in my opinion, is a rolling contradiction.

Kicking S: Behind the Wheel of Every Audi S Car

Don't be sick with envy that I drove the entire collection of Audi's S and RS cars — high-performance versions of their small, midsize and full-size sedans. Be sick that nine or 10 other writers sent RSVPs for this one-day event and didn't show up. Sick, sick, sick. I mean, where else can you drive four cars totaling 1,645 horsepower and $322,795 in retail price — $6,800 of it gas-guzzler taxes? The inconceivable loss of those no-shows was our gain, though, because there were more cars than drivers, and in a short time I was able to buckle the pavement in the new S4 Cabriolet, the RS4, the S6 and the S8.

I'll start with the S4 Cabriolet with six-speed manual ($54,640 base, $60,785 as equipped).