Luxury saloons used to be the reserve of the rich and the important. But most politicians are ferried around in bulletproof SUVs and film stars now routinely take vans with first-class levels of rear seat luxury. This means big, posh saloons are the reserve of people who take a sombre and discreet view on luxury.

These kinds of people will also have the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series and Lexus LS on their shopping lists, but luxury SUVs are increasingly becoming the go-to cars buyers choose in this sector. So the A8 also has the Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz GLS and BMW X7 as rivals.

Given that the Audi A8 is underpinned by cutting-edge technology, you get a saloon that combines bags of room for passengers, towering performance for drivers and massive levels of comfort. The A8 is well worth recommending, especially thanks to the exquisite S8 performance version.

There are plenty of models available, and two body lengths with standard- and long-wheelbase to choose from. Standard A8s are offered in Sport, Black Edition, and S Line while the S8 comes in regular, Black Edition and Vorsprung.

Engines range from the 3.0-litre TFSI turbo petrol with 286hp and a 3.0-litre TDI turbodiesel with 340hp also being offered. A plug-in hybrid version badged TFSI e adds an electric motor with up to 30 miles of battery range, with the performance-focused S8 topping the range with its 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8.

Over the next few pages we’ll be thoroughly reviewing all aspects of the Audi A8 and S8 and rating them in our verdict. Our scores will take into account the driving experience, how pleasant the interior is, the practicality on offer and what it’ll cost you to run.