Audi S8 Plus vs. Mercedes S65 vs. Porsche Panamera Turbo S

Ahhh, the performance-based executive cruiser. This segment has always interested me. Ridiculous power and mind boggling price tags. You see, the cars in the segment such as the Mercedes S65 and the Porsche Panamera Turbo S all have performance figures that put most sports cars to shame. Well, here’s my comparison of my favorite three executive cruisers-the Audi S8 Plus, Mercedes S65 AMG, and the Porsche Panamera Turbo S.

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Starting off with third place is the Audi S8 Plus. Audi brought this new iteration of the S8 for 2016 and basically they just gave it a clean, threatening appearance. New for this year is more carbon fiber options and a very unique matte silver paint option that enhances the broad lines the Germans drew down the hood. Audi still has their great cabin featuring the classic diamond stitching, unbelievable ergonomics, and available design packages that make this cruiser feel like a Bentley.

Audi named this car the “S8 Performance” because it features a turbocharged V8 that makes 605 HP! That is an increase of close to 100 HP from last year’s model! 0-60 is completed in 3.7 seconds which is great for a car weighing 4,685 lbs. Reviewers around the world say the power is effortless and there is a menacing grunt that you can hear as you thunder down the Autobahn.

The S8 Plus features the best tech out of the three with its easy to use MMI, but it is extremely dated. On the other hand, it is the most “affordable” of the three with a base price of $114,900. (Also consider you’re getting 605 HP for $114,900 when the S65 has 621 HP for over $200,000.)

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Coming in second is the Porsche Panamera Turbo S. Now this car is a true rocket. Porsche gave this high end Panamera a 570 HP turbocharged V8 that gets to 60 in 3.6 seconds (that is only if you option in the Sport Chrono package) and a top speed of 192 MPH! So how does a car with less power get to 60 faster than the other two cars you may ask? Well, the Turbo S is the lightest coming in at just under 4,400 lbs. It is the best handling out of the three and has the best figures. The Porsche slings through corners with ease and does it effortlessly.

But where the Porsche lacks is technology and styling. The Turbo S has all of the tech you would expect to find in a $180,300 car and nothing more. The only thing that Jeremy Clarkson and I agree on is that this Porsche looks like a Beluga Whale! Plus, it has one of the blandest cabins that I’ve ever seen in a car this expensive. Seriously Porsche? Put some of the 918’s flares in this thing.

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So the winner of this comparison is the Mercedes S65 AMG. This car fascinates me since it’s the pudgiest out of the three yet its 6.0L AMG V12 is always screaming for action. With 621 HP, a 0-60 time of 4.2 seconds, and rear-wheel drive, the AMG is a tail happy beast. Ahhh, the sound! I just can’t get enough!

The interior is the best part. Mercedes has gotten great remarks for their yacht inspired interior that features great flowing lines. On the outside, the AMG (especially optioned with the Obsidian Black Metallic and the 20-inch black wheels) looks like a true, sinister executive cruiser. Oh man, I would definitely run the other way if someone turned up in a car like this!

So, the Mercedes S65 AMG is in my eyes the best executive sedan. Sure it starts at $224,650, but if you’re going to get an executive cruiser, then do it right. It has the style factor and is one of the last German sedans to have a monstrous V12. The S65 is elegant yet jovial when you smash it through a few corners at “legal speeds”. The S65 checks all the boxes.

Let me know what you think of the comparison and what car you like the most. I’ll see you guys next week!