17 minute read
AUDI S8 IMPRESSES
FOURTH TIME’S THE CHARM
The 2020 Audi S8 is a true Q-Car that’s at the top of the luxury super sedan game, Jason Saundalker writes
The first generation Audi S8 was produced from 1996 to 2003, back when I knew almost nothing about cars. I was aware of the Audi S8’s existence however, thanks to the late John Frankenheimer’s action thriller masterpiece, Ronin.
Being young and thoroughly enthralled by the film and those spectacular chase sequences, I had to find out about the cars involved and turned to the internet. Eventually, I found out that the car driven by Skipp Sudduth’s character Larry was an Audi, more precisely an Audi S8 D2 (first generation). The car has been on my radar ever since.
Since the S8’s release all those years ago, Audi has kept refining the car’s formula. The fourth generation vehicle premiered in 2019 and, from a design standpoint, it’s a handsome yet modest looking full-size luxury sedan.
My test car was equipped with what I like to call ‘anonymous spec’ because it had a glacier white metallic exterior with the de-badging option applied. The latter takes away the model, engine power and technology nameplate, which made this S8 a stealthy car that blended in, whether in traffic or in an office tower parking lot. Even with the badges on, I reckon it’s a still a car that won’t draw much attention to itself or its owner - the same can’t be said for its immediate competitors also hailing from Germany.
Eyeballing my tester, I noticed just one S8 badge on its front grille and the only telltale signs that this Audi means business are the quad tailpipes and gigantic
steel disc brakes with large red calipers. Compared to the A8, the S8’s body isn’t massively different; there are mildly reworked bumpers and side sills but nothing ostentatious or shouty. The first time I saw it, I immediately thought to myself ‘Q-Car’.
Oodles of Refinement
With a number of choice options including a handy cool box, radar cruise control and ventilated and massage seats, my S8 tester was priced at a little over $170,000. That’s a serious amount of money but it doesn’t take long to see what you get in return for that significant outlay.
Opening the door of the S8, the predictive active suspension system almost instantly raised the body of the car. ‘That’s freaking cool!’ I said to myself. Audi says the car can
raise itself by as much as 50mm to make getting in easier. My daily driver is a SUV, so when I have to get into cars, which sit lower to the ground, I always find myself struggling to avoid plopping myself ungracefully into a seat with an accompanying ‘ugh’. With the S8, I just had to step in and then found myself wondering why other cars don’t also do this.
If the entrance experience doesn’t sell you on the S8’s suspension system, its on-road capabilities certainly will. Working in-tandem with a front-mounted camera, the suspension adjusts itself so ride quality over broken road surfaces and speed breakers is velvety smooth. Approaching a raised pedestrian crossing on the way out of Dubai Studio City, I felt the S8 suspension raise the body and cushion the impact of the crossing, while driving over it at about 20km/h. It’s an odd feeling at first but one that I quickly got used to and completely forgot about as I went through the day.
Audi says the predictive active suspension works best on straight roads, whereas curved roads or T-junctions where speed breakers are at a right angle to the car are beyond the system at the moment. Even so, the suspension still does a fantastic job of maintaining ride quality in those scenarios. There’s a bit of unavoidable broken road on a roundabout near our office, and while driving over it sends shockwaves through to passengers in almost every other car/SUV I’ve driven, the S8 dealt with it like a champ, whether I had it in Dynamic or Comfort+ mode. The latter is the mode you want to be in, if you want a seriously comfortable ride.
Suspension aside, the S8’s cabin quietness is worth mentioning because it is eerily quiet in there. It isn’t by accident of course, Audi has incorporated active noise cancelling technology, which compliments the car’s swathes of acoustic glass. On top of that, Audi says there’s sound reducing foam inside the vehicle’s tires. It’s so quiet in the cabin that even when other drivers inevitably honk at you for not flying off the line the millisecond the signal goes green, you barely notice it.
From a visual and tactile standpoint, the cabin is a treat whether you’re driving or sitting in one of the passenger seats. There’s tons of head and leg room in the back as you’d expect, the seats all around are plush and comfortable and almost everything you can touch feels high quality. There’s fantastic ambient lighting that can be configured along with tons of other technology that you can spend hours playing with. The great news is you don’t have to; the technology is unobtrusive and just lets you get on with the business of driving.
A Thoroughbred
The S8 can be configured to your heart’s content but I was more than happy with the car’s driving characteristics by simply engaging ‘Dynamic’ mode. The transformation isn’t quite Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde however, as the S8 is still quite comfortable when you’re hammering along. You won’t find something as garish as a ‘Sport’ or ‘S’ button anywhere in this car, at least not that I saw.
During spirited driving, thanks to rear wheel steering and the predictive active suspension, the sedan turned in precisely, while body movements are very controlled with minimal roll and even pitch. The S8 isn’t an all-out sports car of course but the only way you’d know and feel its limits would be to take it to an actual race track. On everyday roads, it’s offers more performance and grip than you’ll ever realistically need or be able to use unless you’re being incredibly silly.
CONFIGURATION AND OPTIMISATION
The Audi S8 offers a typically daunting number of options for buyers in its class but its on-road driving modes are where it excels.
Audi claims the car will do the 0-100km/h dash in a supercar challenging 3.8 seconds and although you don’t quite get shoved violently into the seat because of that trick suspension, the car felt even faster than that. The Biturbo V8 serves up a potent 571hp and 590lb-ft of torque; the engine working with a quick, yet smooth eight speed gearbox and rear biased Quattro system make mincemeat of overtaking maneuvers and offer cornering grip, and exit speeds, that’ll make you do a double take.
Verdict
Audi’s managed to create something very special with the fourth generation S8. I was a fan of the third generation S8, which I was lucky to be able to spend a lot of time with through friends, but it’s clear that Audi has raised the bar with this new model. It’s a car that seamlessly offers an intoxicating blend of comfort and sportiness in a package that’s handsome and slips neatly under the radar. Needless to say, I know which dealership I’m going to, if I ever win the local lottery.
SUSTAINABLE PARTNERSHIP West Coast Saubermacher (WCS) and Al Futtaim Motors - HINO talk about their exciting new truck partnership
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has thrown the importance of ensuring our cities are safe and clean onto the front pages of our newspapers. Few organisations have taken the threat more seriously than Tadweer, Abu Dhabi’s Center of Waste Management, which has rolled-out an unprecedented assault on the virus to keep its streets clean.
The challenge for the companies tasked with handling waste disposal and collection for the emirate is to deliver world-class service while bringing the fight to the Coronavirus.
Front and centre of this mobilisation is West Coast Saubermacher (WCS), a powerhouse partnership between the UAE’s leading waste collection West Coast firm and Saubermacher Austria. As one of the dominant players in the UAE market, they operate a fleet of over 700 units which handles non-hazardous solid waste collection services for commercial, municipal, industrial and residential customers in more than 1,000 locations throughout the UAE.
For many years, WCS has been serving Tadweer by collecting and then transferring
waste – cleaning the streets, coastline and beaches of Abu Dhabi – before separating all the recyclable waste and green waste for reuse in the production of fertilisers. Speaking to T&FME, West Coast Group’s General Manager Dany Rmeily, says that the partnership continues to expand and was recently awarded two major contracts with Tadweer which involve the provision of municipal solid waste collection and transportation – as well as street sweeping and cleaning services – for two sprawling areas (Lot 3 and Lot 5) in the emirate.
To fulfil this new contract, it has sought
out 220 light, medium- and heavy-duty HINO trucks through Al Futtaim Motors (AFM). It is the first time that WCS has had the opportunity to work with AFM’s HINO business. Beyond AFM HINO’s burgeoning reputation in the UAE, built on its highly adaptable trucks which have been entrusted to brands such as Pepsi and rising fuel delivery star CAFU, Rmeily realised that here was a partner that understood the unique demands placed on WCS.
“The deal was very smooth as the sales team had been accommodating, open to negotiations and more importantly, always available and prompt in responding to our necessities,” he notes. “As a customer, besides value for money which we always look for in most of our purchasing deals, good business relationships established with the suppliers is of paramount importance to us.”
Ramez Hamdan, Managing Director, Al Futtaim Commercial Vehicles, says that the relationship with WCS can be traced back through its Abu Dhabi partner’s sister company Crown Paper Mill and a deal that brought Toyota Forklifts into the firm’s ranks via when Al Futtaim Motors - Toyota Material Handling.
“From the start, this meant we were able to demonstrate the extended support already on offer from AFM’s service team to their group,” he says. “AFM is working as a total partner with WCS and they know they will get our full support for aftersales service and spare parts availability in order to minimise any downtime or unplanned stoppages for their vehicle operation.”
He adds: “We are also bringing our 3S total support solution which includes providing the right fit of product at a competitive price, faster delivery time and availability for units; and our unrivalled aftersales support in terms of service, spare parts availability, with 24/7 road assistant whenever it is required.”
The contracts with Tadweer cover two of the biggest areas (in terms of square kilometres) in Abu Dhabi with the trucks from Hino deployed with the vital task of waste collection and transportation, as well as cleaning operations. Rmeily explains that fleet purchasing always starts by first defining client and operational requirements specified in the tender. Afterall, a client like Tadweer will need to approve the trucks utilised for their project ahead of awarding a contract.
“As a company that is certified against ISO international standards, our purchasing procedures are based on documented processes from our with a QMS (quality management system). The entire process is being managed by our Purchasing Department under the direction of the general manager.”
He expands: “The usual evaluation of prospective suppliers of compliant trucks applies with high consideration of the defined criteria to come up with the final decision. Aside from valuing our client’s requirements; we must consider all aspects of the projects we manage: from the scope of services to the characteristics of the service area and all operational strategies befitting the requirements.
A SUSTAINABLE PARTNERSHIP
West Coast Group’s General Manager Dany Rmeily (left) signs the deal for 220 new HINO trucks with Ramez Hamdan, Managing Director, Al Futtaim Commercial Vehicles. Both expect it to be the start of a long partnership.
220
Total number of HINO trucks fulfilled in the contract by AFM
“The process of purchasing of these vehicles has been rigorous; undergoing series of evaluations before we came up to the final decision. All client requirements are major considerations in choosing too. And prior to final purchasing, we assessed all the specifications and capabilities of the HINO trucks offered to us and matched them with the requirements,” he explains.
Ramez Hamdan adds that the HINO light, medium and heavy trucks suited most of WCS’ needs in terms of the required dimensions and loads specified by Tadweer.
“HINO is really the only brand that could
LOCAL BODYBUILDING
West Coast Saubermacher turned to the world-class bodybuilding expertise of Gorica to meet strict requirements.
CAREFUL PROCUREMENT
Purchasing at West Coast Saubermacher is a careful and thorough process shaped by client requirements to ensure it delivers the highest value and quality service.
UP TO THE CHALLENGE
Despite dealing with the ‘new normal’ in waste collection, West Coast Saubermacher’s Dany Rmeily is confident that the new HINO trucks are “up to the challenge.”
fulfil the requirement for light-, medium- and heavy-duty trucks. WCS also analysed and recognised our advantages in terms of lower operational costs due to HINO’s EURO4 engine which has the advantage of not needing an additional tank for Ad-Blue,” says Hamdan, before adding the variety in the full range of HINO trucks gave his company the upper hand in terms of faster delivery times.
“Even on the units with more specialist specifications, we were able to reach out to HINO in Japan and they were able to quickly turnaround production to satisfy WSCs own commitment to start
operating the trucks to a deadline.”
While the two companies pawed through Tadweer’s requirements they were able to bring in a third party, and one of the world’s leading trailer companies, to match the demanding specifications and handle bodybuilding on trucks in the UAE – Gorica Group.
“You always want to be able to make it easier for your customer to outsource their spare parts and service from one source under one roof,” Hamdan explains. “Gorica worked with us to streamline the costs and do the job faster in terms of providing all the required support on technical information and build the customised bodies required for trucks over several applications; with the advantage of using existing stock on the ground.”
Hamdan stresses once again that, beyond the trucks themselves, it was a strategy based on maximising uptime that proved decisive for both WCS’ final selection and its securing of its two latest major contracts.
“This is a truly sustainable partnership. Our efforts to minimise downtime and ensure truck stock availability was a major benefit particularly for the second LOT 5 tender which required 90 units. With the first LOT 3 batch of 130 units we delivered a total of more than 220 units trucks all on time. Going forwards we will be supporting the operation by providing our ECO driving training and technical support information for their drivers. This means that they will not only be successful and safe drivers but WCS will benefit from minimal downtime for the vehicles and cost savings for the operation.”
WCS’ Rmeily adds: “We are confident that our team and HINO’s vehicles are up to the challeng. The same process shall continue to be implemented in future purchasing requirements.”
The new trucks arrive into a fleet of existing medium to heavy trucks which form a reliable core for the operation. Rmeily says that through the company’s extensive and long years of experience in the industry, it has learned that vehicles in this class offer better and more efficient service delivery and are the most cost-effective for its clients.
“We need trucks which are heavy-duty and dependable,” he remarks. “The performance in the field is what counts the most. Bigger trucks means bigger capacities; and bigger capacities equates to lesser trips and improved truck uptime. This makes everything cost-effective, environmently-friendly and sustainable.”
Real-time data and uptime are hugely important to a company which must meet rigorous standards in terms of service delivery and sustainable transportation. Migrating the new trucks into WCS’ fleet management system has been reassuringly straightforward, he remarks and then adds: “Integration of the database management system with the hardware specifications of HINO trucks had been smooth so far, there have been no issues encountered.”
The easy transition has been important during a time where fleet operators and drivers have earned the status of key workers and proved vital in keeping the UAE’s cities and economy moving. As is the case for many
A COMPLETE RANGE
The complete range of HINO from Al Futtaim Motors proved to be a major advantage for West Coast Saubermacher in securing major contracts in Abu Dhabi.
fleets, the events of the past six months have brought the need for additional working hours for WCS’s trucks from “time to time” beyond regular and projected services, says Rmeily.
“The recent throttling to global economic stability has brought about by the unprecedented impact of the pandemic in all countries even in the UAE. Despite the stricter requirements for health and safety, WCS has resolutely endeavoured to bring value at the forefront of waste management while keeping the highest standard of quality of services,” he says firmly.
“As this is expected to continue in the succeeding years, this is a great challenge for us as a service provider. The reliability of the HINO trucks shall be of substantial advantage to us in terms of cost-effectiveness and operational performance. We do not anticipate any delay or interruption in our operations as the trucks are serving their best purpose at all times.”
The talk of the future allows us to look at the changing regulation and rules which helped Abu Dhabi reduce the total waste collected from 2,259,508.64 tonnes in 2018 to 2,189,416.90 tonnes in 2019. The drop represents a decrease of 3.10% and the emirate, led by Tadweer, remains committed to minimising waste and improving waste management practices in line with the highest global standards and latest technologies. WCS is likewise constantly evolving to keep pace with its client’s green ambitions.
“We have always perceived any change in rules as a welcomed opportunity to be better. Anything that would improve the operations and the service delivery overall is recognised as an advantage to enhance business strategies from our day-to-day operations to plans for the future,” says Rmeily. “As Abu Dhabi gears towards modernisation and optimisation of waste management services, WCS will be in the front row; offering advanced and sustainable solutions while incorporating the use of technology in our operations.”
He continues: “If there are three things that essentially contributes to the success of the Company, that would be firstly the genuine desire and commitment to service – we always strive to put the client’s needs first by finding the most efficient and appropriate solutions. Secondly, we always considering the value-formoney not just for our benefit, but that of the client’s as well. Thirdly openness and honesty are the major foundations in building and keeping the great business relationships we have with our clients and even with suppliers.”
We are confident that HINO’s vehicles are up to the challenge”
Looking ahead, AFM’s commercial vehicles managing director Ramez Hamdan says he expects the two companies to continue to build on their impressive start.
“We are always keen about extending our relationships with all of customers. WSC is one of our biggest fleet customers in waste management applications with more than 220 HINO trucks,” says Ramez Hamdan. “And we are looking forward to supporting them on any new projects awarded to them. Ultimately, we view our customers as true partners. We care about their daily operation. Their success is our success too!”
THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF SERVICE
With the fight against the Coronavirus still ongoing West Coast Saubermacher has committed to balancing value with the highest standard of quality of service.
