Audi has whipped the covers off the updated A8, with the German marque’s flagship saloon now boasting sharper styling cues and fresh, innovative technologies.
Said the brand with the four rings, “The Audi A8 is a sedan that represents status and exudes authority – now that it has been reworked, its exterior is even more representative, confident, and athletic.” The most notable cosmetic enhancements include a wider “Singleframe” grille design and, flanking the latter item, sharply styled, contoured digital Matrix LED headlamps. According to Audi, “The newly designed and precisely orchestrated design elements in the front area significantly increase the A8’s presence and authority and sharpen the profile of the brand’s top model.”
“The newly designed and precisely orchestrated design elements in the front area significantly increase the A8’s presence”
The rear end is “dominated” by wide chrome clasps. Incorporating OLED technology, the light strip spanning the rear features a customisable light signature. The redesigned diffuser insert is “delicately accentuated” by horizontal bars.
According to the Ingolstadt-based car manufacturer, the interior is “comparable with a spacious, widely tailored lounge”. Emphasising the cabin’s width, the interior design is “strictly” horizontal. Although familiar A8 fare, with the luxury saloon retaining the firm’s dual stacked touchscreen arrangement, the cabin has received various technological upgrades. These include the third generation of Audi’s modular infotainment toolkit (MIB 3) and car-2-x services. In addition, the A8 can be specified with an array of optional packages.
The rear compartment of the A8 can be fitted with a duo of new 10.1-inch HD displays. A Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System, “conceived for demanding Hi-Fi lovers”, provides 3D surround sound through a 1 920-watt amplifier. The latter item is linked to 23 speakers.
The 55 TFSI-badged A8 is powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6, producing 250 kW and 500 N.m of torque, the latter available from a lowly 1 370 r/min. According to Audi, this allows for a zero to 100 km/h acceleration time of 5.6 seconds in the standard model and 5.7 seconds in the long-wheelbase variant.
The 60 TFSI derivative is endowed with a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which directs 338 kW and 660 N.m to Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system for a zero to 100 km/h sprint time of 4.4 seconds. Seated at the top of the line-up, the 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 in the S8 generates 420 kW and 800 N.m of torque, allowing for a claimed zero to 100 km/h acceleration time of 3.8 seconds.
All engines are coupled to Audi’s eight-speed tiptronic transmission and quattro all-wheel drive. Adaptive air suspension and progressive steering are included as standard. Dynamic all-wheel steering is available as an option.
