We’ve driven the next-gen Audi A8 in Spain – the world’s first production Level 3 Autonomous vehicle, among other things. Here are eight things about the new Audi A8 that left us spell-bound:
1) Design
The all-new D5-generation A8 raises the bar in Ingolstadt for styling and flamboyance. More pronounced lines, sharper creases, and bolder elements all make the new luxury limousine a serious contender in the ever-evolving premium limo arena. The bodywork also follows the new Audi Space Frame principle which makes use of aluminium parts which reduces the weight of the car over its predecessor.
2) HD Matrix LED Lights
For starters, the headlamps are HD Matrix LED units, consisting of 138 individual diodes, 32 of which are for the high-beam together with one high-performance laser unit that gets activated post 70 km/h to double beam range. The OLED tail-lamps, which use 135 individual diodes, look striking while producing a much sharper light signature.
3) The Comfort
Inside is where the benefits of the longer body truly lie. The lounge-like design is complemented by an optional relaxation seat, which adopts the seat behind the front passenger seat, which holds the controls, and has four adjustments and a foot-rest, which also incorporates a warming and massage function. Rear occupants also get HD Matrix reading lights and an OLED-display remote control for various functions.
4) The Toys
Fingertip response is what defines the nature of the controls in the new A8. A large 10.1-inch touchscreen folds out and accompanies a second touchscreen that displays, on the centre console, controls for the climate, comfort features, and even text inputs. A self-learning navigation system is also present, memorising commonly used routes. Voice control, car-to-X services, traffic sign and hazard recognition, among other now standard advanced safety features, are all on the list.
5) The Safety
The new car features a slew of increased safety features one particular outstanding feature was the Side-Collision feature which lifts the side of the car by eight millimetres if the car senses an unavoidable collision, which in turn reduces the impact on the passenger. The car also has four 360-degree cameras to help out in every scenario, among many other safety features.
6) The Features
The new car has a host of new features. The car raises itself to increase ingress and egress in the new vehicle. Other radical features in the flagship Audi sedan is the Active Rear Steering which helps reduce the turning radius of the vehicle by 1.1-metres, and provides a more dynamic ride.
7) The Engines
The A8 will be available with a choice of multiple engine choices in both petrol and diesel with a plug-in hybrid variant as well. There is a choice of two turbocharged V6 engines. The first is the 3.0-litre (55) TFSI making 340 PS and 500 Nm. The second option is the 3.0-litre (50) TDI producing 286 PS and 600 Nm. There is also a 4.0-litre V8 (60) TFSI which develops 460 PS and 660 Nm, along with the option of a 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 TFSI which makes 585 PS and 800 Nm of torque. Power flows through an eight-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox, to all wheels through the famous quattro all-wheel-drive system.
8) The AI
The main change is the new Audi AI which controls most of the cars functions. The car stands for the concepts of autonomy, intelligence and innovation, aimed at making occupants’ lives easier and journeys safer with the aid of artificial intelligence. Audi AI will also suggest appropriate services after adapting to individual needs, functioning more like a concierge.
The Audi AI traffic jam pilot takes charge of driving in slow-moving traffic at up to 60 km/h on highways where a physical barrier separates the two carriageways. The system is activated using the AI button on the centre console. During piloted driving, a central driver assistance controller (zFAS) now permanently computes an image of the surroundings by merging the sensor data. As well as the radar sensors, a front camera and the ultrasonic sensors, Audi are also the first car-makers to use a laser scanner.
The Audi AI remote parking pilot and the Audi AI remote garage pilot autonomously steer the A8 into and out of a parking space or a garage while the manoeuvre is monitored by the driver. The driver doesn’t have to be inside the car; rather they just need to initiate the appropriate system from their smartphone, using the new myAudi app. To monitor the parking manoeuvre, the Audi AI button can be pressed to watch a live display from the car’s 360° cameras on their device.
For a detailed first drive review of the all-new Audi A8, grab a copy of the upcoming November 2017 issue of Car India magazine.
Story: Sahej Patheja
