Being pampered in the Business Class of the flight to Düsseldorf spoils you to no end. There are few things that can really match the five-star service offered on board. Thankfully for me, the indulgence continued. No sooner I landed in the renowned fashion and financial centre of Germany, I was ushered into a highly opulent Audi A8, which has been timely refreshed for 2014. The new A8 comes with a selection of delectable visual updates and enhanced engines that offers better efficiency and power, and cleaner emissions.
The exterior design upgrades on the revised A8 are subtle, with the most prominent change being the introduction of completely new Matrix LED headlamps. In this high-tech setup each light uses 25 individual LEDs, where the inbuilt cameras scan the road ahead so it can automatically turn off sections of the high beam to avoid dazzling other drivers or pedestrians. What makes this system ideal for India is that it still keeps the area around the oncoming car illuminated, giving clear visibility of possible road irregularities. Furthermore, it also uses information from the satellite navigation system to anticipate a turn and accordingly turn the focus of the headlight towards the corner. This is one safety function the affluent will surely consider while upgrading to a new luxury saloon.
The revised front end includes a new bumper and tweaked bonnet and air intakes, which look modern. New tail-lights and exhaust pipes keep the design interesting at the back of the saloon. These fine enhancements and especially the new Matrix headlights complete the subtle facelift of the 2014 A8, while preserving the confident élan the largest Audi sedan has been associated with over the years.
The cabin quality and level of comfort has been the A8’s biggest attraction, making it a high-selling model in its flamboyant segment. And as always, the Audi does not disappoint. Though I never thought it to be possible, the standard of finish seems to have been taken up a notch. The interior is beautifully appointed and crafted with utmost care. For the facelift the choice of body colour, leather, wood and other materials have been widened further. What caught my fancy were the matte-finished ash wood accents which looked delectable as the A8’s dashboard adornment. As in other Audis, the new A8 also comes with the MMI infotainment system, which is user-friendly and easy to navigate through. There are several function buttons and also a touchpad which make the centre console layout appear quite busy. However, the switches and controls are well weighted and impressively solid.
Comfortable like a couch is what best describes the large and well-bolstered seats, while rear head- and leg-room are rather good, especially in the long-wheelbase A8. These add up to offer hours of fatigue-free cruising in ultimate comfort and exquisite luxury.
