Have about Rs 2 crore for a new luxury saloon? The all-new Audi A8 L 55 TFSI is now available in India and in just one extremely refined petrol variant. We take it out and show it some roads.
Story: Jim Gorde
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
Staying away from refined sugar is easier when there are other more appreciable forms of refinement available. If the base is good, the roots and construction and the joints, then there’s little decoration needed for the whole deal to make sense. You can’t add character by prettying up an exterior and that’s what some automakers fail to understand. However, with the new A8, Audi have nothing to worry about. The Audi A8 L, or long-wheelbase model, we have here in India is much longer than before and gets a lengthy list of equipment over its predecessor.
The sweeping Singleframe grille is trademark Audi and, on the A8, it’s even larger and more pronounced. The all-LED headlights are automated and have a massive high-beam spread, as I would find out later on when going through some tunnels. The proportions are significant; as are those of its rivals. It measures over 5.3 metres long and has a wheelbase of 3,128 mm. Interestingly, that makes it longer than its primary rivals ― the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S-Class ― by 64 and 47 millimetres respectively, but shorter in terms of wheelbase, by a considerable 82 mm and 37 mm respectively. That means it has quite a presence on the road or even on the highway.
The headlights are just one element in the whole design. The lengthy side profile is complemented by some smooth five-spoke 19-inch wheels with chunky 255/45 rubber; not too low, yet not too high a profile. The tail-end is tight with an attractive tail-light design and the light-bar stretching from one end to the other across the boot. The boot itself has over 500 litres of volume and the incorporated refrigerator for rear-seat occupants means that it’s in the middle, but it’s a cubic structure and doesn’t eat space like a full-size spare wheel does.
The in-cabin experience is pleasant. There is a mix of leather upholstery, two shades of alcantara ― tan brown in the doors and parts of the seat-back and black wherever else it’s needed. There are screens every which way one looks. Behind the steering wheel is the driver information cluster or Virtual Cockpit, as Audi like to call it. The centre console has two screens stacked one above the other. The upper unit has in-car system settings, such as lights, audio, and navigation, while the lower one is for the climate control and rear sun-blind, among other elements. The plush seats have perforated leather and feel supple and well-padded. The power adjustments make for good support for the back and thighs. The rear seats, though, are where it’s at.
The Audi A8 L is meant to be a rear-seat paradise and the 2+2 layout reiterates that point. There is a recline for the seat-back and even a business-class lounge function for the left seat where the front passenger seat moves ahead as far as possible. However, if you’re above a certain height, the angle of the seat and a wheelbase shorter than its rivals mean there isn’t as much room to stretch out entirely. Even so, in normal mode, the portable foot-rests, that are also in the rear passenger foot well, and the seat-base in normal mode with the seat-back reclined offer an excellent opportunity to relax and enjoy what the car does best ― munch miles.
