After running rings around the competition in the first half of the year, Audi have now unveiled the new A8 and A8L. With more power comes more responsibility and Audi have taken care of that aspect very well indeed.
The new car looks sharper, yet features sensual curves which make it look like nothing else than flagship saloon it is. The design on the whole, exudes elegance with a good amount of sporty character included. And the changes are not just on the outside.
The drivetrain line-up gets an update with two petrols and two diesels and three more options to follow. The Audi Spaceframe is lighter and the overall weight of the car is also much lower than the outgoing model. The bonnet, single-frame front grille and the bumper look even more sculpted and elevate its already premium stature. The interior is hand-built and is incredibly spacious, offering even more comfort, while packing in more communication, entertainment and safety technology than ever before. The MMI takes centre stage with clear controls controlling an abundance of features. The MMI Navigation Plus bring traffic information, Google Earth and Google Street View as well as online news.
But what really makes things pop are the drivetrain options: the petrol engine choices are the 3.0 TFSi with a supercharged V6 making 310 PS, or a larger 4.0 TFSi with a twin-turbocharged V8 making 435 PS. The diesel choices are the 3.0 TDi turbo-diesel V6 with 258 PS and a tuned-up, high-torque 4.2 TDi turbo-diesel V8 with 385 PS and 850 Nm of torque. All engines are Euro 6 compliant and feature the eight-speed automatic transmission as standard, paired to the quattro intelligent-all-wheel-drive system.
Following these four engines later on will be three more variants: the W12 quattro variant powered by a 500 PS 6.3-litre, naturally-aspirated W12, the S8 with a 520 PS twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 and the A8 Hybrid, which combines the 2.0 TFSi engine with an electric motor to produce a combines 245 PS and 480 Nm of torque.
Prices for the new A8 start from €74,000 (Rs 63 lakh approx) in Germany.
