AUDI A8
How’s the serenity? Quite technologically advanced, naturally
The drive is great; the serenity unbelievable
TWO GROUPS of people will be interested in the arrival of the all-new A8: the lucky few who actually have $200,000 to blow on a full-size limo, and the rest of us who appreciate the Audi flagship’s crystal-ball quality. Like those before it, the fourth-gen A8 previews the future of Audi’s more accessible models, and the technological leap is a big one.
Local showrooms will offer it with a choice of 3.0-litre turbo V6s; a 210kw/600nm diesel and a 250kw/500nm petrol. Both pair to eight-speed autos, and both benefit from 48v mild hybrid systems that assist low-end performance and fuel economy. Pricing starts at $192,000 for the oiler and $195,000 for the petrol.
Regular and long-wheelbase formats are available, the latter adding 130mm between the axles and $15,000 to the price. Elsewhere the car is longer, taller and narrower than the old one. It’s also significantly stiffer. Audi’s Space Frame is now a multi-material meld, including a 19-layer board of structural carbonfibre behind the rear seat.
The A8 has often been ground zero for technological invention and, in this case, reinvention. The brand’s familiar MMI rotary controller is no more, replaced by a secondary touchscreen mounted low on the centre console. There are four screens in total; a central pair, a large head-up display and a gorgeous high-resolution instrument cluster now with detailed satellite maps.
The major new frontier here is autonomy. At its reveal, A8 was presented as the world’s first Level 3-capable production car. In reality the D5 A8 has been developed with future Level 3 capability factored in, but the models coming to Australia now are not ready. There’s some time before we get there, but short-term benefits from the advanced hardware include 40 separate safety and driver-assistance systems.
Its beautiful interior is finished with Ingolstadt’s utmost level of care, and there’ s a smartphone inspired seamlessness to its form and function. Storage space is limited, but passenger space and comfort are no issue, even in regular-wheelbase variants. The extended versions are practically unnecessary unless you happen to have a driver on staff.
Even if that’s the case, it would be a shame to hand the reins over as this A8 is genuinely enjoyable to drive. The strong petrol V6 is the pick; able to reach 100km/h from rest in 5.6 seconds, but well isolated and tuned to cruise with sufficient torque below 3000rpm that calling upon its more vocal (albeit silky) band of revs is rare. The ride on standard adaptive air suspension is effortless, and nails the A8’s mile-munching brief, while Dynamic brings an expertly
judged balance between tautness and compliance. No A8 before could boast the same.
Highway performance is an obvious strong suit, but that’s not all it has going for it; there’s an unexpected appetite for corners. Optional rear-wheel steering, bundled with a well-weighted variable-ratio rack ($4500), brings further stability and manoeuvrability, trimming the turning circle from 12.5 to a mere 11.4m.
What’s not yet available is Audi’s pothole-detecting active suspension, which pre-emptively reacts to road surface defects. That’s still up to a year away, but could be enough of a gamechanger that buyers might want to wait. An inevitable V8-powered S8 is also in the works. But even knowing what’s to come, this car is a significant advance for the A8’s stock. It’s the most impressive big Audi ever, and finally stands toeto-toe with its core rivals.