The fourth-generation Audi A8 edges even closer to the segment-leading Mercedes S-Class, but still falls just short of its main rival, despite some impressive attributes. It’s beautifully made and sumptuously finished, but the S-Class is more comfortable, especially for rear seat passengers.
But this doesn’t detract from what is a deeply impressive limo, offering fuel-efficient engines, a superb minimalist interior and an even better array of kit than the previous model. In 2018, when Level 3 autonomous driving technology arrives, the A8 will be even harder to resist.
True to form, Audi has adopted an evolutionary approach to styling of the A8, erring on the side of handsome and understated, rather than oozing presence and drama. On the plus side, at least the OLED light band spanning the rear end will help to distinguish the flagship from the rest of the range, until the tech filters down to other models.
To some, the A8’s ability to blend in with its surroundings will be a positive, while others might prefer the more ‘showy’ nature of the Mercedes S-Class and Range Rover. Still, the OLED tech, with its fancy light animations, will deliver some kerb appeal.
But as ever, the interior remains one of the A8’s chief party tricks, with technology battling luxury for ultimate supremacy. he A8’s cabin is more minimalist than before, which only serves to heighten the sense of calm and relaxation.
The electrically-adjustable Valcona leather seats, which can be finished in a choice of six colours, are supremely comfortable over long distances, especially for those travelling in the rear.
Lace Audi’s palms with gold and they’ll offer a number of options for the rear passenger space, including a ‘relaxation seat’ on the long-wheelbase version. The rear left seat features four adjustment options and an ability to warm and massage the soles of your feet.
The level of equipment remains generous, even before you start ticking a few boxes on the options sheet. A multi-function leather steering wheel, heated front seats, LED interior lighting pack and chilled glovebox are features of the standard model, while the long-wheelbase version adds heated rear seats, four-zone climate control, electric rear sunblinds and comfort rear headrests.
Options include a panoramic glass roof, acoustic double glazing, air quality pack, double foldaway table, a coolbox for the load-through facility, an extended leather pack and matrix LED reading lights.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
The A8’s dashboard is dominated by a pair of touchscreens on the centre console, comprising a 10.1-inch upper screen and 8.6-inch lower screen, which power up as soon as the car is opened. Audi’s excellent Virtual Cockpit is now standard equipment on the A8.
The old circular MMI controller has gone, replaced by an ability to write commands on the lower screen. You can also operate many of the car’s functions via voice control, while familiar tablet-style pinch and swipe functions control the navigation and media. It’s one the best systems on the market, with large virtual buttons making it easy to find the major controls.
Standard equipment includes wireless smartphone charging, a DVD player, DAB radio and a 10-speaker Audi sound system. The long-wheelbase version features a music interface in the rear, with two USB ports.
In our experience, the Bang & Olufsen advanced sound system is a must-have upgrade and features 23 speakers, a 23-channel amplifier and a total output of 1,920 watts. Choosing this upgrade also unlocks the rear seat entertainment pack, which offers two removable Android tablets.
It’s not often we’d say that the driving experience is of secondary importance to the comfort of the rear seat passengers, but in the case of the A8 we’d make an exception. That’s not to say that driving an A8 is disappointing – far from it, because there’s a certain amount of pleasure associated with lording it about in the flagship Audi.
The new car is actually 95kg heavier than before, but performance remains strong, with the petrol version accelerating to 62mph in 5.6 seconds and the diesel in 5.9 seconds. Opt for the long-wheelbase version and the sprint time increases to 5.7 seconds in the petrol. There’s no penalty for diesel drivers, though. Top speed is limited to 155mph.
As you’d expect, both versions are incredibly refined, developing little more than a muffled growl under load, before becoming almost inaudible at cruise. The A8 now features a 48-volt mild hybrid system, which enables the car to coast with the engine switched off, before seamlessly restarting when required. It makes for an even smoother experience on those long cross-continent business trips.
That’s not to say the A8 feels cumbersome and oversized when you turn off the motorway. Thanks to four-wheel steering, which turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front at lower speeds, the A8 feels like the smaller A4 around town.
The sheer weight and width of the A8 are never far from your mind, but the brakes are more than up for the task of bringing this behemoth to a stop. The one area where it does fall behind the S-Class is ride quality, but with the firmness comes improved body control.
Of course, the fourth-generation A8 has been built with an autonomous future in mind, but we’ll have to wait before testing this functionality. Traffic jam pilot – which takes charge of driving in slow moving traffic up to speeds of 37mph – will be rolled out in 2018, along with parking and garage pilot systems.
Engines
The 3.0-litre V6 diesel – badged as the 50 TDI – is likely to be the best-selling A8 in the UK. It delivers 282bhp and 600Nm of torque to deliver a 0-62mph time of 5.9 seconds and top speed of 155mph.
The 3.0-litre V6 petrol – badged as the 55 TFSI – delivers 335bhp and 500Nm of torque to deliver a 0-62mph time of 5.6 seconds (5.7 seconds in the long-wheelbase version) and a top speed of 155mph.
Both engines feature a 48-volt mild hybrid system, which enables the A8 to coast with the engine switched off when cruising. It also has an extended start-stop system and an energy recovery system. Audi claims that the combined effect improves fuel economy by 0.7-litres for every 62 miles (100km) driven.
Other engines will be rolled out in 2018, including a 4.0-litre eight-cylinder diesel, an A8 L e-tron plug-in hybrid and a flagship W12.
Once Audi has completed the gradual roll-out of the A8’s full range of autonomous systems, the flagship saloon will boast a formidable array of safety nets. Until then, adaptive cruise control, head-up display, lane departure warning, rear-view camera, park assist and auto emergency braking are the headline acts.
The A8 is unlikely to be crash tested by Euro NCAP, but recent Audi saloons and SUVs have emerged with a maximum five-star rating.
In our 2017 Driver Power Survey, Audi finished a disappointing 18th out of 27 for the best car manufacturers, below the likes of Fiat, Suzuki and Peugeot. In the all-important reliability and quality department, Audi finished down in 17th place, with 15 per cent of owners reporting at least one fault during the first year.
Warranty
The A8 is covered by Audi’s standard three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, which can be extended to four years or 75,000 miles for £1,035, and five years or 90,000 miles for £2,555. This is the most expensive extended warranty of the entire Audi range, on a par with the R8.
Servicing
Servicing an A8 is no more onerous than caring for an A1 or A3. Depending on the amount of miles you intend to drive in a year, you can choose from either a fixed inspection or flexible service schedule.
The fixed inspection service schedule is aimed at drivers covering fewer than 10,000 miles per annum and includes an oil-change service every 9,000 miles or one year and an inspection service every 19,000 miles or two years.
Anyone covering more than 10,000 miles a year should select the flexible service schedule, which includes an oil-change service at variable intervals up to a maximum of every 19,000 miles or two years, plus an inspection service every 19,000 miles or two years.
The Audi A8 is a large vehicle, but it remains a saloon car, so those in search of more interior space and versatility would be better served by the Q7 flagship SUV. But in terms of comfort, the A8 is without peer, at least within the Audi range.
Ultimately, it falls just short of the Mercedes S-Class in terms of luxury feel, but take nothing away from a cabin that oozes class and sophistication. Cleverly, Audi has redesigned the interior to provide a greater sense of space, with a minimalist dashboard that’s free of clutter.
Size
The redesigned front grille and OLED lighting strip at the rear make the A8 look wider than ever, and it remains a large car to thread through narrow city streets and country lanes.
At 5,172mm in length, it’s longer than most cars on the road, but shorter than the S-Class (5,246mm) and Range Rover (5,199mm). But if size does matter, you can upgrade to the 5,302mm long-wheelbase version.
Other dimensions include 2,130mm width (including door mirrors) and 1,473mm height.
Leg room, head room & passenger space
The A8 feels more spacious than ever, helped in part by the less fussy interior and increased wheelbase. Space in the back is up slightly over the previous A8, especially in the long-wheelbase version, but the saloon works best as a four-seater, as the transmission tunnel robs the middle seat of foot space and comfort.
Boot
A 510-litre boot puts the A8 on a par with the Mercedes S-Class and five litres short of the 7 Series. Enough room for a family holiday or a set of golf clubs, then. We suspect the future e-tron model will sacrifice a little space in order to accommodate the battery pack.
The mild hybrid system helps to deliver respectable fuel economy figures, with the 50 TDI delivering as much as 50.4mpg when using the standard-fit 18-inch alloy wheels. Opt for 19- or 20-inch rims and the economy drops to 48.7mpg.
In the 55 TFSI model, you can expect 37.7mpg on a combined cycle, although this falls to 36.7mpg and 36.2mpg when riding on 19 and 20-inch alloys, respectively. In all cases, the long wheelbase versions deliver identical figures.
The choice of wheels also has an impact on CO2 emissions, with a 50 TDI emitting 145-152g/km CO2, depending on the size of wheel. The figures are 171g/km to 178g/km for the 55 TFSI.
We doubt that first-year VED rates will be of great concern to an A8 owner, but it’s worth noting that a diesel-powered model riding on 18- and 19-inch wheels will cost £200 in year one, while 20-inch rims equate to £500.
The petrol version will cost £800, regardless of the choice of wheel, with all models attracting the higher-rate supplement from year two, resulting in a cost of £450.
Insurance groups
The insurance groups hadn’t been decided at the time of writing, but the A8 won’t be a cheap car to cover. The previous model sat in bands ranging from 40 to 50, and we’d expect the latest version to follow suit.
Depreciation
It’s too early to predict how well the A8 will hold its value, but if past evidence is anything to go by, you can expect to lose a huge chunk of cash if buying new. You can expect eye-watering levels of depreciation, especially in the early years.
Probably best to sit back and relax in the comfort of the rear passenger space, and try not to think about matters of this nature.
from Featured Articles http://ift.tt/2km1pB4
No comments:
Post a Comment