It you thought that the Audi A8 was going to be the top of the range for this premium car maker then you may need to look again because the Audi A8 L is here and it takes luxury to a new level. Audi like to think of the A8 L as a step up to flying first-class and when you look inside they just could be right.
13cm has been added to the length and wheelbase of the Auid A8 L and all of it has been given to rear-passenger comfort and amenity, the A8 L.
The engine
The A8 L comes with the choice of three engines; two of which are diesel.
The 4.2 FSI direct-injection petrol V8, 4.2 TDI diesel V8 and 3.0 TDI diesel V6 engines are all mated to an 8-speed tiptronic transmissionthat helps to deliver fuel consumption as low as 6.6 litres per 100km for the 3.0 TDI.
All three Audi A8 L models feature Audi’s permanent all-wheel-drive quattro technology. quattro technology automatically adjusts the distribution of drive across all four wheels to ensure optimum traction and dynamic handling.
Fuel consumption has been significantly reduced across the A8 L range compared to its predecessor and yet performance has been improved. The 3.0 TDI V6 features fuel-saving Start-Stop technology, but adds another 13 kW to its power output and delivers an additional 100 Nm of torque for a total of 550 Nm. The 4.2 FSI direct-injection petrol V8 delivers 273 kW of power and 445 Nm of torque whilst reducing fuel consumption by 11 percent. The V8 4.2 TDI makes the most of its 258 kW and prodigious 800 Nm to rocket from 0-100km/h in just 5.6 seconds.
The interior
While Audi knows that the mechanical specs of the A8 L is impressive it’s the interior they feel that has the most attraction for buyers.
Front seat occupants enjoy 22-way powered comfort seats, whilst the standard configuration of the rear compartment features ample stretch-out room with a three-seat arrangement that emphasises the comfort of the two outer positions. This standard rear arrangement also provides a fold-down console that contains four-zone air conditioning and houses the controls for an optional rear seat entertainment package that includes analogue and digital TV reception.
All A8 L models feature rear vanity mirrors, power rear and side window blinds, heated seats, a handset for the Bluetooth connected car phone and there an optional panorama twin-sunroof extending over the rear passenger area is aslso available.
If the standard rear seat set up in the Audi 8 L isn’t quite what you want then there is an optional rear seat package that offers two individual rear seats, with a continuous centre console housing the rear compartment controls and a power adjustable foot-rest on the back of the front seats. When combined with the ambient lighting package standard on the V8 models the effect is one of providing the occupants with supreme luxury and comfort even whilst travelling long distances at speed.
Audi Australia is also offering the A8 L models, as with all A8s, with the option of Guaranteed Future Value financing for 36 or 48 months, allowing for up to 20,000kms per year and a preferential finance rate of 5.5%.
Australian pricing and specification for the Audi A8 L will be announced closer to launch in the first quarter of 2011 … expect it to be expensive.
