The A8 may be the flagship model for Audi but it somehow manages to be subtle!
The latest Audi A8 has a smart, businesslike exterior, an interior that is impeccable and lots of technology under the skin - and it can shift!
The original A8 was a wide, substantial looking machine that most petrol-heads still crave, especially the S8 version featured in the 1998 De Niro movie 'Ronin'. The new car has a taller look to it and features lots of creases in the metal and other design touches that are very smart.
My test car was a 4.2-litre TDi Quattro Tiptronic. The V8 diesel can do 0-100 km/h in just 5.5 seconds. It produces 350bhp, but more importantly in a cruiser like this 800nm of torque - in other words this car has so much pulling power it could tow the Earth out of orbit! Petrol lovers can get a V8 4.2-litre that is also pretty powerful, with 372bhp and 445nm (€106,900).
Both models have an eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox as standard. This means you can leave the four-door saloon in automatic 'D' or 'S' mode for more enthusiastic driving or you could use the steering wheel paddle shifts for the times when you want additional engine braking or a more spirited drive. I say all this knowing that there is a strong possibility that the owner of this car may actually sit in the back and have a professional to drive it for them.
The A8 is great behind the wheel, although sadly in Ireland you will never legally get to explore the stunning high-speed cruising ability of the car. At slow speed I would like a faster steering rack, but otherwise the A8 shrinks around you when you drive it. 'Quattro' has to be one of the coolest motoring words ever, and Audi's four-wheel drive set up - standard in the current two-car A8 range - offers superb grip in all weather. More affordable two-wheel drive versions are coming and will no doubt handle well, but having a Quattro badge on your car is always that bit special.
With any luxury saloon these days the standard level of equipment is impressive but when you hit the options list, well, it tends to take things to another level. The list of toys available for the A8 is impressive. In my test car there was an additional €46,552 worth of extra kit to add to the €110,170 base price. The Night Vision system (€3,345) was excellent. Night Vision has been with us for a while, with Mercedes and BMW offering their version of the infra-red device that allows drivers to see heat sources in front of the car (people, dogs etc) clearer than the naked eye, especially in darkness.
Another great option is the massaging seat with heating and cooling function on the front and rear seats (€2,358). The dearest option on my test car was the Balao Brown Design Package at €21,165 that included 22-way adjustable electric seats! All the technology is easily used, too, thanks to the excellent MMi interface.
In these hard times etc, etc buying any car with a list price of over €100,000 is something very few people can consider. The A8, with its adaptive air-suspension, can be as luxurious as any other super saloon out there but it goes about it quietly without shouting to the world: "I'm stinking rich!" A Hybrid version is set for production and you can order a long wheelbase version A8 'L' (interior pictured). But the one to wait for is the 3-litre diesel, due here in September, with a much smaller asking price. You just have to like the new A8; I certainly do.
Michael Sheridan
