ROADTEST AUDI A8 4.2 TDI TIPTRONIC:GLIDING DOWN the new M6, adaptive cruise control scanning the road ahead, the soft leather heated seats gently massaging my back, and Bach reverberating off the double-glazed windows of the new A8, it's easy to see why few people consider reviewing cars an onerous chore.
Admittedly it’s nigh on impossible for us to complain either. Even after 940km behind the wheel of the new A8 – most of it over a two-day stretch – we alighted at the end of our trek more relaxed than if we had spent the same amount of time on the couch. And that’s the aim of executive luxury transport: you should be able to criss-cross a country, or even a continent, and still feel fresh enough to make those big boardroom decisions that supposedly warrant a six-figure salary.
This is the flagship of the Audi range and arrives as the four-ringed brand continues its full-frontal assault of the premium sector.
Since the launch of its latest A4, Audi has become focused on one goal: to become the number one premium brand on the market. Nothing less will do. So far the efforts are bearing fruit and models like the A5 and upcoming A1 are all receiving critical acclaim. So what about the flagship model for the range?
Well, first impressions are more muted. After a litany of great-looking cars, from the R8 to the current A4 range, we were expecting a lot more dynamism in the styling of the A8.
While it offers a very smart front nose, the rest of the car’s styling seems more restrained; like a larger iteration of the current A4. It’s a smart-looking car, but we can’t help hankering for the outgoing model’s more chiselled looks. Given the increased profile of the brand, we had hoped for a little more panache.
There’s no question, however, about the quality of the car. The shutlines between the body panels are paper thin, every movement and mechanism carries out its task with silky perfection. In terms of engineering prowess the A8 lives up to its billing.
All this luxury, not to mention a torquey 4.2-litre V8, would be wasted on city commutes, so we decided to take it – and two visiting friends – on a trek along the west coast of Ireland. Although Connemara doesn’t comprise the ideal roads for a wide-bodied luxury liner, it’s certainly a decent test-bed for its acclaimed Quattro four-wheel-drive.
The A8 made short work of the cross-country run. It devoured the great new road from Dublin to Galway and even when the heavens opened and traffic slowed to a crawl, the A8 cut through the rivers of rainwater and its four-wheel-drive never flinched.
The adaptive air suspension can be adjusted to four modes – auto, dynamic, comfort and lift – although we expected the comfort mode to be a little softer and to wash out the worst of the potholes with more aplomb. That said, the dynamic mode was very impressive and the car felt as nimble as one half its size. Even on tight and twisting back roads, the A8 ducked and dived into corners with the enthusiasm of a sports hatch.
That is undoubtedly due to the incredible grip offered by the permanent all-wheel-drive that distributes the impressive 800Nm of torque between the four wheels to best effect. It’s also, in part, due to the light body structure of the car. Audi has combined aluminium and magnesium for the substructure that reduces weight but increases body rigidity. Ultimately, even with 346bhp on tap, this chassis seemed capable of handling far more power than was on offer.
As for the V8, in regular driving mode the transmission pops quickly through the eight gears and it’s only when you flick the gearlever to sport mode that the revs really start to rise, the engine starts to growl and the V8’s true potency comes into play. Our only gripe would be that at lower speeds the throttle response was not as immediate as we would have liked. On the upside, it averaged a very respectable fuel consumption of 9.1l/100km (31 mpg) over the week.
Put this car on anything resembling a straight road and it devours all in front of it. Even on the most twisting corkscrew routes it takes absolutely no effort from the driver to push this car along through the bends and if anything you sometimes feel rather redundant, serving more as navigator than pilot.
That said, owners do get a chance to test their nerves back in the city landscape. The new A8 measures 2.1 metres in width to the edge of the wing mirrors and 5.1 metres in length, which makes for some interesting parking manoeuvres.
In the Jury’s Inn car park in Galway – designed it seems by someone who clearly thought we’d all be driving Smart cars by 2010 – every turn up the ramps was accompanied by a cacophony of beeps and warnings from the parking sensors, and grimaces from passers-by. We managed to ascend to the third floor without a scratch, but with only a millimetre or two to spare on either side. Even when spaces became available, it was a futile effort as the narrow parking spots left us trapped inside, unable to open the doors.
AS WITH ALLflagship models, the new A8 is awash with technology. Yet for all the electronic showmanship on offer, there isn't that much in here that's entirely new. Massage seats have featured in this class of car for some time, as has the likes of night vision sensors. The latter uses a thermal imaging camera to highlight pedestrians on dark unlit roads – a very useful safety feature if you do a lot of night driving on back roads. In most instances it will serve as little more than a toy to impress friends, as it does on the S-Class and BMW 7 Series.
Audi has been praised in the past for its MMI control interface – the mix of dial and button controls of the various menu functions. This time they’ve added a pad where you can use your fingertip to trace out the letters of a town, a phone number, or the name of a song. It’s entertaining, but we can’t really see how it’s quicker or safer to use than the regular MMI dial or even the voice interactive system. Invariably you find yourself watching the screen to see if the in-car computer has correctly deciphered your scrawl, and in most cases you still have to confirm your choice via the MMI dial.
Ultimately the real difference between cars at this end of the market comes down to driving ability and more subtle touches of class. Inside the A8 it was those little touches that provoked praise. It’s the stylish interior night lighting of the cabin, the way the suede roof lining is continued right into the corner crevices of the little triangular windows in the c-pillar and how the quality leather stitching is precisely carried onto the central console, dashboard, and doors.
So how does the A8 stack up against its rivals? In terms of looks, the A8 is a little too discrete to cause a stir in the same way as the the new Jaguar XJ. On the road it’s as agile as one might expect from a car firm with Quattro credentials. Yet it never quite surpasses all its rivals to any great extent.
The king of the luxury liners has long been the S-Class and the A8 doesn’t quite manage to topple the reigning monarch.
It comes very close, but the Mercedes still pips it when it comes to the blend of comfort, prestige, ride and refinement. This is perhaps the best alternative to the three-pointed star on the market, but it doesn’t dethrone the current king and is likely to face stiff competition from the new Jaguar XJ when it arrives here later this summer. It’s a very fine car and epitomises the engineering prowess of the Audi brand at present. It’s a crown prince, if not quite the new king.
Factfile
Engine:4,134cc common-rail V8 diesel engine with 8-speed tiptronic transmission putting out 346bhp @ 4,000rpm and 800Nm @ 1,750 0-100km/h: 5.5 seconds. L/100km (mpg):urban 10.2 (27.7); extra-urban 6.1 (46.3); combined 7.6 (37.2). CO2 emissions:199 g/km. Tax: band F; €1,050.
Specifications:19' 5-spoke alloys; 4-spoke multifunction steering wheel; adaptive air suspension with four selectable modes; adaptive cruise control; auto boot lid opearation; auto-dimming rearview mirror; climate control with sun sensors; electromechanical parking brake; traction control and electronic stability program; front and rear park assist with rear reverse camera; LED ambient interior lighting; LED rear lights and daytime running lights on front; MMI Sat-Nav; Bluetooth phone connection; rear foglights.
Options fitted to test car:Metallic paint (€1,807); power assisted closing for doors (€1,070); Balao Brown Design Package (€21,165); Individual rear seats (€5,185); Acoustic double glazing (€1,155); Heated steering wheel (€401); Seat ventilation and massage function – front and rear (€2,358); Bose surround sound system (€1,925); Night vision system (€3,345).
Price:€110,170 (with extras test car was €156,692)