KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — People who are in the market for an Audi A8, that is, a large, premium car in what Malaysians would broadly call the “towkay” category would be looking at a few other cars as well. This would include the Mercedes S Class, the BMW 7 Series, and perhaps even the Lexus LS.
Without a doubt, all the aforementioned cars are “top of the heap” when it comes to luxury and comfort. Depending on the engine capacities selected, some of them are also pretty quick on the road.
The two top choices are BMW or Mercedes-Benz, these two being associated with “towkay” status. Some others who want to be more unconventional would look at the other brands, such as Lexus or Audi.
Given the opportunity, I would be looking at the Audi A8. Why? Read on.
The first thing about the A8 L would be that almost all of the vehicle body is made of aluminium. There is obvious weight saving here, and the A8 L is among the lightest in its category, weighing in with a kerb weight of 1,880 kg.
The heavier a car is, the more fuel it takes to move it around. The secondary benefit of an aluminium body is that it will not suffer from rust.
Next, the drive train of the A8 L is superior to its competitors due to its all-wheel drive (quattro) configuration. For the uninitiated, this means that all the four wheels are driven, affording the A8 L superior traction and road grip be it in the dry or in the wet.
In addition, a comprehensive set of electronic driving aids helps to keep the car on the road even if the driver lacks skill. On top of the ESC (Electronic Stability Control) system, Audi offers an optional Audi Night Vision Assistant that uses a thermal imaging camera to highlight pedestrians and large animals in front of the car at night. There is also an option of a heads-up display that projects key information onto the windscreen.
Night driving is made easier by the new Matrix Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology. The high-beam function uses 25 individual LEDs per unit, and these can be individually switched off or dimmed, depending on the road situation. An on-board camera detects other vehicles ahead, and masks relevant sections by dimming or switching off individual LEDs, while bright illumination is retained for the remaining zones. The turn signals are a sight to behold. Instead of flashing lights, 18 LEDs arranged in a strip sweep from the centre to the side; very nice to look at.
Also available as an option is adaptive cruise control assistance system that helps to maintain a constant distance away from the vehicle in front, up to 200 km/h.
For convenience, the A8 features a parking aid for the front, and a reverse camera, with the option of park assist with 360 degree display that uses 12 ultrasonic sensors to provide an overview of one’s surroundings. A navigation system is included.
The interior of the A8 L is well appointed. It is top class all the way, with wood trims tastefully placed amidst brushed aluminium silver inlays. Luxurious leather trim pampers driver and passengers alike, and the ambient lighting of the A8 allows the driver to select various options as he or she fancies.
Air-conditioning is four-zone, meaning that each occupant can select and set the temperature and fan speed for each zone. Glass sunroof and electric sunshades for the rear side windows and rear windows are standard equipment. In addition, the rear seats are ventilated, and offer power adjustment and lumbar support.
Rear seat entertainment is included for the “towkay”, with two independently controlled 10.2-inch high-resolution displays and two wireless bluetooth headsets. The front passenger seat can be controlled by the rear passenger.
The audio system is top of the range BOSE surround system with 600 watts and 14 speakers including a sub-woofer. An optional Bang & Olufsun Advanced Sound System is also offered for the more discerning audiophiles.
The suffix “L” tells us that this is a long-wheelbase vehicle, with legroom made to pamper, and the new model provides an additional 130mm. The new A8 L is longer at 5,265mm, with a wheelbase of 3,122mm. It is wider at 1,949mm, and stands low, at 1,471mm. Luggage capacity is 520 litres, and has been reconfigured to take four golf bags.
On the road, the A8 L is a car that I enjoy driving. I have driven the previous model, and liked it tremendously, and the new one feels just as good.
The 3.0-litre V6 supercharged power unit is retained, and it delivers a hefty 310 horsepower and 410Nm of torque, more than sufficient to move the A8 L with agility. Acceleration is superb, and you can do a zero to 100km/h sprint in 5.9 seconds.
The quattro drive puts the power through the wheels onto the road without any fuss or spin, through an 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission, and if you want to have more fun every once in a while, there is a pair of paddle shifters.
The A8 can be driven elegantly and graciously (as it should be), or can be driven, and driven hard. I enjoy both types of driving, and this is one of the main reasons I like this particular car.
Fuel consumption is mooted at 7.9 litres per 100 kilometres; however, based on my experience, under “real world” conditions, 10 to 11 litres per 100 kilometres would be more realistic. I don’t think any sane man would be “pussy-footing” around when the 310 horses are just waiting to be unleashed, although I did achieve 8.3 litres per 100 km consumption for a while on a stretch of highway driving.
When you drive the A8 L, you get that safe and secure feeling at all times; you will be able to take corners at speeds that you never imagined you could; it accelerates at will, and more importantly, it stops with reassuring stability, without any fuss at all. It is a good feeling, so need I say more?
