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CAP Blog > CAP Blog > Martin's Blog
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Feb
10
Written by:
Martin Ward
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
It was a wet and windy day in Malaga for the international press launch of the all new Audi A8. Audi describe it as their ‘flagship model’ but this statement could be debateable as the new R8 V10 Spyder could probably also claim this accolade.
 The all new A8 model is better in all aspects, from the exterior and interior design, to engine performance as the fuel consumption has improved and it has a lower CO2 emissions. The exterior design is completely different to the current model but still has Audi’s distinctive styling so you can tell it’s an Audi from a mile away. You could be forgiven at this distance in thinking that it is an A4 but once close up, it is most definitely the A4’s big brother. It has some good, crisp swage lines running from the front to the rear that give it a bold stance and the front and rear design is still typical Audi, which all seems to work and it looks good from every angle. The optional LED headlights are a must-have, as they give the car a very distinctive look and also give the car that familiar Audi appearance.
The new A8 still maintains an aluminium body shell, using Audi’s space frame technology. This means that it is 41% lighter than its rivals, weighing in at just 2310kg. I weigh 80kg, so you can imagine just how light this car is. The new A8 model is 6.5kg lighter than the current A8 and yet has increased rigidity by 24%. One of Audi’s former group companies built the first aluminium car in 1913, which was the NSU HP 8/24, so it is nothing new to them.
 First deliveries of the new A8 are due in May with a choice of two engines. The first is a 4.2 litre FSI 372ps quattro petrol starting at £61,640 for the SE. The second is a 4.2 litre TDI 350ps quattro diesel starting at £63,690 for the SE. A 3.0 litre TDI 250ps quattro diesel SE will be available from September 2010 and will be priced at £54,760. The SE Executive will carry a premium of £2,550 over the SE price and all models will have an 8 speed Tiptronic gearbox as standard.
We drove all three engines in Spain and everybody thought that the 3.0 litre TDI diesel was the best all-rounder, as it is well balanced and it has more than enough power. The other advantage with the 3.0 litre TDI diesel is that it has start/stop technology as standard, and this is unusual and almost unique on an automatic. It does work well, being efficient and extremely quick on start-up. When you come to a standstill at traffic lights or road junctions, you put your foot on the brake and the engine shuts down immediately without any vibration. When you are ready to set off, take your foot off the brake and the engine fires up in a fraction of a second.
 The interior is the most important aspect in this type of car. It is exquisite; the whole cabin in the A8 just oozes quality. The detailed craftsmanship is evident, with most of the leather and wood being hand-crafted to an extremely high standard. Audi is a part of Volkswagen Group and so is Bentley, so the similarities to the British brand are obvious. Audi would probably not admit it, but throughout the interior of the A8 there are many hints that the Germans have been to Crewe on numerous occasions to learn some of their skills. They have used them to their advantage in making the A8 the leader in interior quality. It really is a nice place to sit, in both the front and the rear.
 During the launch I had a long chat with Dr Werner Hamberger who is head of Development Operating Concept, or in other words, he is responsible for the MMI (Multi-Media Interface); the operation of the radio, satellite navigation, heater and interior lighting. Dr Hamberger has been working on the MMI since day one so knows it intimately and understands every aspect of it. He showed us around the new improved and easier to use system, and some of it is just remarkable. He showed us the things it would do in a few minutes that would take years to find on your own, even if you read the handbook every night before bed. The one new addition to the MMI is a small ‘pad’ which is situated just in front of the new, revised auto gear lever. You can rest your hand on the gear lever and write on this pad, which measures at around 1.5 inches square (about the size of a laptop mouse pad). The pad recognises most hand writing, including English, Chinese and Japanese, plus many more. Instead of using the round MMI wheel for selecting names in the phone book or places in the sat nav, you can now write it by using your finger, letter by letter. The car we drove was left hand drive so you use your right hand to write. I asked Dr Hamberger if right hand drive cars and people using their left hands would cause a problem, and he said that you would soon get used to it. I’m a left hander and used the pad very easily.
The new A8 is a great car to drive. It is comfortable, offers plenty of space, is full of luxury and will look great pulling up alongside the red carpet.
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