The world got its first glimpse of the all-new Audi A8 in the latest installment of the Spider-Man series, Spider-Man Homecoming. In the film, several angled shots of the flagship Audi were seen, done to whet our motoring appetites. Now, the time has come for Audi to reveal its large sedan to the world.
The fourth-generation Audi A8 makes its way to the Audi Summit in Barcelona where it boasts of a few world firsts. Known for being the purveyor of such technologies as the Audi Spaceframe and LED and laser lighting, the latest top-tier Audi is no different.
The design, for instance, heralds a new styling language for the four-rings marque. The sleeker Singleframe grille is flanke4d by hexagonal headlights that use optional Matrix LED with laser lighting technology. The bold front fascia matches the muscular fenders and swoopy roofline, not to mention the equally stylish rear with its own unique light signature and one piece taillight design.
Stepping inside, one is greeted by a host of cool yet subtle details that are both high tech and functional at the same time. The 10.1-inch touchscreen and central tunnel touch panel are designed to avoid that “in your face” look and are nicely integrated into the cockpit, even sporting a black panel finish when not in use. Of course, the Audi Virtual Cockpit is there to provide pertinent vehicle and navigation data, along with the brand’s very own Multi Media Interface (MMI).
As for those world-first goodies, these come in the form of level 3 autonomous driving systems that are designed to take the stress out of the daily commute. Audi’s AI Traffic Jam Pilot can take over driving duties along highways at speeds up to 60kph. By pressing the AI button, the car can steer, brake, and accelerate while keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front.
Then there is Audi’s Remote Garage Pilot. Similar to other systems by BMW and Mercedes-Benz, this one lets the driver monitor the car’s progress while he “parks” the car via remote using his smartphone and the new myaudi app.
The all-new Audi A8 will be powered by a host of V6 and V8 gasoline and diesel motors. The V6 mills include a 3.0 TDI with 286hp and the 3.0 TFSI that puts out 340hp. The V8 rnage, on the other hand, gets a 4.0 TDI with 435hp and the gas-powered 4.0 TFSI that produces 460 horses.
Besides these choices, Audi is offering both performance and eco-friendly motoring with its vaunted 6.0-liter W12 engine and the e-tron mild hybrid, respectively. The latter uses the 3.0-liter TFSI lump nd pairs it with an electric motor to achieve a total sytem output of 449hp and 700Nm. The A8 L e-tron, as it will be known, can even run up to 50kms on pure electric power. Regardless of which model you choose, the new Audi A8 will come with an 8-speed automatic gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive.
The new Audi A8 will come in both short and long wheelbase configurations.
