The 2011 Audi A8 ushers in a new era of progressive luxury as the flagship sedan of the Audi brand. The 2011 A8 is the third generation of the A8 model line and is built on Audi's proven combination of an ASF, MMI user interface, stately interior craftsmanship, quattro allwheel-drive and adaptive air suspension - innovations matched only by the optimized 4.2-liter direct injection V8 and all-new eight-speed automatic transmission.
Definitive design elements drawn from the Audi pedigree characterize the A8 in the bold lines of an amalgam of luxury and performance. Inside, world-class materials welcome passengers, while an adjustable cabin lighting system sets the mood. The driver's experience in this realm captures the essence of Audi.
The Design
Audi delivers a new brand icon in the 2011 A8. Paramount in the design process was creating a visage of sporty progressiveness that opens new territory while remaining grounded in a clear and logical progression of the A8. In comparison to its predecessor, increasingly muscular wheel arches speak to the enthusiast driver, while further refinement of running lines that flow to a subtly arched trunk lend the all-new A8 an air of elegance. Technological innovation shines brilliantly via industry-first full-LED front headlamps with both high and low beam function.
Full LED lighting extends through the daytime running lights, cornering lights, turn signals, and taillights, allowing a design and shape impossible with xenon bulbs.
The new A8 builds upon Audi's leadership in aluminum design and manufacturing via its latest generation ASF. This latest iteration features 25 percent more static torsional rigidity, while new welding technologies contribute to reduced weight, producing greater fuel efficiency, benchmarklevels of passive safety, and improved handling. The ASF now weighs some 40 percent less than a comparable steel structure. Though such innovation, the 2011 A8 gains no weight over the previous car, despite the new model's growth of 3-inches fore and aft and 2-inches in width.
Open, Innovative, and Easy to Use Interior Features
Exemplifying a constant drive for perfection, Audi engineers took full advantage of the opportunity to make the perfect luxury-performance sedan. Fine materials paired with optimized solutions create driver and passenger experiences unrivaled by the competition. Key to this theme is the 2011 A8's "Koenigsfuge," or "King's Joint," the juncture between door and dashboard. At this point, no less than four different materials and design lines intersect, melding deep wood inlays, aluminum accents, leather dashboard covering, and plastics in a hallmark of ingenuity. No compromise was made in the Koenigsfuge design vision for manufacturing efficiency. Rather, designers were free to draft the A8's environmental lines with a focus purely on creating a flow around the passengers.
Such 'skyliner' elements develop an ambiance of spaciousness, comfort, and luxury within the cabin. Roominess is accented by driver-selectable LED lighting themes including ivory, polar, and ruby modes, creating a connection between driver and passengers and an overall feeling of lightness within the interior surrounding the floating center console. During the day, natural light floods the cabin though a pair of skylights.
The driver is not neglected in such design considerations. As the center of power and control, the driver has access to innumerable options at his or her fingertips. Audi drive select now arrives as standard equipment, presenting the driver with options that span both sport and comfort (Dynamic, Comfort, Auto, Individual). The shift-by-wire gearshift lever is inspired by the throttles found on board yachts and serves as an ergonomic hand rest for operating the MMI touch interface. Because such considerations mean nothing if they intrude on the overall theme of elegance that the A8 embodies, all interior elements - such as the foldaway MMI screen - were designed to occupy as little space as possible.
Audi A8: Review (2/2)| Specifications | |
| Key: AT - automatic transmission, MT - manual transmission, F/R/AWD - front/rear/all wheel drive | |
| Powertrain | |
| Type | V8 |
| Displacement | 254 cu in (4163 cc) |
| Power | 372 hp @ 6800 RPM |
| Torque | 328 lb-ft @ 3500 RPM |
| Redline | n/a |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive |
| Transmission | 8 Speed Automatic |
| Brakes & Tires | |
| Brakes Front - Rear | Ventilated Discs - Ventilated Discs |
| Tire Size Front - Rear | R19 (Std.) |
| R20 (Opt.) | |
| Exterior Dimensions & Weight | |
| Length | 202.2 in |
| Width | 76.7 in |
| Height | 57.5 in |
| Curb Weight | 4409 lbs |
| Performance | |
| 0-60 | 5.7 s |
| 1/4 Mile | n/a |
| 60-0 Braking | n/a |
| Top Speed | 130 mph |
| Fuel Economy | |
| EPA Fuel Mileage - City/Highway | 17/27 mpg |
| Origin & Price | |
| Origin | Germany |
| Base Retail Price (MSRP) | $78,050 |
