Following the global debut of its redesigned A8 range last fall at an auto show in Guangzhou, China, Audi has released further details about it.
The current A8 is the flagship sedan’s fourth generation, and its most recent modifications represent a mid-cycle refresh. The vehicle has been on sale since the 2019 model year, and the revised model, with prices starting at $87,595, should hit the market in the spring of 2022. The price of the upgraded S8 is $117,995. Both sums take destination into account.
The modifications are minor, which is typical for this section. The new front end of the A8, which includes more sophisticated matrix LED headlights, a revamped grille, and a front fascia with a more technical appearance, is the biggest difference from the current A8. There are new OLED taillights with different light signature options at the back. Additionally, they have a proximity indication so they can illuminate when another car approaches. Added to the rear fascia is a redesigned diffuser with horizontal bars.
Audi is offering a S Line sports option for the A8 for the first time, which takes some styling cues from the sporty S8 grade. For instance, it increases the number of blades close to the front fascia’s side intakes, just like on the S8. There will also be a kit that adds external black accents.
There are no noticeable changes to the cabin. A digital instrument cluster and two additional infotainment system screens (10.1 and 8.6 inches each) are still present. Both a head-up display and screens for the passengers in the back seats that attach to the front seats are still available. These can stream content, show content from passengers’ mobile devices, and control some vehicle operations.
Numerous driver-assist features, either standard or optional, a seat package with a massage function that relies on 18 pneumatic cushions, Valetta or Valcona leather, a cooler with a bar compartment, and a Bang & Olufsen audio system with 23 speakers are examples of high-end features.
Although the U.S. powertrain specifications have not been released, the revised A8 is anticipated to be offered in the country in 55 TFSI, 60 TFSI e, 60 TFSI, and S8 grades.
The 3.0 liter turbocharged V-6 in the 55 TFSI produces 335 horsepower. The 60 TFSI e is a plug-in hybrid vehicle that couples a single electric motor and a V-6 for a total of 455 horsepower.
The 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 in the 60 TFSI and S8 both produce 453 and 563 horsepower, respectively. The S8 should go from 0 to 60 mph in less than 3.8 seconds. The V-8 has cylinder-deactivation technology to assist save fuel.
All models in the range come standard with an 8-speed automatic, all-wheel drive, and mild hybrid technology.
Additional performance enhancements installed as standard are exclusive to the S8. A performance differential, predictive suspension, and speed-sensitive all-wheel steering are a few of these. The predictive suspension uses cameras to scan the road surface up ahead and then modifies each wheel’s degree of movement using actuators. To ensure stability and riding comfort while cornering, the system can also modify the amount of body roll.
Audi’s A8 doesn’t sell well; in 2021, 2,069 vehicles were sold in the United States. Even the pre-pandemic figure for 2019 (2,963 units) was just marginally better. Sales in China, however, have been robust enough to support the creation of an ultra-luxury variant that is exclusive to the Chinese market and features resurrected Horch branding.
August Horch, who founded Audi, is the source of the name Horch. He launched the Horch company in 1904 but soon experienced financial difficulties. He departed to launch the first iteration of Audi in 1910. The A8 with the name attached is a special model with an extra-long body measuring 17.88 feet, or 5.1 inches longer than the long-wheelbase A8 L we get as standard in the U.S. and 11 inches longer than the standard-wheelbase A8 sold elsewhere. It is intended to compete with the Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class.
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Audi A8 changed when?
Three sedans have consistently competed for supremacy in the ultra-luxury market: the Audi A8, BMW 7-Series, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. In this area, the Germans have always been at war. Even when driving, luxury vehicles like Rolls-Royces and Bentleys tend to be plush and comfortable.
And precisely there is where Germans and British people diverge. In order to upend the luxury market, Audi has updated its A8 for 2022. Despite the tiny alterations, the overall picture shows a significant transformation. The majority of the new modifications are made to the exterior, including the A8’s first-ever S-Line look package. In addition, it gets a larger grille, revised front and back fascias with reworked LED lighting, and OLED taillights.
A number of additional paint options, including matte ones, have also been offered by Audi (have to see if this makes it to the US). The interior of the Audi A8 will see softer modifications in 2022, including more trim options, a new head-up display option, and two more rear-seat entertainment screens. We are jealous of the 2022 Audi A8 Horch Edition, a Maybach-challenging variant available only in China. Audi USA has not yet confirmed the list of improvements that will be supplied for the A8 and S8 models that are headed to the US.
The Audi A8 in 2022 gets a new, revitalizing face, OLED lighting, matte paint finishes, sportier wheels, and more inside entertainment devices.
Will the Audi A8 remain in production?
For Audi’s largest, most technologically advanced vehicle, this is very certainly the end of an era. The German manufacturer has given the luxurious A8 a slight update for 2022 that will help it live through the remaining few years of its anticipated lifespan. That’s where things start to get interesting, though.
The era of luxury barges with enormous motors that only consume gas is over. Every luxury automaker deserving of the name is developing a type of land yacht that is all electric. Bentley recently conducted a consumer study and discovered that wealthy drivers are increasingly willing to purchase an EV as well.
It is obvious that none of the major luxury automakers are prepared to let electric upstarts like Tesla and Lucid Motors to take over the lucrative full-size sedan market, which is small but prestigious.
The $99,000 Audi A8 feels like a stopgap until the manufacturer introduces an all-electric or electrified next-generation model, despite its exceptional competence.
Strangely, Audi is temporarily moving backwards on electrification in Canada. Here, the TFSI e plug-in hybrid version of the A8 will no longer be available after 2022. It would seem from the company’s remarks that the product didn’t sell well enough. The market for plug-in full-size automobiles is considerably smaller. It’s unfortunate, especially considering the updated model’s longer electric driving range of up to 59 kilometers, which will be marketed in other areas, including Europe.
For 2022, there will only be two A8 models available: the A8 and the extended S8 L.
While the performance-oriented S8 retains its four-litre twin-turbo V8 engine with 563 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, the former has downsized from a V8 engine to a three-litre turbocharged V6.
During our test drive, the full-fat S8 was the only model available. These days, it definitely feels like a guilty pleasure, but it most definitely is a joy.
The S8 accelerates from 120 kilometres per hour like it is being swept forward on an infinite wave when you enter a section of the Autobahn where the only speed restriction is your good judgment. The engine’s deep rumble has a subterranean sound. As the automobile reaches 240 kph, it feels invulnerable. One of the numerous reasons to maintain speed restrictions on Canadian highways is that you can virtually see the gasoline gauge lowering at that pace.
The S8’s behavior off the Autobahn is more stunning than its raw power. The S8 is so well engineered that it handles like a smaller, lighter car on narrow country roads. When you anticipate a car to list toward the outside of a turn in a fast corner, the S8 does the opposite; its dynamic air suspension tilts the car toward the inside, making it feel slower than it actually is. The car has an eerie capacity to smooth out poor streets since it also scans the road and adjusts the suspension for impending potholes. Despite the comfortable ride, the steering is very precise. It doesn’t get much better than this if you want a sedan to transport you and your three golf mates around.
However, the same could be said about the S8 from the previous year. Minor changes were made to the upgraded model, including a new grille, lighting, and fresh paint and wheels.
However, the infotainment system is dated. The A8’s sharp dual-touchscreen technology with haptic feedback made everything else feel dated when it was first unveiled in 2017. Five years later, the technology included in more recent flagship vehicles like the Mercedes S-Class has eclipsed Audi’s system, at least in terms of style if not outright utility.
The A8 didn’t face many electric competitors in 2017 either. But today, if you don’t need room for your three golf buddies, driving an Audi e-Tron GT or a Porsche Taycan is far more thrilling. Additionally, Tesla has a new Lucid Air and a refurbished Model S.
The A8’s lower price than electric competitors and about $20,000 less than the S-Class and BMW 7 Series work in its favor. Even though it may no longer have the most cutting-edge technology, this $100,000 automobile nonetheless provides superb value and strikes an excellent mix between comfort and precise handling.
Seize the moment while you can. Audi introduced the Grand Sphere electric vehicle concept the previous year. It is over five meters long, has a lounge-like interior, and has an estimated 750+ kilometer driving range. An Audi executive predicted that the Grand Sphereor something similarwould go on sale by the middle of the decade. The fourth-generation A8 you see here is scheduled to be retired in the middle of the decade. An accident? I don’t think so. It appears that this is your final opportunity to purchase a large Audi without an electrical outlet.
Audi produces the A8?
The A8 has a 335 horsepower turbocharged V-6 engine that is supplemented by a 48-volt hybrid system. All-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission are as standard. The A8 we tested reached 60 mph from zero in 5.3 seconds. With six cylinder executive sedans, the A8 is a few tenths slower than the Mercedes-Benz S500 in terms of performance. Although the Audi’s engine is smooth, there is no fanfare to its power delivery, and sound-deadening measures are so effective that the engine is nearly undetectable with the windows up. The A8 offers a sporty yet comfortable ride that is highly reminiscent of Audi. Standard features include an adjustable air suspension and driver-adjustable adaptive dampers. This configuration separates you from road imperfections while still allowing the Audi A8 to rip down a back road when the mood strikes.
How quick is an Audi A8 from 2021?
The 60 TFSI boasts a 453-hp twin-turbo V-8 engine, while the standard 55 TFSI has a 335-hp turbocharged V-6. Both models make use of a hybrid 48-volt system. All-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission are as standard. The V-6 engine is combined with an electric motor, a 14.1 kWh battery pack, and other components to create the plug-in hybrid 60 TFSI e. The 2021 Audi A8 TFSI e has a 443 horsepower rating. Only the V-6 55 TFSI variant has been tested thus far; it reached 60 mph in 5.3 seconds at our test track. That puts it on level with the Mercedes-Benz S450 among executive six-cylinder sedans but a few tenths slower than the BMW 740i’s quick pace. Although the Audi’s engine is smooth, there is no fanfare to its power delivery, and sound-deadening measures are so effective that the engine is nearly undetectable with the windows up. The A8 offers a sporty yet comfortable ride that is highly reminiscent of Audi. Standard features include an adjustable air suspension and driver-adjustable adaptive dampers. A more sophisticated active suspension that detects bumps in the road ahead and takes action to compensate is an option with the V-8. The Audi A8 shields you from road irregularities with the standard suspension, but it can still rip down a back road when the whim strikes.