2011 Audi A8 - Evaluation

Rating: 9.2
Bottom Line:
The 2011 Audi A8 has officially arrive into its very own as the flagship with the Audi model. With a fashionable new physique, well-sorted interior and an outstanding 8-speed transmission, the vehicle is the new pinnacle of all things Ingolstadt.
Pros:

* Superb interior
* New 8-speed transmission complements the four.2-liter V8
* Highly intuitive driver interface and display

Cons:

* Large steering in Dynamic mode
* No 3.0 TDI V6 at start
* four.2-liter V8 falls brief of turbocharged competitors from BMW and Mercedes-Benz

It's been a long time (7 years, to be precise) because Audi re-examined its range-topping A8. But this yr, the German automaker is treating its flagship to a total makeover, and we say much better late than in no way. Scheduled for release within the United states next fall, the all-new 2011 Audi A8 will retain its legendary strengths (i.e., an elegant inside and standard all-wheel drive), but will get just a little bigger and add a host of new electronic devices. And, the freshly developed sheet steel is both clean and strikingly muscular.

Design Lineup
Once the 2011 Audi A8 tends to make its method to American dealerships, it is going to be offered only because the standard-wheelbase model. The business says we are able to expect a long-wheelbase version to point out up shortly soon after the base automobile tends to make it to marketplace. Along with a little additional legroom in the rear from the vehicle, the A8 L will likely feature a host of standard gear that's or else optional around the base A8. Anticipate a slightly steeper cost tag, as well.

Underneath the Hood
Audi has simplified the purchasing method for customers by offering the A8 with only a 4.2-liter V8 - for now. The all-aluminum engine advantages from numerous technologies that boost each horsepower and efficiency and, as a result, the automobile now develops much more horsepower and three additional lb-ft of torque in contrast using the current A8. The engine tops out at 372 horsepower and 328 lb-ft of torque, thanks to a variable consumption valve program and reworked electronic control unit. Despite the fact that larger in every single direction than the 2010 A8, the brand new auto has shed 364 pounds from its curb excess weight, dropping the whole to four,045 pounds.

As amazing as the additional 22 horsepower is, the truly astonishing figures arrive within the efficiency division. Whilst the EPA numbers are still forthcoming, the auto could see up to 18 mpg city/26 mpg highway if the company's claims are correct. Audi says the brand new transmission will enhance the A8's fuel economic system by fifteen percent in contrast using the current model.

That effectiveness claim is in large component because of the 8-speed automatic transmission. There is a gear for each and every pace, permitting the sizable V8 to breathe less difficult. Coupled towards the company's illustrious quattro all-wheel-drive system, the transmission also returns a satisfying driving expertise. As in all new Audi autos, the quattro program continues to be tweaked to deliver 40 % of power to the entrance wheels and sixty % to the rear to deliver much more rear-wheel-drive traits.

Inner Area
Audi has swaddled the interior of your new A8 in all the finery you'd expect with this segment, but the real story could be the onboard tech. The navigation system is tied in with Google Maps, and although proprietors will have to pony up to AT&T right after six months for the privilege of knowing where they're going and where they'd like to be, this new type of navigation program is worth it.

Even above the navigation program, the new touch-screen-based multimedia interface is a millennium ahead from the old system. Want a specific album? Simply flip through a cover flow show just like some MP3 players. Want to adjust your seat? A helpful graphic shows you how the controls manipulate seat position, whilst controls stay logically about the seat side. Everything from the climate controls to vehicle system information can be altered via the show.

That's nothing new for this segment, but Audi didn't stop there. A new MMI touch pad replaces the cumbersome type-on-screen system of old. If you want to know the location with the closest mall, simply draw out the letters M-A-L-L around the pad with your finger. Skeptical? So were we, but the system is fast and correct - packed with millions of character symbols, and in any language.

Around the Road
Despite the fact that there's no a enormous jump in horsepower over the third-generation A8, the 2011 auto simply feels faster. For example, stomp about the throttle in eighth gear when you're crawling, and the 8-speed automatic transmission will jump all the way down to second. The result is a rocket-ship ride in a Titanic-size sedan. Opt for quattro with Sport Differential and you can genuinely feel the forced turn-in on tighter corners.

As before, the A8 comes with air suspension, which can be set to your choice of Comfort, Dynamic or Car modes, where the more aggressive setting will provide noticeably increased throttle response along with a marginally stiffer ride. The Dynamic setting might make steering a little stiff for a 2-ton luxury car, but then again, we can't honestly see A8 owners ever switching the program from Auto.

Right for You?
Audi helps make no bones about the intended 2011 A8 customer. The business says the average owner will make a lot more than $500,000 a yr and be worth a lot more than $1 million. If that sounds like you and you're nonetheless wondering why you wouldn't go for the equivalent BMW 7-Series, trust us when we say the A8 is much more automobile in each and every aspect, minus the engine. But with the 8-speed transmission, even the naturally aspirated V8 is much more than enough.

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