2011 Audi A8 – The Eyes Have It
Audi A8
From a design perspective, Audi makes the best use of LED lighting. And to raise the bar, the German luxury brand has given its all new 2011 Audi A8 a full set of optional LED head and tail lamps. In fact, the only conventional light bulbs in the external running gear of the next Audi A8 are the backup lights.
First, LED stands for light emitting diode. LEDs are smaller, faster, brighter, more durable, use less energy but they cost more than conventional bulbs. That’s why currently LEDs are pretty much exclusive to upper end vehicles.
Second, we won’t see the 2011 Audi A8 until late next year. Still, the car is more than worth a few words. There’s a dichotomy when it comes to the Audi A8. The big sedan from Ingolstadt is regularly ranked better in terms of driving prowess than its direct competitors – BMW’s 7-Series and Mercedes’ S Class.
However, Audi A8 sales lag behind its direct and indirect competitors to a ridiculous degree, especially considering that the car is just as good or better. Perhaps that’s why Audi chose to unveil the A8 so early before its launch.
Audi is the exclusive automotive sponsor of Design Miami, a global forum that brings together the most influential dealers, collectors, designers, curators and critics from around the world in a week-long celebration of design culture and commerce. There were hundreds of attractive, fashionable and outright pretty and opinion leading people here and the 2011 Audi A8 seemed right at home amongst them in a specially constructed pavilion.
A colleague of mine remarked that the design of the new A8’s design was understated. Although the car looked the same as the model it will replace, it had been completely changed. What’s more, it is longer, wider and a bit lower.
We didn’t get to drive the new A8 which was one of two things that I found disappointing. The other is that at launch there will be a 4.2-liter V8 TDI (diesel) available with an output of 350 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. Audi said it will take 5.5 seconds to get from zero to 100 kph (62.14 mph). At this point, that engine will not be offered on these shores — bummer.
However, we’ll get a 4.2 liter direct fuel injected V8 that makes 372 horsepower and 328 pound-feet of torque. Both engines will be mated to eight-speed automatic transmissions. Rupert Stadler, head of Audi’s management board, said a hybrid is being considered for the new A8 and I’m sure there’ll be another W12 powered A8.
But where I think Audi needed and made the most change to the new car was its interior. Now I am an unabashed Audi lover; still the old interior was getting dated. Competitors have greatly upgraded their interiors and Audi needed to do the same. It has.
The 2011 Audi A8 interior had more wood, more room, more style and better looking materials. The inside of the car was awash in sumptuous material, comfort and gadgets.
Audi had three new Audi A8s on display and each one had a different wood veneer. There was even an optional diamond pattern sewn into the leather seats, a navigation screen that retracted into the dash creating a flush surface and a touch pad to enter the number or the address of who you want to call or where you want to go. And that’s just the beginning of the technical advances embedded in the car.
There was more, much more like electronic gear selection and adaptive cruise control that will bring the A8 to a halt, if the car in front stops, and will then follow when the vehicle starts moving. Prices have not been announced but my money says the 2011 Audi A8 will begin in the low $70ks and top out close to $115K for the V8 gasoline engine.
The new Audi A8 certainly measures up to competitors and it measures up to Audi standards.
Frank S. Washington is managing partner/editor of AboutThatCar.com and AboutThatCarBlog.com .
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