Audi’s facelifted A8 has gone on sale in the UK, but there’s no sign of the Maybach-rivalling Horch trim level revealed last month for the Chinese market.
The 2022 A8 starts at £74,985 for the entry-level 282 hp (286 PS) 50 TDI in Sport trim, a rise of £2810 over last year’s model. Mating the same Sport specification and 50 TDI diesel powertrain with the 130 mm (5.1-inch) longer L chassis bumps the price up to £78,985.
Sitting above the diesel in the refreshed lineup are three petrol-powered A8s, including a plug-in hybrid and a hot S8. The SWB-only 335 hp (340 PS) 55 TFSI starts at £77,060 and the 563 hp (570 PS) S8 costs £102,610 in its most basic form, rising to £117,610 in top-tier Vorsprung spec. The V8-engined S8 can reach 62 mph in 3.8 seconds, more than 2 seconds faster than the bottom-rung diesel.
Slotting somewhere in between, though prices have yet to be determined, is the 60 TFSIe PHEV, which combines a 3.0-liter V6 petrol engine with an electric motor for a total system output of 456 hp (462 PS). Like every A8 it drives all four wheels through an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission. Audi hasn’t divulged the electric driving range but it’s unlikely to do much more than half the 62 WLTP miles the Mercedes S580e PHEV can.
A wider, glitzier front grille and more upright air intakes help distinguish the 2022 A8 from its predecessor, the Digital Matrix LED headlights are new, and there are also new digital OLED lamps at the rear, which cleverly light up when another vehicle comes within 2 m (6.6 ft) of a stationary A8 from behind. And drivers who want to give their A8 a little extra visual kick, but can’t stretch to the high-performance S8, will be pleased to hear that you can now get an A8 in S line trim for the first time.
Inside, the fully digital cockpit consists of a 10.1-inch digital instrument cluster, an optional head-up display, and an 8.6-inch touchscreen incorporating Audi’s latest MIB3 infotainment system. The facelift brings a pair of 10.1 full HD displays for the entertainment of rear passengers, who also benefit from Matrix LED reading lights and a Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System with a 1,920 Watt amplifier and 23 speakers.
The first UK-spec A8s will land in the country in March 2022, but one notable absentee from those deliveries will be the luxurious Horch Founders Edition trim revealed at the beginning of November. Audi has resurrected a once-famous pre-war name to help an extra-long wheelbase (130 mm/5.1-inch longer than the A8 L) spinoff take on the Mercedes-Maybach S-class in China but has no plans to bring it to Europe or America.
Keyword: Facelifted 2022 Audi A8 Will Cost From £74,985 In UK