Seats focused on ultimate relaxation, foot warmers; what more could you want?
Serving as the flagship model under the Audi banner, the German carmaker has given its A8 a nip ‘n tuck to keep it fresh in the luxury limousine stable.
Unveiled in its A8, A8 L and S8 glory, the refreshed sedan follows the current design language of the brand’s latest products with the S variant looking more beefed up. The exterior has been reworked and now spawns a wider base of the singleframe grille and chrome angles.
The headlights have been redesigned while the side air intakes are now more upright. The rear features wide chrome clasps, a customisable taillight signature with digital OLEDs plus a segmented light strip.
Also redesigned is the rear diffuser now with horizontal bars. In the S8, the rear bumper houses four flow-optimised exhaust tips.
Audi also offers the chrome exterior package and for the first time in the A8, the S line exterior package can be fitted. The revamped Audi A8 is available in eleven colours, among them the new metallic district green, firmament blue, Manhattan grey, and ultra blue.
There are five matte finishes; Daytona Gray, Floret Silver, District Green, Terra Gray, and Glacier White and buyers can choose any colour as per the Audi exclusive program.
Inside, the A8 boasts an enhanced range of seats and a spacious well-tailored lounge. An ambient light package is available as standard with Audi design selection and in the S8. There are reading lights at the back that make use of Matrix LED technology.
The A8 L is equipped with numerous adjustment options plus a footrest installed on the back of the passenger seat and can be used to have passengers' feet warmed and massaged. Audi offers a relaxation seat package that comes with a back massage functionality with 18 pneumatic cushions, electronically-adjustable comfort headrests, an optional continuous center console – also available with optional fold-out tables – four-zone deluxe automatic air conditioning and new screens in the rear.
A cooler including a bar compartment can be specified as part of the Audi exclusive program.
The seats are covered in Valetta leather as standard and Valcona leather can be upholstered at an additional charge while customers can also specify the new cognac brown hue. A new option in the programme called microfibre material Dinamica for the door panels can be fitted. The same treatment can be applied to the pillar trim or the roof lining as an option.
Furthermore, buyers can choose from a wide selection of interior configurations that include an Audi design selection in pastel silver and S line interior in black, merlot red, or cognac.
The new Audi A8 MMI consists of two displays, a 10.1” and an 8.6” plus a completely digital virtual cockpit and an optional head-up display.
Powering the enhanced Audi A8 are five engine options; one diesel, three petrol and a plug-in hybrid system. All models feature an 8-speed automatic transmission that drives all four wheels via the Quattro system.
Sadly, no RS 8 on the horizon so buyers will have to settle for the S8 with its still beefy 410 kW and 800 Nm bi-turbo V8 engine. Offered as standard is adaptive air suspension with controlled damping and a rear-wheel-steering system. The latter can be fitted as an option in other models.
As a China-only model, Audi has also taken the wraps off its A8 L Horch to rival the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class. The Horch features some luxurious bits and tweaks while also employing a hybridised 3.0-litre turbo petrol V6 engine with 253 kW and 500 Nm.
Keyword: Updated Audi A8 & S8 promises sharper luxury