Of course, the “double-V” engine is not the only thing that sets the new Ingolstadt flagship apart from previous versions. Although the rest is not as impressive as the powertrain, it is still worth talking about. First of all, the difference that emphasizes the exclusivity of the Audi A8 W12 is the fresh radiator grille (similar will soon appear on other models of the brand). Divided into two parts, with chrome trim, it now stretches from the hood to the lower edge of the bumper. The solution is quite bold: the car looks even more imposing. The effect is enhanced by the W12 badge inscribed in a shiny contour. The designers did not ignore the front optics either. Today, the A8 is the only production model with adaptive headlights and LED daytime running lights. Thanks to them, the car is easy to recognize even in the dark: it is impossible not to notice the star of five bright white diodes in each headlight.
Inside — a new multifunction steering wheel and an aluminum insert. Everything else is as before, unless, of course, you take the most “charged” version. The fully equipped “eight” can boast, among other things, a fax, a refrigerator, three liquid crystal displays (two of them built into the back of the front headrests) and a DVD player — that is, everything (and even a little more) that is currently required for cars of this class. Despite such rich comfort equipment, the Audi A8 W12 is primarily a car for the driver, not for passengers: only behind the wheel can you appreciate how the super-adaptive air suspension, all-wheel drive, 6-speed automatic and the most powerful engine work.
On the day of the test in Austria, the weather was awful. Wind with rain and snow made me dive into the cabin faster. I leisurely drive out of the hotel parking lot onto the streets of Salzburg. Despite the enormous power (torque — 580 N·m), the car responds very carefully to the gas pedal, allowing you to drive calmly in the city rhythm.
Soon the road leads to the autobahn. I get in the tail of the column in the second row — and after ten minutes of such driving, I start to feel sleepy. Yes, 120 km/h is clearly not the speed for this car. But then the road expands to three lanes. I change to the left, pedal to the floor.
The engine allows acceleration from any speed: 95% of the torque is available between 2300 and 5300 rpm. I admit, the last time I felt something similar was when I tested the Mercedes-Benz S-class with biturbo. The speedometer needle flies across the scale, the landscape outside the window turns into a blur, and nothing happens in the car and with the car. The engine works just as silently, the handling is just as excellent, the confidence and calm are the same. A flash of a camera about five hundred meters away brings me back to earth: someone from the flow was caught speeding. Time to brake. 230 km/h is noticeably more than the permitted one hundred and thirty, and I don’t want to leave my portrait at the police station at all. A quick glance in the mirror, brake pedal to the floor. In a couple of seconds, my speed is already like everyone else’s.
Although there is slippery slush under the wheels, the stabilization system did not let the car out of control for a moment, ensuring safety even during such a sharp maneuver. By the way, it also worked perfectly on narrow mountain roads, allowing overtaking without fear on a mess of snow and water. This is largely due to all-wheel drive, but electronics also played a role — its intervention was signaled from time to time by a lamp on the dashboard. The car will be produced with two body types — regular and extended, with the A8 with a standard wheelbase appearing at dealers a little later than the A8 L (L — long). Interestingly, the dynamics of both versions are almost identical. In Russia, the A8 6.0 L will go on sale in late March — early April, and you can order the new product right now. The basic configuration of the A8 W12 6.0 L will cost $163,642. Such is the price of owning one of the most advanced cars today.
Technical characteristics of Audi A8 W12 6.0 L
Body — load-bearing, all-metal
Curb weight, kg — 1995
Gross weight, kg — 2545
Dimensions, mm:
- length — 5192
- width — 1894
- height — 1455
Wheelbase, mm — 3074
Maximum speed, km/h — 250
Acceleration time to 100 km/h, s — 5.2
Control fuel consumption, l/100 km:
- city cycle — 20.5
- suburban — 9.9
- mixed — 13.8
Engine:
- type — W12
- displacement, cm3 — 5998
- power, hp at rpm — 450/6200
- torque, N·m at rpm — 580/4000-4700
Transmission — automatic, 6-speed
Tire size — 255/45R18
Wheel suspension (front/rear) — independent
Brakes (front/rear) — disc, ventilated
Steering — rack and pinion, with power steering
Fuel tank volume, l — 90
Price, $ — 163642