Europeans, traditionally concerned with fuel economy and reducing harmful emissions, were eagerly awaiting the arrival of a model with a new powertrain.Comments (1)In Russia, cars with small engine displacement are treated with indifference. And if we are talking about a large and expensive car equipped with a small-displacement engine, it may even be considered a sign of bad taste or even a lack of funds. Therefore, the news that the Audi A8, after a light update, would receive a 2.8-liter engine was met with skepticism by many. Like, who needs such a strange hybrid of an elephant and a pug?
It is clear that not our oligarchs. But residents of the Old World, who are obsessed with fuel efficiency and concern for the environment, were waiting for this new product with great impatience. At the presentation of the updated "eight" in Munich, special attention was paid to the appearance of the youngest engine in the lineup. Moreover, they discussed not so much the power per liter of displacement or the maximum speed, but rather the CO2 emission figure — 199 g/km, thanks to which the A8 2.8 became the leader in its class in this parameter. Also, the consumption of 8.3 liters per hundred in the combined cycle. For Europeans, such figures are critically important. We have completely different priorities.
Apparently, Audi is well aware of the vague prospects of the A8 2.8 on the Russian market, so for now they have decided not to bring such a version to us. But, one way or another, in about two years such cars will appear here — at least thanks to "gray" dealers. So let me tell you more about this modification.
As those who follow the development of the VW-Audi concern can easily guess, the new engine is equipped with a direct injection system FSI. But there is also another interesting feature — a variable valve timing system. Now each valve has two cams on the camshafts. Depending on the load, the electronics selects the desired valve lift option from the two available, moving the couplings with cams along the camshaft.
The power of this 2.8-liter unit is 210 hp, and the maximum torque is 280 Nm. Is this a lot for a representative-class car? Quite enough, considering that the A8, thanks to the active use of aluminum in the body, weighs only 1690 kg. Of course, if you switch to the 2.8-liter version from the 3.2- or 3.7-liter, the difference will be felt. But overall, the engine is very good. According to objective measurements, it accelerates the car to a hundred in 8 seconds, and according to subjective sensations, it resembles the dynamics of a golf-class car with a good 1.6-liter engine. Special compliments deserve the 7-speed automatic transmission of the variator type. This is truly a delight — it works very quickly and always understands what is expected of it. Manual mode is practically not needed here — except perhaps when overtaking to engage a lower gear, since in the range from 3500 to 5000 rpm the 2.8-liter engine feels more confident.
As for behavior on the road — despite the fact that Audi engineers refined the suspension and steering, you don't notice any particular changes. The same confident handling in corners, precise following of the chosen trajectory. The brakes also do not cause complaints. Perhaps they are not as grippy as an active driver would like, but they are very informative: even a beginner can handle dosing the force on the pedal.
The design of the "eight" has not changed significantly. The body panels remained the same, only the radiator grille, fog lights, and exterior mirrors were updated, and even then, only an experienced eye will notice the differences. The rear lights now have LEDs under smooth transparent glass. There are even fewer changes in the interior — the restyling only expanded the choice of trim materials. For example, decorative inserts can now be made of walnut (light brown matte) or wawa wood (gray shade).
With comfort, Audi has always had complete order. True, finding a comfortable position for the driver's seat resembles choosing sausage in a good supermarket — the more options, the harder it is to decide. Same with the seat: many adjustments force you to spend a lot of time finding the ideal seating position.
The luxurious rear sofa makes you forget about the eternal problem of small sedans — the lack of legroom. In a representative-class car, you can easily and casually cross your legs. At the disposal of passengers — at least a climate control unit and a telephone handset. There are also more advanced equipment options: for example, under the central armrest there may be a multifunctional device that provides not only telephone communication or internet access, but also fax transmission of documents or their scanning.
It is worth mentioning other electronic systems of the "eight". No, not about ABS or ESP — even owners of budget cars are already accustomed to such assistants. The A8 can boast, for example, of systems for warning of danger when changing lanes and monitoring lane keeping. The first works like this: two radars are installed in the rear bumper, which track the space behind and to the side of the car at a distance of up to 50 meters. When another car approaches, an LED block lights up in the housing of the corresponding mirror. If the A8 driver, ignoring these signals, turns on the turn signal, the LEDs begin to flash — and so brightly that it is impossible not to notice them. An interesting detail: the light is visible only from the driver's seat — at least, my colleague in the front passenger seat, who wanted to photograph the burning LEDs, had to almost press against the windshield.
Another system, already widespread, monitors the lane. When attempting to change lanes without turning on the turn signal, the driver will feel a vibration on the steering wheel. In principle, it is designed to wake up a dozing or distracted driver, but in practice it also disciplines in ordinary situations. True, it quickly gets boring. For this case, shutdown via MMI is provided, and you can also choose one of three levels of vibration intensity.
So, the latest restyling of the A8 is rather a forced event. More than two years have passed since the facelift in 2005. It seems time to introduce something new, but improving the good is not an easy task. In principle, it would be possible to quietly add a new 2.8-liter engine to the already solid range, because it became the main highlight of the program. But why not, by adding a few more visual touches, announce the update and stir up interest in the "eight"?
What's new in the A8:
- 2.8 FSI engine
- updated radiator grille, fog lights, exterior mirrors, wheel rims, rear lights
- several new interior trim options, the possibility of equipping with a new package of exterior and interior lighting
Text: Alexey Tikhonov. Photo by the author.