Audi A 8 L. Eightfold perfection of the lord of the rings
To be honest, in the driver's seat of a luxury business-class sedan I felt unusual. The first look at the Audi A 8 L with a 4.2-liter engine evoked associations with a monster: more than five meters in length, almost two meters in width, and 1.8 tons in weight – how can this be easily controlled? And I, frankly, was not ready for the role of a chauffeur for an important boss.
It took about ten minutes to adjust the car to myself. I immediately noticed that the side mirrors could be larger; you need to get used to them. I set up the radio, checked the TV (it only works when the car is stationary), and set off to master the dimensions of the limousine.
The first kilometers behind the wheel are pure delight: the A 8 L obeys easily and effortlessly. Driving and parking it in the city is easier than in a Daewoo Matiz or Chevrolet Spark. But now the first hundred kilometers are behind. It's time to get out and carefully inspect the flagship of the "four rings" from the outside.
The car has no fake parts, and it impresses with wide surfaces, making it clear that sportiness is becoming the hallmark of the luxury class. At the same time, there is not a drop of arrogance in the A 8 L. From the side, it's a model of athleticism, and the curved roofline resembles a coupe and visually shifts the center of gravity back (like the Mercedes CLK or BMW 6 Series). From the front, it's a "face" full of determination and passion. From the rear, massive LED taillights, a symbol of unwavering confidence. Even standing still, the car seems to rush forward.
Time for the test is short, so let's not stand and admire the shapes – let's continue driving and enjoying. The slightest press on the gas pedal – and the car accelerates in a way that sports cars would envy: 6.3 seconds to 100 km/h. This powerful giant practically doesn't yield, and in many ways surpasses rivals like the BMW 745, Mercedes S-Class, or Lexus LS 460 (others are not yet visible). The latter is more powerful (380 hp) and accelerates to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. The "Beemer" 745 loses to the Audi in dynamics by 0.2 seconds. And, honestly, the "Bimmer" impresses less both in driving qualities and equipment. Comparing BMW and Audi today is not in our plans, although they are almost "twins," but after driving both, it happens by itself.
Opening the driver's door, you notice a small circle with the inscription Space Frame – this means the body is entirely aluminum. Thanks to this, the A 8 L is the lightest in the top class, and body rigidity is increased by 60% due to "space technologies." Less weight improves handling, and even on sharp turns the car behaves emphatically sporty. The rigid body not only saves in an accident but also dampens vibrations. And here again, the Audi A 8 L has no competitors.
By the way, the test took place in almost extreme conditions – Moscow was covered with snow for two days. The permanent all-wheel drive coped with its tasks worthily. But a couple of times the A 8 L still skidded. It seemed to us and the passengers that the reason was the large dimensions with relatively low weight. In heavy snowfall, another unpleasant detail was discovered, which, of course, does not concern the rear passenger (he has nothing to worry about when he is driven from point A to point B). The side windows do not fog up – ventilation is fine. But the windshield is a problem: the defroster above the central console only blows in the center. The upper right and lower left corners of the "windshield" remain unattended. Turning on the defroster only upward with increased temperature helps, but then it's too hot in the cabin, and the feet are cold. The wipers still cannot cope with traditional Russian winter precipitation.
But perhaps these are all trifles – winter is not year-round here, and as soon as it warmed up, forward visibility became almost ideal.
The comfort of the car is a separate topic. The A 8 L has a unique adaptive air suspension that works together with an adjustable damping system. Each wheel is affected by a separate air spring. Stiffness and ground clearance are regulated by electronics that change the air volume in the struts. Sensors instantly assess the road and make the suspension stiff or soft. Oscillations and travel are always maintained at an optimal level. Therefore, neither the driver nor the passenger will feel "speed bumps" or small potholes. Similar is in the Cadillac SRX and Citroen C5, but there the algorithm is different. The suspension can also be adjusted manually if you turn off the "auto" or "comfort" mode, and, as on the A6 Allroad, turn on "dynamic" (sport) or "lift," changing the ground clearance to overcome high obstacles or deep pits.
In terms of comfort, it's also hard to find rivals for the Audi A 8 L. The sound insulation is such that with the audio system off, complete silence reigns in the cabin (only the rumble of the powerful engine is heard). Even if you pour smelly "non-freezing" washer fluid into the tank (which we unfortunately had to deal with), there will be no discomfort – you won't smell it in the cabin. Luxurious leather, artificial suede headliner, and incredibly much space for rear passengers. Even the largest and longest-legged will have no trouble sitting here. True, the rear seats are still designed for two. The central place, which appears when the armrest is raised, is hard and much less comfortable than the two main ones. Some may find such spaciousness even excessive – you definitely won't be able to press your knees into the front seat. And if you like to ride in the back and value comfort, there is a button on the right rear door that allows the rear passenger to move the front seat forward or backward. There is also air conditioning for all four seats, double mirrors (including a magnifying one for makeup) in the front sun visors, and climate control adjustment depending on the sun's position.
However, the driver of the Audi A 8 L also has something to be surprised about. For example, the brakes, which react to the slightest touch and activate the rear signal a fraction of a second before the maneuver, warning cars behind about deceleration. And if the driver switched to the A 8 L, say, from a BMW 745, he will be pleasantly surprised by the MMI multimedia interface system located in the center. The entire button block is controlled logically and simply (especially since it is Russified). Everything is clear and convenient. Even without instructions, you can figure it out in a couple of minutes. Unlike the iDrive system in BMW, where even to switch radio stations you need to perform a bunch of actions that distract from the road.
The driver will also be pleased with the keyless ignition system – just press the start button. At night, you can choose the interior lighting system, which will also prevent you from stepping into a puddle when getting out – soft neon lighting will illuminate exactly the spot where your foot should land. There is also indirect lighting, which helps the eyes adapt faster to changing conditions. The adaptive headlights function is also important, illuminating the space at a large steering wheel angle (the so-called "light around the corner"). The system even activates when the turn signals are switched on. And, of course, a rear-view camera for maximum safety when parking. If the driver or passenger have not closed the doors tightly, there is no need to open and slam them again. The servo drive will close the door fully by itself. When opening the trunk with a volume of 500 liters (it is truly huge), your hands will not get dirty. From the cabin, it opens with a button on the door, from outside – with the key fob. It closes by pressing the red button at the top of the trunk. Touch it – and the servo drive will securely slam the lid shut. It is only a pity that, unlike the Cadillac CTS, the Audi does not have a heated steering wheel. In winter, that is a very useful feature. Before returning the car to the Audi of Russia representative office, I decided to browse the internet and specialized publications. Everywhere, they persistently advised filling the tank with either 98-octane gasoline, as in the TT model, or at least 95-octane. Given that the A 8 L has an excellent appetite (in city traffic jams, the onboard computer persistently showed 17–18 liters), refueling was inevitable. Filling up a full 90 liters of 98-octane, you will agree, costs a pretty penny. Imagine my surprise when I found a plate under the fuel filler cap: minimum 87, maximum 91. It turns out you can get by with 92, and if you really trust the inscription, sometimes indulge in 80 (which is not even available in Russia). The secret is simple: the cap indicates European standards, but ours are different, so 98 is exactly what the doctor ordered. I, I admit, did not take risks and filled with 95. It turns out I almost did not miscalculate and did not ruin the engine. Now let me sum up. Would I buy such a car? If I were a big boss with a personal driver – possibly yes. For myself, for the soul – definitely not, I would choose an A 4 or A 6. The "Eight" is impeccable in almost everything, except for the visibility in the mirrors, but it is too flashy and excessively large. It is voracious and too comfortable (you also need to get used to that – many passengers in the back row complained about motion sickness). Plus, there are rumors that it is easy to steal and unsafe without security. But the main conclusion from the test we made is unequivocal: the A 8 L will give the BMW 745 a run for its money and will in many ways outdo even the all-wheel-drive Cadillac CTS 4.7. We will modestly remain silent about the Mercedes S-class. We will not touch the Lexus LS 460 either until we drive it. It is up to you to decide. Technical specifications:
| Dimensions (mm) | 5192 x 2028 x 1455 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 3074 |
| Displacement (cc) | 4163 |
| Maximum power (hp) | 257 |
| Maximum torque (Nm) | 440/3500 |
| Tires | 235/55 R 17 |
| Curb weight (kg) | 1850 |
| Fuel tank capacity (l) | 90 |
| Maximum speed (km/h) | 250 |
| Acceleration to 100 km/h (s) | 6.3 |
| Average fuel consumption (l/100 km) | 15.7 (about 18-19 in the city) |
| Fuel | A-98 (A-95, as a last resort) |
| Price ($) | 155,333 |
Dmitry Shavyrin
We thank Audi of Russia for providing the car for the test.
Source – AUTOMANIA.RU