The club of luxurious act-like-an-adult sedans is one with strict codes of conduct. There's supposed to be no fooling around. When you drive one, you're aware of an untold abundance of elegance and comfort, plus you feel the weight of a massive research and development budget pressing down upon your shoulders.
And so as we sit behind the multi-function steering wheel of the 2011 Audi A8 4.2 FSI, we feel the burden of 100 years of Vorsprung durch Technik in the FlexRay bus system that is processing the electrical messages that are shooting at light speed through the synapses of an entirely new wiring loom connected to nearly 30 onboard ECUs. So you can see how it's possible to fall into the usual reverent silence.
C'mon, it's a car, people.
Point is, we need to get past this very un-visceral first impression and drive awhile before we can actually start feeling the joy of living with the 2011 Audi A8 4.2 FSI. And so back and forth all day along the southern coast of Spain near Malaga, we play this techno-sled for all it's worth, trying to blot out the avalanche of information about the car's techno-wonders.
Once you make the sharp-looking 2011 Audi A8 lose its confounded German cool, then you can appreciate just how good it is.
The Endless Battle of (Pretty Much) Equals
Take anything from a Mercedes-Benz S550 with optional 4Matic to a Lexus LS 460 AWD, to a Porsche Panamera 4S, to the upcoming 2011 Infiniti M56 X AWD, or the BMW 750i xDrive, and they are all rolling cash cows for their respective companies as well as showboats of brand philosophy.
But the D segment, as this luxury portion of the market is called, has taken a hit in the last couple of years and sales have declined. The Audi A8 in general has never competed well worldwide, especially against its rivals from BMW and Mercedes. In 2009, the last year it was on sale in the U.S., just 1,463 examples of the Audi A8 4.2 FSI were sold in America. That's pitiful, even during a Great Recession. So Audi is desperate to turn around its reputation in the luxury class and that is the mission of the D4, the fourth-generation version of the Audi A8.
Though bigger, this A8 is lighter, has a body that's stiffer and a shape that's slipperier.
How to stand out from the competition that's crushing you no matter how good a car you make? Well, the 2011 Audi A8 is still the only car in its segment that is nearly 100 percent aluminum, which lets it boast about lightness and structural rigidity, plus slightly better fuel-efficiency. The 2011 Audi A8 is still the only large luxury sedan that always comes with all-wheel drive. Audi also wants us to believe that the 2011 A8 is the sportiest player in this class, and it makes a good start since the V8-powered 4.2 FSI weighs just 4,045 pounds.
Walking the Talk
As generational change-arounds go, we can't really think of another car in this segment that has changed as much as the Audi A8. The stern Teutonic look is gone. What Audi can do with aluminum these days is truly impressive, and the new car has impossibly complex creases and folds that are aesthetically pleasing from almost every angle. Our test car came with the optional 19-inch cast-aluminum wheels (18-inchers will be standard for North America) and they carried 255/45ZR19 104Y Pirelli P Zero tires. She looked good just sitting there in the Spanish sun.
The same message came through in the interior, as we told Norbert Weber, the Audi designer responsible for it. Compared to the A8's former sturdy (and almost always gray) notion of international comfort, the D4 has more of Audi's adventurous design spirit. Of course, this car also won us over with its optional custom leather seats with massage, heat and cooling functions for front and rear occupants. Plus the 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo system is worthy of Carnegie Hall.
We started the engine via the aluminum button that sits on the noticeably cleaned-up center console. Thanks to a reduction in internal friction, the long-lived 4.2-liter BBK V8 gets a 5 percent boost in horsepower to 366 horsepower at 6,800 rpm. The torque figure goes up by just 4 pound-feet to 328 lb-ft, but almost all of it is now available between 3,000 and 4,500 rpm. We're told this direct-injected V8 will get the big Audi sedan to 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds, only a tick or two slower than the Porsche Panamera 4S. Of course, it's also a tick slower than the BMW 750i xDrive and Mercedes S550 4Matic, but the A8 4.2 FSI stays right there with them, so we really don't see a black mark for Audi in this regard.
"Technelegance" Is Big
The 2011 Audi A8 is the longest and widest overall among its competitors in the normal wheelbase class at 202.3 and 76.7 inches, respectively, and yet it's a dream when it comes to handling.
And it's all due to the technology aboard, an awful lot of which is destined to come standard on the A8 once it starts to arrive in North America in November (European deliveries begin in March). You start with the rear-biased torque split of the all-wheel-drive system (40 percent front/60 percent rear), plus an un-intrusive stability control calibration. Then Audi Drive Select can vary (through the much-evolved MMI interface) between Comfort, Auto, Dynamic and Individual modes for the throttle response; shift schedule for the new eight-speed automatic transmission; steering effort; and the action of the now-outstanding standard air suspension. For Spain's undulating roads we went to Individual and made everything Dynamic apart from the suspension, which we set in either Comfort or Auto to great effect.
Our only possible criticism of the 2011 Audi A8 really is the all-powerful version of the onboard MMI. Start the A8 and the 8-inch screen flips deftly upward from the upper dash, reminding us of the similar variety show in the Jaguar XJ. The same software interface as used in the latest generation of BMW's iDrive is used here, so that's fine. What's problematic is that Audi has outdone BMW by adding what seems to be twice the feature set to the software, making the MMI quite literally the dominate lobe of the A8's electronic brain.
The MMI is intuitive and good, to be sure, but there is just too much of it to deal with in one onboard computer. There's MMI Touch, for example, where you can write with your finger on a small touchscreen in front of the transmission lever to call up some command or another. But what happened to voice-activated tech? Downplaying the A8's standard voice-activated system just as Ford Sync has finally made this technology user-friendly leaves us wondering. According to the people from Audi of America, Inc., the final MMI software for the U.S. has yet to be decided, but it will likely be a bit simpler.
Pushing This Big Boy
With the ADS in Dynamic mode, which sets the 2011 Audi A8 1 inch lower to the ground than in the default setting at start-up, we used the shift paddles on the steering wheel to cycle through the gears of the eight-speed automatic. It's perhaps our latest favorite automatic transmission. And we were able to hold onto gears at highest revs, oh, joy!
The all-wheel-drive system can send as much as 80 percent of drive through the rear tires, which helps Audi support its claim that the A8 is the sportiest in its class. Audi of America will also make available the $1,100 sport differential for the rear axle, which swaps torque between the rear wheels in 0.1 of a second — faster than an ABS-based stability control system can manage. This will feed the driver's happiness portion of your brain just as it did ours. Meanwhile, the dampers are now manufactured in-house by Audi (Continental previously did the job) and frictional losses have been reduced while a noticeably better software program is doing the talking with Audi Drive Select.
We had the most fun with this 2011 Audi A8 on the enthusiastic side of the tachometer, between 3,000 rpm and the 7,000 rpm redline. That's plenty of power band and we had plenty of fun, and we didn't even have to use too much body English to keep our equilibrium behind the steering wheel as we made our way through the curves southward along the coast of the Mediterranean. Though bigger, this A8 is lighter, has a body that's 25 percent stiffer in bending rigidity, and has a shape with a 0.26 Cd that is the most aerodynamic in the segment.
Occasionally finding moments of oversteer (yes, really) while at speed in the back country, the optional dynamic steering corrected this foolery with its own small dose of countersteer. Then, as we parked on the narrow streets of several Spanish villages, the dynamic steering quickened the steering ratio by the nearly 100 percent as advertised, and with 2.2 turns lock-to-lock such urban work felt effortless.
So Much to It
In the end, the 2011 Audi A8 4.2 FSI sedan is a very big leap ahead versus its predecessor. As an all-around effort, it is at least the equal to its competition from BMW and Mercedes. Would we hastily hand it the crown after this first try?
Not quite so fast. What we need to do at least is have a shoot-out between this 2011 A8, the Mercedes S550 4Matic and BMW 750i xDrive. And ideally the new Infiniti M56X AWD would be ready, too. Really, the experience of living with the all-controlling Audi MMI is also required.
But make no mistake, the Audi A8 has come a long way, Baby. The 2011 Audi A8 FSI has got all sorts of spirit in its looks and a skip in its step. And when it comes to us in November, we'll also see the long-wheelbase version, which routinely accounts for nearly 80 percent of all A8 sales in the United States.
Now Audi just needs to start selling the thing better, too. It deserves it.
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.
Add A Comment »
vhugo says:
01:31 PM, 03/26/2010
What about the new Jag XJ in a shoot-out with the S Class and 750i?
vhugo
jm1212 says:
06:53 PM, 03/04/2010
if Audi were to add that lift system to the A8, we could see hp around 380 and torque skyrocket to over 400 lb-ft
ktze says:
02:33 PM, 03/01/2010
I drive now a S-8 with the Lamborghini Gallardo engine and just love it. Looking forward to a S-8 version of the new design A-8 2011.
ChromieD says:
10:09 AM, 02/10/2010
Bless you, audirs4 - I, for one, completely agree on your take regarding the Jag. I'd go on a little further to add bits and pieces, but it'd be just ranting after a bit.
audirs4 says:
09:00 AM, 02/09/2010
Go sit inside of the new XJ.
Lots of people with nix that car off their list. I'm 6-3 and can barely fit inside.
The A8, S class, 7 series are all about space.
The XJ is a cool design, but it's a bit tight on the inside. The chopped look on the XJ means less headroom. It's also a tough car to get in and out of - and 50-70 year old buyers will have a tougher time with the XJ.
canadaphant says:
01:46 PM, 02/05/2010
Put me in the 'How'd you forget about the XJ?' crowd-especially when you're talking about all aluminum luxo barges. Now, unfortunately the XJ has gotten a little fatter, it will be a direct competitor to this, minus the completely unnecessary all wheel drive. Honestly, what percentage of S Class, 7 series and LS are even sold with AWD anyways?
Sincerely,
A Completely Unbiased XJ Owner in Canada
nutsaboutcars says:
09:03 PM, 02/04/2010
This is sexy looking sedan especially the full led headlights and the ambient interior lighting is awesome but what concerns me is things like noise noise and noise,,,I had a 07 aud a6 wagon and the car ride was just lousy,,,It was noisy and hard,,,The engine at idle sounded like a broken down lawn tractor and the suspension was like there wasnt any it was very hard and rough...Also tire noise was a big issue,,,,I hope they worked all those out of newer models comming to market,,,If they did than I might consider audi again,,,I test drove a 08 audi a8 and to me it drove like a big tin can,,,The engine was very noisy and the ride was abussive,,,
ChromieD says:
11:24 PM, 02/03/2010
esoterica - to each his own. What do you like in this class of the market as an overall experience? Barring wasting too much time on the exterior likes/dislikes, what car do you like or love in this whole segment? So many speak about the Jag XJ. Fine. For me personally, they've made the interior such a distraction - and not actiually in much good taste after I stare at it a while - that I couldn't live with it. It has an awful onboard computer, too. The engines are not poor, but the power/torque behavior just felt like it was programmed to try too hard. Very nice car, too, though.
In the very end of it all I'd probably need to go with some form of the 7 Series. Shoot me, but in the end it's my favorite all-rounder. I dream of a big V8 turbodiesel like maybe the latest A8 4.2 TDI - 590 lb-ft of torque and standard beefed-up version of the rear sport diff. I was also a major fan of the VW Phaeton, but that wouldn't have gone anywhere really. Shame, too.
Which of all these mega-execs do you enjoy the most?
sassy_j says:
09:05 PM, 02/03/2010
Weird, I'm not a seasoned audi fan so at casual glance i can't tell the difference between the A4, A6, and now the new A8.
They all look the same, if they weren't side by side in a parking lot I'd be hard pressed to tell you which Audi # it is.
I still like the mercedes s-class, something about its appearance spells luxury.
esoterica says:
03:26 PM, 02/03/2010
ChromieD, you must be joking. I defy you to find anyone who's not a car fanatic to even be able to tell this is a new model aside from the headlights. And the headlights are such a styling hack job that my guess is that someone at Audi realized the blandness too late in the design process to be able to come up with something more dynamic, which left the internal styling of the headlights (note that there's not even anything different or even interesting about the shape of the assembly) as a relatively cheap and easy "solution." Even Volvo's '07 S80 -- which was widely criticized as being too similar to its predecessor despite being a completely new car -- was a more dynamic and successful redesign than this.
icecubefosho says:
02:50 PM, 02/03/2010
In fact, its Aluminum and Magnesium, which Mg weighs less than Al.
icecubefosho says:
02:41 PM, 02/03/2010
Exactly, the XJ also has an aluminum chassis and seems to be the most ideal competitor, but you see no mention of it at all here.
garysandiego says:
02:11 PM, 02/03/2010
Just curious why the Edmunds folks don't seem interested in comparing this car to the new Jaguar XJ.
billt9 says:
01:44 PM, 02/03/2010
The headlights imitate the eyes of old people who will buy this car.
Like driver, like car. Just like the Honda commercial.
That's why in society we judge people by what they drive. So then you can tell what they really look like under their makeup. lollololol...
hondacura4 says:
10:49 AM, 02/03/2010
Why is the Inifniti M56 mentioned as it's NOT in the same class? The M has always been a 5/A6/E-Class competitor not a competitor to the 7/A8/S-Class.
beermagazine says:
09:56 AM, 02/03/2010
Not digging droopy eyes.
cr_driver says:
09:52 AM, 02/03/2010
My take:
Not good headlights, ugly boring rear (too much A4)
But once you get in there, what the heck!!
An absolutely stunning interior, OMG, OMG. Wow!
As for the weight, its incredible, so darn light.
Roughly 600-700 pounds less than a comparable S class, 7 series.
So they can have a "crappy" engine compared to those other cars, and yet be almost as fast (at least 0-60).
Looking forward for how much fuel efficient it is, since they almost added no more power, so at least have something to talk about in the fuel economy department.
delraylocal says:
06:53 AM, 02/03/2010
In my opinion BMW and Audi were putting out some killer cars and Mercedes were ugly and boring.
Now, I feel that it has switched!
I really don't like the direction that BMW and Audi are going, but have fallen back in love with what Mercedes is putting out.
hondacura4 says:
06:26 AM, 02/03/2010
Something about the exterior styling that's not nearly as jaw dropping as the past generation. It's still a very good looking car but....somethings off. As for the interior styling, well it's an Audi and Audi interior design and execution speaks for itself.
ChromieD says:
04:12 AM, 02/03/2010
I think it's sincerely brilliant work. Risks being taken and, no, not ugly ones. The HUGE challenge for Audi is what the next A6 turns out to be. That could get really interesting if it looks exactly like this A8, only three inches shorter in length.
Take a look at the spec sheet on the next Infiniti M56X and it is definitely in this group. Not shooting for the 5 Series directly and not the A8 exactly, but close enough to the bigger boys. And, given Infiniti's fairly horrid sales numbers and brand success, making a new Q will probably never happen.
http://www.infinitiusa.com/allnewm/index.html?intcmp=2011_m_micro.Promo.Homepage.Home.P1#
cz75 says:
01:20 AM, 02/03/2010
FWIW, I'm not feeling it. I like the new A4 and a scale-up would've been copacetic, IMO. The last gen A/S8 was more appealing. The headlights are the worst feature and belong in a cartoon.
cz75 says:
01:14 AM, 02/03/2010
For our francophone members:
A "puppy" is a dog, usually a young (juvenile) one.
platf1 says:
12:32 AM, 02/03/2010
First off, the Infiniti that would have done battle in this segment would have been the Q. Pitting the M in a shootout with these guys will set it up for an unfair failure.
Second off, ChromieD...I see what you mean, but while the new 5 looks like a scaled-down 7, the new A8 looks like a scaled-up A4 (more specifically with the rear). That's not a good thing.
And for the last thing for the record: compare the weight of this A8 to the new 535i. THEY'RE ALMOST THE SAME!! AND THE A8 HAS A V8 AND ALL WHEEL DRIVE!!! BMW has got to start using more aluminum or they're gonna have problems...
arctica6 says:
12:29 AM, 02/03/2010
Well first off I must be one of the few people who actually likes the head light design, I think it definitely gives the car some more charater which don't get me wrong I love the old one too and I do think audi has always done good by keeping there cars for the most part under stated but I also don't think adding just a bit of attitude is such a bad thing. The other thing I wanted to coment on is I like how they choose to display the engine, granted it still has a lot of plastic but they took a step in the right direction by showing off the valve covers and other bits.
sebastien2 says:
12:13 AM, 02/03/2010
Sorry I'am french. What is au "puppy"?
ChromieD says:
11:57 PM, 02/02/2010
BMW 3, 5, 7 series
Mercedes C, E, S classes
Audi A4, A6, A8
They're all doing it. Three different cuts of the same sausage. And you know what? It works brilliantly because the vast majority of buyers for these core cars want to know exactly what it is that they are getting when buying either the first time or tenth time in a brand. They generally do not want all that variety model to model that we here constantly whine for.
All the comments like "they just all look the same" are not invalid but, while meant as criticisms or frustrations by those writing in groups like these, to the manufacturers there can sort of be absolutely no greater compliment. These are their core cars that pay the bills, while they play around a bit with all the niche-fillers.
You'll all keep whining and being flip about it, but this German recipe has conquered the premium and premium-wannabe worlds. Look at the Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, Cadillac, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin (admittedly a German company) - all copying exactly this strategy. All Jaguars will eventually look the same, too.
Move on to something else, guys, because this tendency is never going to change. Look what a big success all that variety has been for Chrysler, for Lancia, GM. Ford is only now realizing that it lacked such conformity and things are going better now.
And this is not at all to say that I'm in favor of it, nor that the Audi family core look is the best ever. Just that it is the way it is. Time to talk about many more things than just the sheetmetal like some Monday morning design experts.
charlesb says:
11:02 PM, 02/02/2010
It looks fierce. Like an angry Shar-Pei puppy!
double_duece says:
09:54 PM, 02/02/2010
I know everyone's said it already, but yeah, I'm not sure about the head light LED halo droopy eye thing. it should have a softer curve at the bottom I think. I actually saw at D3 A8 W12 (yes, Frank Martin's Audi) the other day and honestly said out loud, "I think I'd rather have that." Something about this D4 just doesn't grab me enough to make me lust after it. I will say, however, that I absolutely love the gear shift. Looks like a throttle in a friggin' helicopter!!
modellajh says:
08:54 PM, 02/02/2010
I agree, "face droop" is the phrase dejur'. I was so hoping this would be the BMW/Merc killer it always has deserved to be (in general.) The other cars haven't been featured in any movies of recent as the Audi A8 has been. So sad and depressing. Hopefully the S8 won't be "subtle" as this sad thing is. Most likely the A7 will cannibalize future A8 sales, as probably this was styled for the "older" generation, and the A7 for the younger, hotter going for looks segment.
Hopefully, this will be what the A7 turns out to look like instead of this rendering or mistaken titled picture of the hottest of Audi's.
http://maxpreme.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/2010-audi-a8-preview/
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE AUDI....build THIS car!!!
icecubefosho says:
07:59 PM, 02/02/2010
Totally with you lexuslvr
lexuslvr says:
07:31 PM, 02/02/2010
Its just the S8 looked so beautiful:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2007-Audi-S8.jpg
majin_ssj_eric says:
07:17 PM, 02/02/2010
Wow, this thing has that "face droop" like it had a stroke or something...
incyphe says:
07:10 PM, 02/02/2010
I thought I clicked on Audi A4 review.
icecubefosho says:
07:03 PM, 02/02/2010
ChromieD
The D3 S8 is one of the most beautiful cars in its class.
The headlight design on this is one of the worst I've ever seen, and it proves Audi is trying to copy BMW by doing their own headlight dealie. In this case, its ugly, awkward, and looks like a cheap Chinese knockoff of an OEM Headlight LED system or whatever you refer to "angel eyes" as.
The rear design is somewhat acceptable but it seems like the car is trying to hard to be a coupe from its rear design. Its still much better than the 7 series.
The interior seems way too busy with too many things going on with it. The lighting systems are very nice though.
I'd still take the new XJ over any of these in its class. Same/simillar weight with a bit more horsepower, and 380 lbs of torque at 3,500rpm vs. the Audi's 328 lbs. Starting at $72,500. Not to mention its audiophile Bowers and Wilkins system (Trumps the Bang and Olufsen in Audis; and the Naim in Bentleys.) and handsome interior. The base XJ just seems like a better bargain/buy.
frank908 says:
06:47 PM, 02/02/2010
huh? Wait a minute, I thought I was looking at photos of the A4, no, I mean the A6 errrr, no I think the A4. Oh blasted. I'm confused.
Can't wait to see the A8 though. It's gotta look different then the A4 and A6.
calspecial68 says:
06:31 PM, 02/02/2010
this is what happens when Peter Schreyer goes AWOL and up and leaves for Kia. which explains why Kias are getting more attractive and why this ugly landyacht just showed up.
that shifter looks like something out of star wars, and not in a good way.
mercedesfan says:
05:51 PM, 02/02/2010
I agree with esoterica, I think the exterior styling is supremely disappointing. It traded the timeless elegance and beautifully understated lines of the previous generation for trendy details and akward proportions. I'm sure it will look better in person, but the previous generation was one of my favorite designs of all time and I know I'm going to miss it. The interior, on the other hand, is stunning, but I knew it would be.
Overall, it looks like it is still in that akward middle ground the previous generation was: not sporty enough to steal BMW sales and not "grand" enough to steal MB sales. It's a pity, because I've no doubt that this is probably one of the most well-rounded sedans in the segment, but I think it is destined to continue to be an also-ran in the US luxury sedan market.
lexuslvr says:
05:39 PM, 02/02/2010
I've been under the impression that the Infiniti M56/37 was gunning head foward towards the 5-series, not the 7-series.
Alittle disappointed by the styling of the new A8. It looks more like a minor refresh. I'd rather it look like a big A4 and the headlights are alittle on the wierd side. I'm sureit will look better in person. I guess Audi took the conservative route with this new A8 because of the upcoming A7 4-door coupe.
ChromieD says:
04:45 PM, 02/02/2010
to esoterica - pity how you feel about it. It's not a spectacular showpiece, but it is miles better than the Plain Jane D3 generation. This class of car is not ever meant to be the showpiece of the range until you start talking $400,000 bespoke cruisers for people with more money than sense.
I like it. Not mad in love with it and I would never buy a car of this segment anyway. But I'm liking it just as much as I like the new 7 Series. The S-class, Panamera, ageing Quattroporte, and Lexus LS are simply different packages of blahhhh.
Looking forward to the new Infiniti M56X AWD that could make these conservative thinkers change their approach to this segment a bit.
bodyblue says:
04:43 PM, 02/02/2010
The outside is ok but the dashboard is way too busy......and the speedo cluster has way too much going on.
esoterica says:
04:36 PM, 02/02/2010
I can't say enough bad things about the styling of this car. Possibly the least inspired design to ever come out of Audi, and the one thing they took a styling risk on -- the headlights -- are hideous. But sadly, at first glance they're the only thing that distinguish the new A8 from the old one. On further inspection they've made almost every other styling element worse compared to the outgoing A8 as well.