- Audi of America on Monday said the new 2012 Audi A8 L W12 starts at $135,675, more evidence that parent Volkswagen is pushing the brand closer to Bentley territory.
- The top-of-the-line Audi A8 L W12 gets the new 6.3-liter 12-cylinder engine that produces 500 horsepower.
- Luxury goodies on the A8 L W12 include 22-way comfort seats with ventilation and massage functions, 20-inch wheels, panorama sunroof, rear-seat entertainment and Audi connect with Google Earth.
HERNDON, Virginia — Audi of America on Monday said the new 2012 Audi A8 L W12 starts at $135,675, more evidence that parent Volkswagen is pushing the brand closer to Bentley territory. But the new A8 model is not the most expensive Audi in the U.S. lineup. That honor is reserved for the 2012 Audi R8 GT, which costs $198,050, including a $1,250 destination charge, and can easily hit $200,000 with the addition of a few options.
Pricing on the 2012 Audi A8 L W12 includes an $875 destination charge and a $1,300 gas-guzzler tax. The EPA says the Audi A8 L W12 returns 14 mpg in city driving and 21 mpg on the highway. The top-of-the-line Audi A8 L W12 gets the new 6.3-liter 12-cylinder engine that produces 500 horsepower. It is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Luxury goodies on the A8 L W12 include 22-way comfort seats with ventilation and massage functions, 20-inch wheels, panorama sunroof, rear-seat entertainment and Audi connect with Google Earth.
Despite the influx of high-end models, such as the new A8 L W12 and the R8 GT, Audi still remains more affordable than than Bentley, its sister brand. The base 2012 Bentley Continental Flying Spur, with a 552-hp 6.0-liter W12, starts at $189,795, including a $2,595 destination charge and a $3,000 gas-guzzler tax.
Inside Line says: Audi puts a premium on exclusivity with its higher-end models — probably a good strategy to snag the richest of the rich, who don't want to see themselves coming and going at every intersection.
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truecarfan says:
03:35 PM, 07/20/2011
xorbe - then that means you would have to rule out buying a Bugatti - Bentley - Lamborghini - and even a Porsche.. as each of them have some Audi or VW parts in them (the newer Continental actually uses parts from the old A8). Bugatti and Lambo have mostly German managers (and engineers) now... you do know why right?
kosmo69 says:
11:07 AM, 07/20/2011
Meh, i'll just buy the next gen Hyundai equus and get a better wrtty.
lolxd says:
09:00 AM, 07/20/2011
The only thing that made me stop liking the A8 (apart from the flat fronted looks as opposed to the new sleeker A6) is the W12 engine. Same goes with Bentley and their Continental GT but thank goodness they'll be offering the new one with a v8 later.
Hope they offer the next generation S8 with the V8 though I'm not going to cross fingers. The next generation S6 will be offered with the V8 and that one is the good looking Audi.
gam2 says:
05:15 AM, 07/20/2011
No one is going to buy one of these new. They will all be leased and then sold for an insanely low price after 3 or 5 years. Ever check depreciation on a MB S600?
mardani977 says:
06:21 PM, 07/19/2011
For all the people who responded why do they need a 12 cyl when they can do a turbo or supercharged V8, you people obviously never driven a V12 anything. Yes modern turbo engines may be able to duplicate the power, but like a 4cyl is not as smooth as a v6 which is not as smooth as a v8, how do you think it plays out comparing a v8 to a v or in this case w12? Getting behind the wheel of one and driving it just makes you feel special, who cares if someone who can't afford one does not understand the lure. And if you can afford one, why shouldn't you buy one? Because someone who says you are just showing off how big your wallet is says you should go for a car with a smaller engine so you are not as much of a show off? I think now. With that justification, everyone would be driving Smart 4 twos and Tata Nanos because a Kia Rio and Hyndai Accent would be too showey.
haynesford says:
05:34 PM, 07/19/2011
Xorbe, then why are companies making turbo charged V12 engines. The trend now is downsizing. For the record their are many smooth running V8 engines in the market (Benz, BMW, AUDI, JAG...). A V12 engine are for folks that want to show the size of their wallet. Watch the video of the 2009 750i on this website. The forced induction V8 are giving you the performance a na V12 engine lacked with V8 gas mileage. Turbo charged V8 engines are just concentrated V12 engines.
smartascii says:
04:33 PM, 07/19/2011
Anytime a company that isn't Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari, et. al. launches a car that's pricey, the comments on the story usually have a theme: Who would pay that much for a Hyundai/Audi/VW? I want a better badge. So, hey, quick poll: Have you ever seen a very nice, very expensive car on the road and thought better of the driver because of it? I mean, if I see an aging, balding guy driving a Gallardo *my* first thought isn't, "That guy has great taste in cars!" Is it yours?
mrmrf says:
03:03 PM, 07/19/2011
While I'm not crazy about the ugly mid-90s Lexus champagne-y paint scheme, it is a beautiful car. That being said, I think it fits nicely for the target market of owners who want best-in-class without the gaudiness of Bentley, et al. I also agree with those who say there should be some visual differentiator for the premium trim. It wouldn't need to (and shouldn't) scream 'look at me - just try to guess my net worth!'; some superficial tweaking would go a long way.
desmolicious says:
01:17 PM, 07/19/2011
IL wrote:
" probably a good strategy to snag the richest of the rich, who don't want to see themselves coming and going at every intersection."
There's a new A8 parked on my street. I had to look twice to see what it was, it looks so anonymous and like the A4.
This V12 A8 looks exactly the same. Bit of a bummer when your $130K ride looks like the same company's $30K ride.
I'm sure it's a great car etc but people drop big coin for status. And looking like an A4 isn't status.
xorbe says:
12:57 PM, 07/19/2011
The W12 isn't about needing the W12, but only to say look I can afford a W12 ... and you can't. The A8 L is not about carving corners or 1/4 mile times. But as bigcjm pointed out, the brand badge would go further than the engine badge in that crowd. If I had $135K+ to spend on a car, I don't think it would be Audi, the upscale VW.