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Audi A8 Review
What's New for 2011
The 2011 Audi A8 has been fully redesigned.
Introduction
As luxury sedan go, the Audi A8 is hardly a household name. It's long lived in the shadow of its more popular rivals from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. But that doesn't mean it's been a bad choice. Lightweight aluminum construction, standard all-wheel drive and impeccably trimmed cabin have made the A8 our favorite alternative pick in this segment. But for the third-generation example of this car, Audi seems determined to move the A8 from indie status to full-on blockbuster.
Longer, lower and wider than before, the 2011 Audi A8 -- at least in its "L" long-wheelbase form -- can now lay claim to being the biggest luxury sedan. Of course, the A8 still weighs less than most of its luxury sedan rivals; aluminum construction is once again a key technology here. This year, the A8's 4.2-liter direct-injected V8 is tweaked for more output and cranks out a respectable 372 horsepower. It's matched to a new eight-speed automatic transmission that not only helps boost performance but also notably improves fuel economy as well.
Audi promises sportier driving dynamics for the 2011 A8 thanks to the all-wheel-drive system's decidedly rear-biased power split; the idea here is to provide more of the feel of a rear-drive performance sedan. Under normal driving conditions, power is split 40 percent front/60 percent rear, but up to 80 percent can be sent rearward when needed. For even more athleticism, an optional, torque-vectoring limited-slip differential is available.
This year the A8 is also loaded with enough technological doodads to make even the most jaded of gizmo geeks swoon. A new dynamic steering system can intervene with automatic countersteering in a slide, and can also quicken the steering ratio by 100 percent when parking. There is also adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, automatic emergency braking, and night vision with thermal imaging and pedestrian detection. Audi's MMI electronic interface is still in use but now features an additional touchpad interface that reads fingertip gestures as letters and commands. Google Earth mapping for the navigation system is another A8 exclusive.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2011 Audi A8 comes in two trims: standard and long-wheelbase L (which provides more room for rear seat passengers).
Both A8 models come standard with 19-inch alloy wheels, adaptive air suspension, Audi Drive Select (allows adjustment of suspension, steering and engine/transmission response), xenon headlights, a sunroof, Audi's Multi Media Interface (MMI) system with a touchpad that can interpret fingertip gestures, a navigation system, cruise control, a power-adjustable steering wheel, leather upholstery, 12-way power front seats, heated front and rear seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power rear sunshade, Bluetooth and a Bose surround-sound audio system (with HD and satellite radio, iPod connectivity, a 20GB music server and a CD changer). The L adds park assist (with rearview camera), keyless ignition/entry, power-closing doors, power rear side sunshades and a power-operated trunk.
Option highlights for the A8 include 20-inch wheels, keyless ignition/entry, a night vision camera (an infrared camera to detect animals and pedestrians up to 1,000 feet away), a solar-powered venting sunroof, faux-suede interior trim, various wood accents, a four-zone climate control and a premium Bang & Olufsen audio system.
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