Road test: the new Audi A8 in 10 key points

We test the fourth generation of the Audi A8, a revolutionary car for the amount of technology it uses to make driving more comfortable, safer and more efficient.

Ever since the Audi A8 arrived on the market in 1999, for one reason or another, every time the brand with the four rings has launched a new generation of its luxury saloon it has become the benchmark. The technological battle that Audi, BMW and Mercedes wage in this category with the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S-Class ends up benefiting buyers of “normal” cars, because many of the developments these models introduce in engines, comfort or driving aids sooner or later trickle down to the lower segments.

In Audi’s case, I still remember as if it were yesterday the unveiling of the first-generation Audi A8 in 1994, based on the Audi ASF prototype that had surprised us with its polished aluminium body at the Frankfurt Motor Show the year before. The commitment to lightweight construction that Audi began then, and has maintained ever since, was noticeable behind the wheel in an agility unusual for a car the size of the A8, also benefiting consumption and performance. The spiral of weight reduction is something all brands, in all categories, have signed up to for some time now.

Listing all the innovations that came along through the different generations of the Audi A8 would be endless. To name a few, I would pick the V8 TDI engine of the first-generation A8, which with a displacement of 3.3 litres was already the “smallest” in its class (a forerunner of what later became “downsizing”) and at the same time the most powerful, with 225 CV. It was one of the first diesel engines I tested that truly surprised me with its refinement and performance. Nowadays that power is within reach of a good 4-cylinder with barely 2 litres. And I won’t claim it has smoothness equivalent to the V8’s, but almost…

The second generation of the Audi A8 brought systems that seemed revolutionary, such as the lane change assist, and full LED headlights arrived in the third generation. Nowadays, these systems can be fitted to any city car. But in all these years there is something that has not changed in Audi’s big luxury saloon: the A8 has always stood out for first-rate quality, presentation, finish, fit and assembly, a true benchmark in its class.

The fourth generation of the Audi A8 is still like that, as we have been able to verify after testing it on every type of road, and also from where its potential owners will spend the most time: the rear seats. This is a car that in many respects is once again a genuine revolution, even getting ahead of the future. These are the 10 things that surprised us most about the new Audi A8.

1. Lightweight construction: from aluminium to multi-material

If in the three previous generations Audi boasted of ASF lightweight aluminium construction, the brand with the four rings now moves to the MSF body, a multi-material design that has already been used before in other models from the brand. Audi began this type of body design with the Audi TT. In particular, the Audi A8 is the model that combines the greatest number of different materials in the German manufacturer’s range.

Aluminium is still the protagonist, making up as much as 58 per cent of the total. But ultra-high-strength steels come into play, along with magnesium in the crossmember joining the front suspension turrets, and a huge panel made of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) for the bulkhead dividing the passenger compartment from the rear section. Up to 14 different techniques are used to join so many different materials.

The result? Audi keeps the official weight of the Audi A8 50 TDI quattro below two tonnes, exactly 1,975 kg. Going back through the archives, some of you might think that isn’t much of an achievement, considering that the first aluminium Audi A8 in its 180 CV V6 TDI version came in at 1,810 kg. But the new model is bigger, far more powerful and infinitely better equipped. And although it is getting ahead of ourselves: behind the wheel, the Audi A8 feels light, though the credit cannot be attributed solely to the multi-material construction.

2. The interior of the new A8: goodbye to buttons

Another of the surprises of this Audi A8, which would be worth talking about at length and even running surveys on. With the new A8, Audi says goodbye to the MMI control system used in practically all its models, in different versions: with or without a touchpad. The rotary controller on the centre console gives way here to a new concept in which practically all the buttons are eliminated… at least as we traditionally know them.

The main advantage of this approach is that it allows a clean, flat design, like that of the Audi A8’s dashboard, dominated by three enormous screens: the Audi virtual cockpit instrument cluster and two on the centre console, an upper one for the infotainment system and another below for the climate control, which at the same time acts as a touch panel for entering information by writing characters with your fingers.

I can’t see any other advantage to this button system, although compared with other attempts of this kind, those of the Audi A8 seem very well resolved to me because pressing them produces tactile and acoustic confirmation of the press. Conventional buttons are still easier to find by touch without taking your eyes off the road. But the truth is that the driver will rarely have to look for a control for something that cannot be done from the steering wheel (here with genuine rotary controls and conventional buttons) or from the new Audi A8’s voice control system. The latter is now more intuitive than ever, able to recognise spoken commands without having to learn previously memorised phrases.

3. Connectivity and multimedia

The three screens fitted to the Audi A8 add up to no fewer than 30 inches. There is little to say about the Audi virtual cockpit instrument cluster, with its 12.3 inches and full HD resolution (1920 x 720 pixels). It is the best instrument cluster I have tested to date, for graphics quality and configuration options. With this cluster I see little point in the head-up display option that projects graphics onto the windscreen.

Alongside the main infotainment screen, at 10.1 inches (1540 x 720 pixel resolution), there is a second complementary screen below it, at 8.6 inches (1280 x 660 pixel resolution), which integrates the climate control and various comfort functions. Both feature MMI touch response, an Audi technology that includes an anti-fingerprint, anti-glare surface and that, like the digital buttons, confirms the activation of any function with a mechanical pulse response accompanied by an audible click. It works flawlessly, and the user experience is very similar to that of high-end mobile phones.

As for connectivity, I don’t think I’m mistaken in saying that the new Audi A8 is the most advanced car of the moment. It is ready for the 5G transmission standard (speeds up to three times what is currently possible), and it connects to the cloud so that other Audi vehicles can benefit from information on traffic, weather, hazard warnings or, soon, even the availability of free parking spaces.

The completely redesigned mobile device app, myAudi App, lets you connect your phone to the vehicle. On top of all the typical functions of this kind of app (sending routes to the navigation system, remote monitoring of the vehicle’s status, etc.), it adds the ability to use the phone as a key, to unlock and start the vehicle. For now it only works with phones running the Android operating system.

4. A car with artificial intelligence

Under the name Audi AI, the brand integrates different technologies that make it possible to offer systems that work intelligently in the new Audi A8. And we need to be prepared, because what for now seems like science fiction will soon be standard even in cars from lower segments.

This requires a complete array of cameras and sensors. The new Audi A8 includes up to 24, the standout being the new laser scanner as a complement to the usual video cameras, ultrasonic sensors and long- and medium-range radars. Designed to identify all kinds of objects even in the dark or in bad weather, this laser scanner is the key to reaching the level 3 piloted driving allowed by the Audi AI traffic jam pilot, which we will discuss in the next section.

In addition to this traffic jam driving assistant, the new Audi A8 includes other “AI” systems that work intelligently. Among them are the parking assistants Audi AI remote parking pilot and Audi AI remote garage pilot. They allow parallel or bay parking manoeuvres to be carried out autonomously, either from inside the vehicle or from outside via the myAudi app on a smartphone. They also make it possible for the Audi A8 to park autonomously in a garage space without the need to “line up” the car so that it simply has to move forward or reverse. The Audi A8 recognises walls and even objects, and carries out the necessary manoeuvres to park even in tight spaces.

Of the more than 40 assistants fitted to the new Audi A8, others that benefit from Audi AI technology are the Audi AI suspension active suspension and the pre sense 360° safety system. The former includes electric motors (powered by the 48-volt system) at the wheels that can anticipate and act on the suspension arms to lift the wheels over potholes (the car’s various sensors “read” the road and identify everything from irregularities or imperfections to even speed bumps), making them almost imperceptible. The pre sense raises the body by up to 80 mm on the relevant side if a possible collision is detected in that area, to reduce potential harm to the occupants.

5. First car with level 3 autonomous driving

It is precisely Audi AI technology and all the Audi A8’s sensors that form the basis for the Audi AI traffic jam pilot system. It is an evolution of the traffic jam driving assistant that debuted on the Audi Q7, and which now allows the driver to take their attention completely off the controls in certain situations. This makes the Audi A8 the first car in the world to go on sale with level 3 autonomous driving.

However, for legal reasons it is not possible to enjoy this equipment in Spain, since it is forbidden for the driver to take their hands off the wheel or carry out other tasks unrelated to driving, which can be done in the new Audi A8 with this system in other countries, such as using the mobile phone, or even managing email or reading the news through the car’s infotainment system.

The Audi AI traffic jam pilot only works on roads with a physical barrier separating the two directions of traffic, in heavy traffic and up to a maximum speed of 60 km/h. When it is available it gives a warning and the driver activates it by pressing a button on the console. A camera and various sensors check that the driver is always available to retake control of the vehicle if required, which happens if the traffic begins to clear or if the system detects, for example, that the driver is falling asleep. If the driver does not respond, the Audi A8 would initiate an autonomous emergency stop on its own.

6. Audi A8 engines: all “mild-hybrid”

Audi has already used a 48-volt electrical system before, in the Audi SQ7, but as a secondary system. What is new in the Audi A8 is that the 48-volt system becomes the main one, leaving the 12-volt system as the secondary. This 48-volt system is necessary to incorporate “mild-hybrid” technology, fitted as standard across the range.

No, this does not mean the Audi A8s are hybrids. But they do have an electric motor connected to the combustion engine by a belt, which takes the place of the traditional alternator. The function of this motor is to act as a starter motor and as an electric generator, producing energy during deceleration or braking phases.

To start from cold the Audi A8 has a conventional starter motor. But to pull away, for example after stopping at traffic lights with the start-stop engaged, or to restart the car when the coasting system comes into operation and the engine briefly switches off, this electric motor is used, powered by a 10 Ah capacity lithium-ion battery.

The driver doesn’t notice anything or have to do anything at all. At speeds between 55 and 160 km/h, the Audi A8 switches off the engine for periods of up to almost a minute when you lift your foot off the accelerator or the car can keep going using its momentum. The electric motor makes sure the engine restarts quickly and smoothly, completely imperceptibly. In combination with the start-stop, which thanks to this system can switch off the engine from a speed of 22 km/h without waiting for the car to come to a complete stop, Audi claims savings of up to 0.7 litres of fuel per 100 km. It may seem little for an apparently complex technology, but it isn’t, and above all, it noticeably reduces emissions.

7. And when will the hybrid A8 arrive?

To the two engines offered at launch, Audi will add the V8 versions later this year: a 435 CV TDI (the one from the Audi SQ7, with electric compressor and turbo supercharging technology) and a 460 CV TFSI, both with 4 litres of displacement. The range will be crowned by the 585 CV W12, exclusively linked to the long-bodied version of the Audi A8.

And this generation will not lack a plug-in hybrid, the Audi A8 L e-tron, for which a system output of 450 CV has been announced, with an electric-mode range of around 50 km. Like the W12, it will be offered at the end of the year exclusively with the long-wheelbase body, and may feature a magnetic induction charging system for the batteries, without the need to plug it into the mains. The induction charging system has an output of 3.6 kW (by cable it is 1.2 kW), with an efficiency of 90 per cent.

The combustion engine in the Audi A8 L e-tron will be the 3.0 V6 TFSI petrol, not the diesel used in the Audi Q7 e-tron’s hybrid propulsion system. The reason is that this version is mainly destined for the Chinese market, where there is no demand for diesel engines.

8. From the rear seats of the Audi A8

During the test of the new Audi A8 I also had the chance to enjoy the comfort, luxury and sophistication offered by the rear seats. Here, Audi customers can choose a configuration with two individual seats in the case of the A8 L, which makes the most of the extra 13 centimetres of length of this body, at 5.30 metres, compared with 5.17 for the “short” A8.

The possibilities are incredible: there is even a special seat for the right-hand position that lets you travel reclined as in a relaxation armchair, with heating and massage for the feet, which rest on an electrically folding surface located in the back of the front seat.

In addition to the comfort seats with ventilation and massage, four-zone climate control, adjustable headrests or the 10.1-inch Audi tablet as an entertainment system, various functions can be controlled from the rear seats via the so-called Rear Seat Remote, a control unit with a removable touchscreen located in the console between the seats. This screen controls the climate control, the radio, the massage functions, the privacy blinds or the reading light, which features Matrix LED projectors that provide incredibly white illumination. Among the options there is also the possibility of a refrigerated compartment.

In the new Audi A8, moreover, it is possible to connect two phones at the same time, and rear-seat passengers can use the Rear Seat Remote’s screen as if it were a smartphone.

9. Behind the wheel of the new Audi A8

The Audi A8 comes as standard with air suspension and quattro drive. Optionally it can be fitted with active suspension and four-wheel steering, as well as an active rear differential.

Both for the quality of the sound insulation and for the way the Audi A8’s standard suspension swallows up bumps, and for the smoothness of all the controls, the feeling behind the wheel (and as a passenger) is one of total filtering and assistance. A real marvel for long motorway journeys, where the kilometres don’t seem to take their toll on the driver either.

The performance of the two V6 engines is more than sufficient to move the Audi A8 with agility in any situation. With a very similar dynamic result, and despite the TDI being very well insulated so as not to transmit noise or vibrations to the cabin, the TFSI proves unbeatable in this respect, at the cost of significantly reducing range. The economic factor associated with higher consumption will matter little to the user of this type of car. And probably range too if there is a chauffeur in charge of refuelling when necessary. But the reality is that during the test route, combining very twisty roads and motorway, the diesel needed 3 litres less per 100 km.

The new Audi A8 is not, and never has been, a car for driving on roads where you have to judge carefully how close you go to the edge when you meet oncoming traffic. But on a very winding route it showed us that it still disguises its weight and, above all, its size very well. Four-wheel steering is not essential; perhaps its greatest advantage is the reduced turning circle and the resulting ease of manoeuvring when we move around town.

Incidentally, it is impossible to check from the rear seats whether the new HD Matrix LED headlights, with laser light function for the main beam, reach the 750 metres Audi claims. But if I had to bet, I would bet in favour. The quality of the high-tech headlights offered by the new Audi A8 for night driving is incredible.

10. The price and rivals of the new Audi A8

The new Audi A8 is available with a starting price of 97,460 euros for the 50 TDI version, and from 104,560 euros in the case of the 55 TFSI. The long-bodied versions cost around 3,000 euros more in the case of the diesel engine, and almost 4,000 with the petrol engine.

Its main rivals are the BMW 7 Series, the Mercedes S-Class and the Porsche Panamera. To better understand the small differences of nuance between them, I’ll put it like this: I would choose the Porsche Panamera without hesitation if I were going to be the regular driver, and I would stick with the Mercedes S-Class if my destination were the rear right-hand seat. The BMW 7 Series and the Audi A8 offer a good deal of the Mercedes’ comfort and refinement, with a hint of that sporty “touch” of the Porsche. Which is what might appeal to a user who, even if only from time to time, is going to take the wheel from the chauffeur.