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The CEO’s Suite

You couldn’t get more sophisticated office space than the new Audi A8 L

Published: Oct 29, 2010 06:37:53 AM IST
Updated: Nov 3, 2010 04:36:41 PM IST
The CEO’s Suite

Every passing year, cars get technologically savvier. But technology no longer progresses in leaps and bounds. We have invented almost everything; now we see more incremental refinements.

Take the new Audi A8. It’s the flagship sedan for the manufacturer from Ingolstadt. Sixteen years ago, when the A8 was launched, it was Audi’s breakthrough car, much like the S-Class for Mercedes or the 7 Series for BMW. It brought to light the advantages of aluminium, revolutionising automotive construction with its aluminium Space Frame. The A8 mated space-age technology to a road car. It personified luxury, enveloped its occupants in supreme comfort and presented some of the best motive force engineered on the planet.

Today, the new A8 isn’t about to create the sort of waves it did 16 years ago. If anything, it is the most refined version of a car that began its journey a long time ago. Despite its imposing lines and personality,  it is not just a stately executive limousine; the A8 has always been sporty and dynamic. So while it will be primarily chauffeur-driven in India, it does have the potential to excite its owner whenever s/he gets behind the wheel.

Based on the same Audi Space Frame, the new A8 L is considerably longer and wider than both the competition and its predecessor, which means more stretch room inside. But keeping in mind its dynamic aspirations, it is lower than its predecessor, with its centre of gravity well balanced at all times. At 5,267 mm, it is long by any standard, but at first glance the fluid lines and the large sculpted body panels cleverly disguise its dimensions. It certainly has immense road presence; more, in fact, than its predecessor. But it isn’t by any standards handsome. I have yet to find the stomach to digest that large grille, those canted LED headlamps, and the humongous air dams that cover that front end.

What is good looking is the interior: Flamboyant, with a casual elegance and flair more typical of Italians than Germans. I especially love the way the four colour tones and brushed aluminum insert make it look like the interior of a blue-water luxury yacht. Don’t miss the gear shift knob, styled to resemble the thrust selector of a yacht. In fact, to actuate the gears, all you have to do is tap the knob once in any direction to select the drive mode, after which the knob will return to its original position by itself.

There’s an immense array of features, and to list them out would exhaustthe magazine.

To note just three: the Wirelass LAN can provide Internet connectivity for up to eight terminals, making it a veritable office on the move; the new MMI touchpad delivers new levels of control for the infotainment and navigation systems (the nav system synchronises with Google Earth, providing real-time maps and additional information — simply scribble the name of the destination on the touchpad with your finger and it will locate it for you); and Audi’s presafe system, which mitigates both frontal and rear crashes, and in the event of an extreme crash situation even triggers maximum braking, bringing speeds down by nearly 40 kmph.

Rather than settle for the standard 14-speaker 630-watt output, you could opt for the top-of-the-line package: 19 speakers and 1,400 ear-splitting watts of sound. You could also choose to have the optional relaxation seat — placed behind the front passenger seat — which offers a power footrest and  four programmed massage functions, with five intensity and speed levels, controlled by a remote control.

So much for the hedonism. What makes the A8 L special is that it will come to India with the immensely powerful W12 engine.  This flagship 6.3-litre engine, now converted to FSI direct injection, will deliver 500 horsepower and 625Nm of max torque, giving it sportscar-like acceleration (0-100 kmph in 4.7 seconds, nearly as quick as a Lamborghini Gallardo).

This engine, which now sports slightly larger displacement, weighs just 247 kilos — it is cast from an aluminium silicon alloy — and has a high compression ratio of 11.8:1 to provide much required efficiency and an eco-conscious badge. It is not the only engine that will feature in India spec models; Audi confirmed that the 4.2 V8 petrol FSI with 372 horsepower and 445Nm torque will also be available.

The CEO’s Suite
THE C-Suite The Optional'relaxation seat'

While Audi confirmed that a diesel engine would be on offer, the choice — between the scintillating 4.2TDI, recently seen on the Q7, and the 3.0TDI — has yet to be made. Given how important diesel is to the Indian consumer, it is highly probable they will offer both options.

In all cases, the engines deliver a wave of power and torque with a sense of urgency. However, the W12 spoils the experience of the V8 FSI engine; it is just too powerful to be sublime and graceful, and you never ever want to get into anything else after. At any rpm, it startles with its ferocity. Though I must say power delivery was linear throughout the rev range. In comparison, the 4.2 petrol V8 and even the 4.2 diesel, though very, very quick in their own right, felt so much slower immediately after having driven the W12.

All engine configurations will come with a new 8-speed automatic tiptronic transmission. In addition, a rear-axle sport differential will be available as an option, though it will be standard on the 4.2TDI if that engine spec figures in Audi’s India plans. The eight ratios are tightly spaced, yet it has a high overall ratio between the shortest and longest gears to maximise fuel efficiency. Flappy paddles behind the steering wheel help engage the required gears, but what makes this gearbox interesting is that the dynamic shift program (DSP) crosslinks itself with the route data supplied by the MMI navigation system. The DSP then incorporates this data into its gearshift strategy. For instance, it will read that the road ahead has curves and avoid unnecessary gear changes on those narrow patches. All variants also come with Quattro 4-wheel drive as standard, with a 40:60 split between the front and rear wheel respectively.

Keeping all that power and torque in check is the same old aluminium Space Frame chassis, based on the Volkswagen MLP component matrix (modular longitudinal platform), which allows the Volkswagen group to design several cars with a longitudinal front engine format in either front-engine or four-wheel drive layout using similar components in an effort to keep production costs low. It is also 25 percent more rigid than its predecessor, and this leads to better dynamics as well as superior NVH levels.

The chassis is suspended by an adaptive air-suspension system, with a multi-link (5-link) set-up. All wheel control arms and several other suspension components are made from aluminium, and these, with several other aluminium components, greatly reduce unsprung masses to enhance efficiency.

With drive select, the adaptive suspension provides up to four operating modes. In ‘Auto,’ whenever the speed crosses the 120 kmph threshold, the suspension lowers the car by 20 mm for enhanced aerodynamics. In ‘Dynamic,’ the car is lowered by 10 mm and lowers another 10 mm when speeds cross 120 kmph. In ‘Comfort,’ the original ride is maintained, while in ‘Lift’ the car rises an additional 25 mm over the standard ride to clear large obstacles, like nasty speed-breakers.

 

Comfort, at your Fingertips (Clockwise from top left) Rear seat passengers can control everything but the wheel from their seats. Stylish seat adjuster controls not under seat but on centre armrest. Laptop charging now made simple thanks to 240V two-pin point. Refrigerator feels primitive amidst the state of art goodies

In Auto, Dynamic and Comfort modes, the drive select system also affects the characteristics of the shock absorbers, the air springs, the accelerator, the transmission shift points, the servotronic power steering inputs and the trigger time for the belt tensioners. In Europe, the car I drove came with low profile tyres that were extremely grippy; the Indian spec cars will obviously be shod with larger profiles for enhanced ride comfort.

Audi may not have enjoyed as much success in India as BMW or Mercedes, but it’s certainly no fault of the product line-up, which dare I say, is perhaps the best in the country today. The A8 presents a near perfect blend of grand touring, performance and an out-of-office office experience like we have never seen before, and leaves no doubt in my mind that it takes luxury motoring to another level entirely. It will be interesting to see what the competition throws up.  

Courtesy Overdrive . A longer version appeared in the magazine’s September issue

(This story appears in the 05 November, 2010 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)

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