2011 Audi A8

2011 Audi A8 2011 Audi A8
First Drive Review

The full-size luxury-car segment is a ship constantly steered by a new captain. Indeed, whenever one of the usual suspects—Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, or Audi—releases a new model, it seems the current favorite then drops to second place. The BMW 7-series recently pulled off this feat, topping the previous gold standard, the Mercedes-Benz S550, in a comparison test. The Porsche Panamera then swooped in to knock off the Bimmer. (Granted, the Panamera is a bit of an outlier, given that its five-door body doesn’t fit the traditions of the segment.) Now the 2011 Audi A8 looks like a strong contender to be the next to sit in the captain’s chair.

One Engine Now, Others Coming

The 2011 A8 goes on sale this fall at a starting price of about $90,000. The A8 will be available here with just one engine when it launches: the long-lived direct-injection, 4.2-liter DOHC V-8. As installed in this third-generation A8, the V-8 gains 22 hp and 4 lb-ft of torque over its previous iteration, with output now totaling 372 hp and 328 lb-ft. The horsepower figure is just enough to make it the least powerful in the segment, ceding eight ponies to the Lexus LS460 and 10 to the S550. Audi says the A8 returns 13-percent-better fuel economy than does its predecessor, which translates roughly to 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway for the new car.

Have no fear, power brokers: There will be other engines available in the coming years. Audi has confirmed there will be a W-12 model as well as a new S8, although the Lamborghini-derived V-10 that powers the last S8 will be replaced by a smaller and lighter engine equipped with forced induction. It’s rumored that a new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 will get the job.

Another possible engine in the A8’s future is the 3.0-liter V-6 turbo-diesel that’s available at launch in Europe. We had a chance to sample it in southern Spain, and if you don’t think the diesel’s 250 hp is enough to power the 4400-pound luxury sedan, allow us to point out its 406 lb-ft of torque. If that’s not enough to keep you from scoffing, perhaps highway mileage in the 30-mpg range will help. The diesel feels peppy thanks, to the smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission, which is perfectly calibrated to keep the engine in the juicy part of the torque plateau. It isn’t as quick as the gasoline V-8, but the smaller diesel would be more than enough for most drivers.

Unmistakably an Audi, the A8 Is Light on Its Feet

From the outside, the 2011 A8 is clearly cut from four-ringed cloth. The tail almost completely mimics the rear of the latest A4, and the corporate grille is in full effect, even if it has grown from a goatee into more of a mini-beard. All four corners share a similar squared-off element, and the front quarters, if analyzed closely, hint at the upcoming Bentley Mulsanne (some interoffice cribbing, maybe?). The LED headlamps are distinctive and can vary the depth of their beams based on the proximity of oncoming traffic. Wheel sizes range from 17 inches to 20.

All A8 models get that ZF-supplied eight-speed automatic transmission, which really breathes new life into the old 4.2, and all have manumatic shifting and paddles on the steering wheel. We estimate the A8 will scoot to 60 mph in the mid-five-second range—middle of the pack in terms of acceleration. But what it lacks in outright speed, the A8 makes up for in sporting demeanor.

That demeanor comes in part from the fitment of the high-tech bits that are optional on lesser models as part of Audi “drive select” packages. Standard on the A8 are adjustable shocks, variable-rate air springs, variable-ratio steering, and most notably, the torque-vectoring rear differential found in the S4 and S5. (Options packaging for the U.S. hasn’t been completely finalized. A “more dynamic” adjustable air suspension is part of a Sport package on the current car, but given the new car’s standard chassis hardware, we expect that if such a package were to be offered, it would encompass only wheels and aesthetic tweaks.)

The trick diff helps curb the effects of that longtime bane of Audi dynamics, weight distribution. Audi engines have traditionally been bolted well ahead of the front axle, a front-heavy setup that contributes to predominant, if predictable, understeer. The engine location is no different in the ’11 A8, but the sport differential eliminates the push and turns the car into a neutral road carver.

Like the latest 7-series, the A8 drives smaller than its length (202.2 inches) suggests, and the variable-rate steering transmits a good amount of information from the tires. Our largest dynamic complaint concerns the brake pedal, which is mushy in its first couple of inches of travel. That could be attributable to the early production models we drove, so we’ll wait until we test one to see if things are tightened up.

Mobile Office Redefined

Dynamics, no matter how impressive, aren’t the reason most hedge-fund managers buy these cars; rather, the interior is the selling point for them. And the one inside this car is fantastic, with not one texture or material taking a tactile wrong turn. Elegant wood, leather, and, if so desired, aluminum line everything, with a lip that runs the width of the dash and continues into the doors serving as a sort of aesthetic calling card. This cabin is more attractive than that of the 7-series and cheerier than that of the S-class, and there are fewer buttons than inside the Panamera. A traditional shift lever gobbles up center-console real estate—it looks like a sheathed putter peeking out of a golf bag—but operating it is far more intuitive than using BMW’s quirky joystick-style selector.