Audis Big Car for Tiny Spaces

What we like:

Ease of maneuverability

Ride comfort

Equipment

Sweet engine

Styling

What we dislike:

Infotainment unit prone to fingerprints

Front seat adjusters a little too close to the door cards

Power is derived from a 3.0 V6 turbocharged engine, similar to the one found in the Audi S5. Good for 340hp and a generous spread of 500Nm through 1,370-4,500rpm, which means very little in terms of lag off the line. Mated to a Tiptronic 8-speed automatic, driving all four wheels (quattro in Audi talk), the 1,945kg A8 does 100km/h in an impressive 5.7 seconds, while delivering a pleasant soundtrack from its three-per-bank engine up front. Combined fuel consumption is good given its weight, at 12.2km/l.

The A8’s chassis is based on its widely MLB evo architecture, built for cars with longitudinally-mounted engine setups. Weight is kept down with the use of lightweight aluminium and magnesium (in its strut brace) in its construction.

Comfort is the primary purpose of the A8, and you will be rewarded with a wafty-smooth ride thanks to their lovely air springs. Gear changes are as smooth as its smooth-riding qualities. Engine noise in the passenger cabin is very minimal, though the front windows do let in a little more noise from outside than I expected.

Pushed hard around the bends, you will sense that the A8 will seem a little reluctant to do your bidding, even in “Dynamic” drive mode, and you can tell that even with the lowered suspension, it does not feel as planted than the Lexus LS which actually went a little crazy with a “Sports+” drive mode.

But on the straights, coupled with overtaking maneuvers, the A8 is just lovely, with its Dynamic all-wheel steering allowing the A8 to “crab” into lanes. The system allows the rear wheels to turn in the same direction at a maximum of 2 degrees on the run, and at lower speeds, at opposite lock of 5 degrees. The latter we found, was confidence inspiring around tighter car parks, taking this 5,302mm x 1,945mm luxobarge into more and more challenging spaces, just to prove that it could do it. The A8 might have a turn circle of 12.9m, but with the rear wheels helping to do the job, the rear end steps out of its would-be traditional line, helping the rear end to align better with the chosen path the car would want to take in tighter quarters.

The A8 is up against the likes of the BMW 7-Series, a refreshed Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the new Lexus LS, which was revealed this year. Its strengths lie in how much it delivers on ride comfort for both front and rear passengers, equipment, and its ease of drivability in tight areas, which from especially a Singaporean context, where the ones who will be buying such cars will likely need to brave tight and narrow office car parks in the city.

Styling-wise too, the A8 does stand out with its larger-than-life front end, and overall styling, and we do love the tail lamp “power down” sequence.

Credits: