AN EIGHT TO RATE (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_audia8_2018

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 92

In fourth generation form 'D5'-series form, Audi's A8 became smarter, more efficient and ground-breaking in its use of autonomous driving technology. In this pre-facelifted model's 2017-2021 sales period, models from better established badges in this sector may be tempting, but they can't offer many of the almost unique things this car brought to the full-sized Luxury saloon segment: mild hybrid engine electrification, all-wheel steering and for most models, an active suspension system are just a few examples. In short, there ought to be enough here to please the most demanding boardroom buyer.

Modelsword count: 20

4dr Saloon (3.0 TFSI petrol / 4.0 TFSI petrol / 6.0 TFSI petrol / 3.0 TDI diesel / 4.0 TDI))

Historyword count: 413

The 'D5'-series fourth generation Audi A8 claimed to usher in a new era of sophistication, not only for its brand but for the industry as a whole. Vorsprung Durch Teknic - 'Advancement through technology' ? Remember that? It was once the mantra that dictated everything Audi did, originated back in the Eighties to describe the company's 100 and 200-series models that really were the most advanced executive contenders of their time. The car that really epitomised this philosophy though, arrived shortly afterwards, the first generation version of this A8 model, launched back in 1994. Things like aluminium space frame construction, double-glazed windows and an LED driver information display really were ground-breaking back then and that original A8 had them all, instantly making its Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7 Series rivals look out-of-touch and behind the game. It's that kind of segment leadership that this MK4 model aimed to re-establish at its launch in 2017. It had to do that because the second and third generation versions of this car, launched respectively in 2003 and 2010, didn't really pick up that predecessor model's technological gauntlet. Aside from quattro 4WD, they offered boardroom buyers little they couldn't get elsewhere in the full-Luxury saloon sector and by the middle of the 21st century's second decade, Audi had slipped back not only behind Mercedes and BMW but also behind brands like Lexus, Jaguar and even Tesla in the segment pecking order. A giant step forward was needed for this MK4 A8. At launch, it was - according to its maker - a car with a greater capacity for autonomous driving than any other in the world, integrated 'Audi AI' technologies able to allow its user not only to relinquish control at certain speeds but actually to engage in other tasks unconnected with driving. But that was just the start. The petrol and diesel engines used became much more efficient thanks to 'MHEV' mild hybrid electrification and the new-era cabin was completely touchscreen-orientated. Sleek exterior styling introduced a fresh design language for the brand and clothed a body structure fashioned from a hi-tech mix of aluminium, steel, magnesium and carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic. Plus options included four-wheel steering and an astonishingly sophisticated active air suspension system. In short, it was Vorsprung Durch Teknic to the max. Audi introduced a PHEV version, the 60 TFSIe, shortly after launch. Then subtly updated the car in early 2022. It's the earlier 2017-2021-era versions of this 'D5'-series A8 though, that we look at here.

What You Getword count: 606

Twenty years ago, this is a piece of styling we'd have been gasping over, a progressive and sophisticated vision of how the monied elite would travel in the 21st century's third decade. Today, we're a little more used to futuristic styling statements of this sort but the fourth generation 'D5'-series A8 still looks technically advanced and comfortably of its time, handsome and imposing, if not classically elegant. Stylist Mark Lichte said it ushered in a whole new era of design or the brand. Size matters in this segment, so the A8 in this form became larger still, as you can appreciate from a profile perspective. Even the standard version is 5.17-metres in length, 37mm longer than before, while its long wheelbase stablemate put on 130mm to better justify its entry-level limousine status. Behind the wheel, the Vorsprung Durch Teknic charisma of this car really gets into gear. There's a different, more technological ambiance than you get with obvious rivals from this period, but the interior still incorporates the required splash of elegance needed for a car of this status. You're going to need to like screens because the cabin incorporates no fewer than three of them, largely replacing all the many buttons and dials of the previous model. The two you'll notice first power up as soon as the door is opened and dominate the upper and lower parts of the piano black-trimmed centre stack. The gently curved upper 10.1-inch display deals with the most important radio, media and telephone functions while the lower 8.6-inch monitor is reserved for more comfort-orientated mainly climate-related features. Both monitors interact with the configurable 12.3-inch 'Audi Virtual Cockpit' instrument binnacle screen you view through the four-spoke wheel. At the rear, what you'll find depends upon which of the rear seat packages has been fitted to the model you're looking at. Standard models get a conventional three-person rear bench, but if you've gone for the long wheelbase body style, it's quite likely that you'll want an A8 fitted with one of the optional 'Rear Seat Packs' that give you two individual seats separated by a leather-covered centre console. Even with the standard body style and the conventional rear bench layout, it can all be made to feel pretty plush. That's if you add in long wheelbase model features like sun blinds, powered heated seat adjustment, 4-zone automatic air conditioning and luxurious 'Comfort' headrests trimmed in soft, velvety 'Cocoon' leather. The boot lid rises electrically and can do so with a wave of your foot beneath the bumper, should your chauffeur have taken the day off and you've found yourself approaching the car laden down with bags. We expected trunk space to have increased with the extra body length of this MK4 model, but actually it shrank from 520 to 505-litres. That's a fraction less than you'd get from Mercedes and BMW rivals of the period, but it's still enough to take up to eight carry-on suitcases and of course a couple of golf bags are easily accommodated. The under-floor space is entirely taken up by the spare wheel, but you get a floor net that can be strung between chromed tie-down hooks. And there's a small netted area on the left. If you're likely to be often carrying longer items like skis, you'll need to get a car whose original owner paid extra for the optional ski hatch. If you need more room for bigger items and you've got an A8 with a rear bench rather than two individual rear chairs, there's the useful fold-down backrest that you'd have to do without in a rival Mercedes S-Class or BMW 7 Series.

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