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Audi A8: An all-aluminum premium car
By Moses Akaigwe (igwemos@sunnewsonline)
Friday, November 21, 2008
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Audi A8
Photo:Sun News Publishing |
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To Germany’s Audi, and millions of people across the
world who either own or admire its products, the A8 is the
most intelligently designed luxury car. To the competition,
specifically in the top-end premium luxury segment, it is
the car that cannot be ignored.
Ask any knowledgeable car connoisseur to do a list of top
10 super luxury cars, and you are sure to see A8, Mercedes-Benz
S Class and BMW 7 Series there, but the Audi flagship is almost
certain to be in the topmost three. This is particularly so
with the upgraded A8 L W12, A8 L and A8’s.
The car is nothing less than sheer genius in every detail.
In fact, the Audi A8 stands alone among its competitors; the
only premium luxury sedan crafted almost entirely of aluminum
and an epitome of forward thinking.
Beyond the two sizes and two engines, there is an adjustable
four-mode suspension that allows you to determine specific
characteristics – from sport to sublime in a split second.
Its core V8 stands as a multiple winner of world 10 best honours.
Its drivetrain remains unique in the class.
The A8 L W12, A8 L and A8 continue to distance themselves
from the competition, exhibiting progressive design –
assertive, not ostentatious, never overly aggressive.
There is innovative technology everywhere you look. The car’s
excellence clearly goes beyond aluminum. Their purposeful
stance, unparalleled interior excellence, wealth of options
(including new sound choices from the equally legendary Bang
& Olufsen), quattro all-wheel drive and versatile suspensions,
have made an A8 the car of choice for discerning and demanding
drivers all over the world.
With effortless power from its compact, lightweight 12-cylinder
engine, the A8 L W12 invites sports sedan comparisons with
every depression of the right foot. Press the start button,
hear all 12 cylinders spring to life and it’s easy to
both see and hear why. It’s a sound that’s both
unmistakable and inviting. With a look that speaks volumes.
And the feeling behind the wheel? Let’s just say a test-drive
is beyond demonstrative, whether on the streets of Lagos,
Abuja, Port Harcourt or Aba.
It is simply imperative.
Every knowing conversation about this marathon athlete of
premium luxury sedans must begin and end with aluminum. Endlessly
recyclable and endlessly fascinating, you will find aluminum
in all major components – engine, suspension, chassis
and skin. And more. More than 25 years in the making, the
all-aluminum ASF that graces every member of the A8 family
pays extraordinary dividends . To wit, a 450 hp in our W12,
zero to 60 mph (100 km/h) takes a mere five seconds.
Now, add the tenacious grip of legendary quattro all-wheel
drive, and an unparalleled pneumatic suspension that allows
the driver to tailor ride characteristics with uncanny precision
and the case for the A8 L W12 turns unassailable when you
experience the car’s utter competence in all phases
of driving. This car has it all. With plenty left in reserve.
And absolutely nothing left to prove.
A 12-cylinder symphony. A metallurgical marvel.
On the inimitable A8 L W12, 19-inch wheels are standard.The
leather in every A8 both wears well and is comforting to the
touch. No chemicals are used in the tanning process.The best
seat belongs to the driver.
Forget, for a moment, the standard rear seat DVD entertainment
package with twin LCD screens or the optional refrigerator
available in all of our long-wheelbase models. Or the ability
to recline in the rear seats. Or four-zone climate control.
Or being surrounded by sumptuous valcona leather.
Or the impeccable sound of its optional all-new Bang &
Olufsen Advanced Sound System. All 14 speakers and nearly
1,100 watts of pure sonic pleasure, tailored precisely to
these cars and no other.
Never mind all of that. The place to be in the A8 L W12 is
behind the wheel. It all starts the moment you approach the
car with your Advanced Key and then press the start button.
The A8 L W12 absolutely begs to hustle down straightaways.
As well as tackle a mountain pass. It goes far beyond the
smooth power of a 6.0-liter engine. It’s all about the
confidence and control of four driven wheels. The strength
of the all-aluminum ASF. The adaptive air suspension. The
subtle rush of its finely geared six-speed tiptronic automatic
with sport mode. The way it all works together so seamlessly.
And it all starts the instant you settle into your comfortable,
well-bolstered driver‘s seat.
Design
With design leadership comes a responsibility to expand the
palette.
As the industry’s widely acknowledged leader in interior
design, Audi vies for best-in-class honours across the board.
But the A8 L W12 takes excellence to the next level. Valcona
leather in abundance. The velvet-smooth touch of Alcantara®
inserts and headliner. The tasteful aluminum accents. The
range of wood options. The intuitive MMI operating system.
Everywhere you look, a palpable passion to get every detail
just right.
Audi performance and customization subsidiary, quattro GmbH,
offers unparalleled opportunities to personalize your A8 L
W12, A8 L or A8.
Engines
Audi A8 and A8 L. With a host of new options as well as increased
horsepower, the cars prove once again that great is never
good enough. Both vehicles now feature an all-aluminum 350
hp 4.2-liter V8 with FSI direct injection as well as legendary
quattro all-wheel drive and a versatile pneumatic suspension.
All that power and control are enhanced by the all-aluminum
ASF. Choosing to craft a premium luxury sedan of aluminum
wasn’t an easy decision for Audi. But with cars in this
exalted class offering more of everything – more safety,
more performance, more luxury, the only way to break the weight
spiral was to think fresh.
Lighter and stronger than its steel counterparts, the benefits
of aluminum can best be felt on the road. Behind the wheel,
charging up a favorite stretch of road, the driver feels the
sensation of piloting what seems like a far smaller vehicle.
For some, it’s an uncanny feeling. Words like nimble
and agile roll off tongues.
The engine in the A8 L W12 stands as a miracle of modern engineering.
Not simply for its monumental torque, or its 450 hp, or its
12 cylinders for that matter. To us, it’s all about
space. Space for its class-exclusive quattro allwheel drive
system. Space to optimize its positioning for ideal weight
distribution. Space to put an exclamation point on its outstanding
power-to-weight ratio.
Extremely compact and lightweight owing to its all-aluminum
construction, the 6.0-liter W12 is actually smaller than the
powerful 4.2-liter V8 with FSI. You see, the W12 is actually
the union of a pair of V6 engines joined at a 72-degree angle.
Making the pairing perform as one, from idle to redline, was
a triumph. But the real rewards are evident the moment you
depress your right foot. Effortless power – with no
end in sight.
Above: Models of effective yet efficient power, both the V8
and the W12 are largely hand built and are extensively tested
before delivery. |
