What do the Chinese love more than being chauffeur-driven in big German sedans? Being chauffeur-driven in big long-wheelbase German sedans. It’s no surprise, then, that Audi is using the 2010 Beijing auto show to introduce the 2011 A8L to the world.
While the Chinese have a certain predilection for all things long-wheelbase—they get some cars that we never see, like the extended versions of the BMW 5-series and Mercedes-Benz E-class—our market tends to skew in the LWB direction when it comes to full-size luxo-barges such as the A8.
The 2011 version of the A8 will see the return of Audi’s W-12 engine and long-wheelbase body, both of which were last seen on our shores in the 2009 model year. Audi’s twelve-cylinder 6.3 FSI—so called because it’s been bored out to 6.3 liters and now sports direct injection—develops 500 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque, up from 450 hp and 428 lb-ft from the last-gen car’s wacky W-12, but still less than those generated by the V-12s of Audi’s German competitors. For reference, BMW’s latest 760i/760Li puts out 535 hp and 550 lb-ft, thanks to a pair of turbos, while the Mercedes-Benz S600’s V-12 produces 510 hp and a staggering 612 lb-ft. Audi’s all-aluminum construction does give the A8 a weight advantage, however.
The W-12 is hooked to Audi’s new ZF-sourced eight-speed Tiptronic transmission, as is the A8’s 4.2-liter V-8, and the gearbox routes power to the standard Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Audi performance estimates have the A8L W12 hitting 62 mph in 4.9 seconds. No EPA numbers are available yet, but Audi expects a 12-percent increase in efficiency, which would put fuel economy somewhere around 14 mpg city/21 highway. The 372-hp 4.2 will continue to be the standard engine in the A8L.
The W-12 model gets visual differentiation in the form of a unique gloss-black grille with thick horizontal chrome bars, chrome air-intake inserts, and chrome bits on the side mirrors, as well as W-12 sill plates and badges. Exhaust gases exit through a pair of fat trapezoidal outlets carved into the rear bumper. W-12 models wear standard 19-inch wheels with 20s optional and 21s available as accessories. Near-record-size ventilated front brake discs measuring 15.75 inches are included on the W-12—they’re larger than those found on the Corvette ZR1 and Bugatti Veyron.
A8s earn their L badge by growing just over five inches between the wheels. That extra space is seen in the rear of the beautifully crafted interior, where the car can be equipped with two individual seats that are heated, ventilated, and highly adjustable. A full-length console, standard on the A8L W-12, can be spec’d with a folding table or a refrigerator. Long-wheelbase cars get a reclining seat behind the front passenger that offers a power-adjustable footrest—it looks like a jumpseat in the photos—which deploys from the back of the seat ahead. Rear-seat passengers even get loose cushions to help them get comfortable. Judging from our short stint in the back of a normal-wheelbase A8, the L’s interior will be one of Audi’s best, and room will be ample.
Options available on all A8s include full-LED headlights and a panoramic glass roof. Other features include the standard Audi Drive Select system, an adaptive air suspension, the new MMI touch interface, night vision, and adaptive cruise control. A8 models of every stripe are due to arrive at dealers in the fall of 2010, and pricing throughout the lineup should stay in the $75,000–$120,000 range.
Thanks to: Car and Driver