Audi A8L 3.0 TDI quattro - Design Review
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Design Review of Audi A8L 3.0 TDI quattro
Last Updated at 11:32 am, May 20, 2013
Rating :We look at the impact Audi's flagship sedan makes visually - it's good! Photos - Eshan Shetty
The A8 has been Audi’s flagship sedan for Audi since the first one rolled out in 1994. Currently in its third generation, the A8 is still the most tech-laden Audi out there and is easily at the pinnacle of technology and luxury among its peers. The new A8 was launched last year boasting levels of technology unheard of even in the luxury car segment. Who would’ve imagined that your car can set up a 3G/WLAN hotspot while on the move? Well, the A8 made it possible. Audi’s aluminium spaceframe makes it lighter than its counterparts while reworked powertrains mean more efficiency and cleaner emissions.
But if it is all about making an impactful entry, the new Audi A8 also has a lot to offer on that front. The new A8 is quite a departure from the previous one. If the older car was a boardroom with wooden walls and hefty furniture, this one’s got steel framed glass walls and Ikea furniture. The best part is it’s in your face.
The Audi A8 is undoubtedly the best-looking car in its segment. Audi has chiseled out all the flab from the outgoing model and made the new one look really energetic and sporty. It gets nice edgy headlamps – they have full LED treatment. In fact, this is the first production car to have them. And then there’s the ‘big goatee’ Audi grille that gives it a mean demeanour.
As is the case with all Audi sedans, it looks no different and if you aren’t paying attention, it can be easily mistaken for an A6, which also got updated recently. The large goatie grill looks the best on this particular Audi, making it look a little menacing. The grille is flanked by straight cut headlamps that are now full LED, a first on a production sedan. The image it portrays is of a protagonist with a mysterious and dark past (I could have said Batman, but the guy already drives a Lambo).
We get the A8L and this means the longer wheelbase gives it a very imposing side profile. The long bonnet portrays a strong sense of power. The large glass area is outlined with shiny chrome and just below it something that Audi calls a tornado line. It runs throughout the car and defines the waistline, wheel arches and separates the lower and upper parts of the design. I somehow didn’t like the standard 18-inch alloy wheels. They are a bit too chunky and sportier ones would certainly help enhance the looks.
As you can see, the A8 is a pretty long car. It doesn’t have a dramatic roofline or unnecessary flash. In fact, it comes up as a serious business sedan. To add some flair to the rear, Audi has given it nice wedge-shaped tail-lamps which add some colour to the rear end.
The boot is quite big too and gobble up stuff ranging from all your family’s packing for a month long vacation abroad to a couple of dead bodies, ideal, if you’re the gangster types. To sum it up, the A8 has gone quite distinctive. Among a hoard of S-classes and 7 series, this is what will make you stand out. I recommend a shade of black for casting that ultimate mafia boss statement, or this white with blacked-out roof to bring out your flamboyant side.
First Published on 03:12 pm, August 11, 2011
