Audi has taken to their home motor show to reveal the 2014 Audi A8 and S8 luxury sedan in all its executive pomp. The European financial crisis may just be plateauing and if that’s the case the tweaked luxury Audi is ready to pounce on bankers who are once again flush with a bit of expendable cash.
The Audi A8 may have only undergone minimal cosmetic surgery to ensure it maintains that dignified, executive, discretion but the Audi A8 range also features a new engine and Quattro all-wheel drive across the entire range (except for the hybrid). As it is not a new model, the dimensions of the standard wheelbase A8 remain unchanged, but the longer wheelbase Audi A8 L does gain 13 cm in both length and wheelbase.
You’d be hard pressed to discern all the subtle styling tweaks if you were looking at them in a hurry but the bonnet gets a slightly more sculpted line to it; the signature Audi single-frame grille and the front bumper have been elegantly remoulded and the lower edge of the headlights has been squared off.
Speaking of headlights, Audi has gone a step further with this technology and now offers optional ‘Matrix LED technology.’ This comprises of 25 individual light-emitting diodes (LEDs) per unit that can be switched on and off or dimmed individually depending on the situation and won’t dazzle oncoming traffic.
The new range of engines shows increased power figures and reduced fuel consumption and is fully EU6 compliant. At the top of the pile is the S8, which its 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine, Quattro all-wheel drive and COD – cylinder on-demand technology to give it just 225 g/km CO2 emissions. The Audi S8 gets adaptive air suspension, sport differential, a signature S-model chrome grille, silver wing-mirrors and curb-crunching 20-inch alloy wheels.
The remaining engines in the Audi A8 range now include the supercharged 3.0-litre TFSI, the 3.0-litre TDI and the 4.2-litre TDI clean diesel with a massive 850 Nm of torque. In accordance with those needing a more-lavish Audi A8, there is the ultra-luxurious Audi A8 L W12 Quattro, which features a 6.3-litre W12.
A new Audi A8 hybrid combines a 2.0-litre TFSI four-cylinder with an electric motor to produce around 182 kW and 480 Nm of torque through its front-wheel drive, tiptronic layout. Electric-only driving can be enjoyed up until 100 km/h and a range of 3 km, courtesy of the lithium-ion batteries in the Audi A8 hybrid’s boot. Local pricing will be confirmed closer to launch. First deliveries should be expected by the second quarter of 2014.