Audi A8 2018 Review

If you ask its maker, the new 2018 Audi A8 is the future of motoring fast-tracked to today.

You could argue the toss there, but the A8 limousine lands in Australia this month debuting a host of new technologies for the four-ringed brand, the most significant of which is ‘Level 3’ autonomous technology that uses a laser scanner to read minute contours and details in objects on the road ahead.

It is also the first Audi with predictive adaptive suspension that analyses the road surface and then adjusts the dampers accordingly.

A big caveat: we don't get either capability in Australia, though. Yet. Which kind of speaks volumes for the new A8 generally.

Priced from $192,000 plus on-road costs, the A8 range now extends to four different variants in Australia – two long wheelbase and two regular wheelbase and for the first time

Our pricing story has the full rundown on equipment, but in short, prices for the new model are down on the predecessor, offering buyers up to $36,000 in added value.

A newly-added 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 petrol is another headline act for 2018, offered in conjunction with a 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6. It’s the first time a petrol has been fitted in Audi’s full-size limousine locally outside the higher-powered S8, which will likely reach showrooms next year.

Along with new engines, the A8 adopts Audi’s 48-volt mild-hybrid system, designed to lower fuel use and emissions by offering initial electric assistance upon take-off, and brief electric-only stints during coasting scenarios. It’s similar to what’s already offered on the high-riding SQ7, bringing greater efficiency and a small top-up in performance.

All of this is built on the latest version of Audi’s Space Frame (ASF) architecture, which enables a 10 per cent reduction in chassis weight and a 24 per cent improvement in rigidity by combining aluminium, steel, magnesium and carbon fibre-reinforced elements.

The improved dynamic attributes come in spite of the A8’s added 32mm length (to 5.17 metres overall) and added overall kerb weight of up to 95kg.

The long wheelbase A8 L variant adds a further 130mm of length and is available in both diesel and petrol forms, priced from $207,000 (plus on-road costs).

The overarching question is whether the A8 takes Audi to new heights in this space? That is undoubtedly true, but against key rivals, the A8's is yet to truly meet the hype that has been built around it. More on that shortly.

A humble exterior makeover aside, the A8 begins to look and feel like the car of tomorrow from the driver’s seat. Up front there are no less than four digital display screens comprising a pair of centrally mounted units (measuring 10.1 inches and 8.6 inches respectively), Audi’s now-ubiquitous Virtual Cockpit and a head-up display function.

The screens are clear and neatly integrated, almost appearing as though the dashboard is all glass. The two central units offer haptic and sound feedback, too, like you’re pressing hard-wired buttons, while the Virtual Cockpit projects incredible Google Maps images for navigation.

As you’d expect, the car’s minimalist dashboard and centre fascia are matched by  thoughtful ergonomics to accommodate long stints in its soft and broad driver’s seat.

There’s no rotary centre dial in the A8, a potential portent to other upcoming Audi models. In reality, it’s no huge loss in terms of day-to-day functionality – offset by the clever new touchscreen configuration and more space for storage within the centre console and surrounds

Option catalogues are de rigueur on high-end European cars, but Audi has condensed (sort of) the mass offering into two basic packages for 2018: the $11,000 Premium Plus Package (20-inch wheels, chrome exterior package, ambient lighting package, digital TV tuner, privacy glass, electric sunblinds for rear windows, extended leather package, air ionisation, seat ventilation and massage function for front seats) and the $18,500 Executive Package (Extended rear seat comfort with body and foot massage functions, footrests, folding tables, extended centre console, seat ventilation, heated steering wheel).

Wade further into the options catalogue and you’ll uncover things like dynamic all-wheel steering ($4500) and Matrix Laser Lights ($13,200) that purportedly project forward light up to 600 metres – double the reach of regular high beam.

The rear seat of the A8 bristles with new technology, from Matrix reading lights that can be intricately directed to far-flung areas of the cabin, or narrowed to an airplane-style reading light at the push of a button. From the rear seat, passengers have an inordinate ability to control key components of the cabin including sound, temperature, lighting or even phone calls.

While we’re on the rear seat, the enlarged proportions mean there is more space than before; even in the regular wheelbase model, there aren’t likely to be too many complaints on knee room.

The long-wheelbase version extends that level of luxury just a little bit further, and lends itself to even more opulence with the availability of optional packages. For a handsome fee, of course.

All variants of the A8 are available with a three-year servicing package that costs $1900.

The A8’s huge perceived advancement for 2018 is that of safety.

In Audi’s own words, the A8 is available with up to 40 different driver assistance packages. They range from a 360-degree camera to an autonomous emergency braking function that can spot pedestrians at speeds of up to 85km/h, bolstered by renewed structural safety and the fitment of 11 airbags.

But the biggest breakthrough, according to Audi, is the car’s promise of ‘Level 3’ autonomous driving functionality - the new "gold standard" for luxury cars. Using new technology including a laser scanner at the front of the vehicle, the car can now monitor objects from further away, "and in certain situations ... take over the task of driving".

But the devil is in the detail here. Level 3 functionality has not been activated, and if and when self-driving laws are passed, Audi says the A8 won’t be compatibl, and can’t be flashed to simply comply with standards. This stems from legal and legislative hurdles that don’t allow Audi to employ the tech on a mass basis.

It means the Laser scanner technology can still assist with the A8’s day-to-day functionality, and help with the accuracy of its forward collision alert assistance and autonomous emergency braking function. But it will not facilitate the hands-off Level 3 functionality Audi has hinted at.

While so much of the A8’s brief is about its high-rolling passengers, the end-result from the driver’s seat is also a positive story for the latest incarnation.

The availability of new conveniences, petrol and diesel powertrains and the adaptive air suspension, result in a dynamic package that is much more refined and pleasant in all environments than earlier versions.

In a range of conditions, the A8 is whisper quiet from within the cabin, using clever insulation and active noise cancellation to wash out wind and road noise.

Then there is the new petrol engine, which truly lends the A8 an added dimension on the road – especially in the face of a declining diesel market. Its 250kW and 500Nm outputs are delivered in a responsive and refined manner, offering adequate low-down shove but equally spritely bursts in acceleration (think a nought to 100 post of 5.7 seconds).

But whereas the petrol is free-revving and happy to play at the upper end of the spectrum, the diesel enamours with its stump-pulling torque, some 600Nm from a lowly 1250rpm. Working in tandem with the silky-smooth eight-speed automatic, the oiler toils away softly in the background to shift the A8’s considerable 1950kg heft and is the more economic offering of the two (6.0L/100km claimed against 8.2L)

On both engines, Audi’s 48-volt mild hybrid system makes useful and unobtrusive interventions by offering gentle electric assistance from a standstill, and by facilitating electric-only propulsion during coasting scenarios between 55km/h and 160km/h.

Audi continues to draw criticism over the tuning of its electrically-assisted power steering, but in honesty, there are no huge qualms with the A8’s configuration. It is an incredibly easy car to place on tight roads, and the steering feels well-weighted and responsive to driver inputs.

Moreover, the car’s body control is first-rate for this segment, offering excellent stability during quick changes in direction, and faithful levels of grip - relatively speaking.

Four-mode adaptive suspension allows the car to glide over most imperfections, with harsher objects including ‘cat’s eyes’ reflecting with a faint ripple through the chassis.

Meantime, Audi’s advanced ‘AI suspension’ – which can adjust its suspension by reading the road ahead - will be available on car’s from next year, the manufacturer says. It promises to dramatically reduce front-end drive when braking and body roll when cornering, while also priming the suspension for bumps in the road ahead.

Ultimately, the A8 does take Audi to new heights in terms of luxury, safety and refinement. It is a sterling effort from the German car-maker, and sets a genuine precedent for upcoming follow-up models.

But in some respects it struggles to reach the 'car of tomorrow, today' mantra that Audi had desperately hoped for. Yet.

Then again, the future is promising.

2018 Audi A8 pricing and specifications:
Price: $192,000 (50 TDI), $195,000 (55TFSI), $207,000 (50TDI LWB), $210,000 (55 TFSI LWB) *plus on-road costs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-diesel/3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 210kW/600Nm, 250kW/500Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.0-8.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 156-188g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP