In these somewhat trying times, it would appear most prudent to spend some time in the company of something sensible, frugal and achievable for all. It is also important to note that one man’s (woman’s) economy choice is not necessarily the same as the next persons, so to make sure that all bases are covered, it is time to welcome the Audi A8 L 5.0 TDi Quattro into the fold.
Starting at a not unreasonable £81,980 the A8 L continues Audi’s long presence in the all important luxury saloon section of the motoring hierarchy and is designed to take the fight up to and through the front door of BMW and Mercedes. How successful Audi have been depends, I suspect, on how you favour the design language sprinkled liberally throughout this prestige manufactures range.
Certainly Audi, in their own shy and retiring way, describe the A8 L thus, With a sharp design, particularly in the front and rear, the A8 L surpasses the standard version in length and wheelbase by 13cm meaning passengers are provided with even more space in the rear. What this shows is the emphasis placed on comfort, space and luxury for both the driver and passengers, features that the A8 L has in abundance. After all, with 5 comfortable seats, extra leg room, an ample 505 litres of boot space and the ability to adjust various climate, seat and comfort functions individually using the multifunctional central control unit in the rear, this is a car that will cosset you all the way down through the South of France and beyond.
The Audi is a distinctive brute of a machine, displaying, in my eyes, a far more aggressive stance than its direct competitors with the all black grille highlighted spectacularly by the sliver of chrome mounted around the edge. Indeed, have Audi made a better decision that that which led to the removal of the (visible) bumper slicing across the front of the car?
Inside the cabin and the treats are everywhere you turn. With the Tour pack arriving as standard on the A8 L you get the benefit of a number of useful driver assistance functions, including adaptive cruise control and lane assist, head-up display and electric adjustable memory seats, to name a small selection. And the driver treats don’t end there as the A8 L includes the ubiquitous Apple Car Play and Android Auto as standard as are a 10.1” and 8.6” display in the front, with MMI Navigation Plus sat nav and Audi connect4 bringing extra news, traffic and information services. Whilst in front of you, bursting with customisable information is a full HD, 12.3” digital Audi Virtual Cockpit which places navigation, entertainment and system information directly in your line of vision.
Driving the Audi is exactly as expected, it’s incredible. The weight of the machine disappearing as soon as you set off, it’s suspension isolating you from the imperfections of the road ahead whilst still offering sublime body control way above that of your more average motor. With 286 PS of power, enabling acceleration of 0-62mph in just 5.9 seconds the A8 L can surprise and delight at will, offering the driver the option of letting their hair down when the opportunity presents itself. Luxury doesn’t have to mean boring after all.
The ultimate question though is whether you are at a point in your life where the Audi offers value for money and in my opinion, if you are lucky enough to be in the market for something along these lines then the Audi is probably up there in a class of one. And if your not in the position to place this elegant brute of a luxury motor on your drive then you should still be glad that it exists.
This car is incredible.