Pieces of eight

The A8 is Audi’s largest luxury saloon which in third generation guise goes up against better established rivals with an astonishing arsenal of technology. There’s enough here to please the most demanding boardroom buyer and arguably the best all-rounder in the range is this variant, the 3.0-litre TDI quattro diesel model. Let’s find out why.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Oct 2010, 14:28 BST

If somebody had told us ten years ago that we’d be driving a two-tonne diesel-powered limo capable of accelerating from rest to sixty two mph supercar-style in just over 6s, we wouldn’t have believed it. Yet that’s exactly what this 250PS 3.0TDI quattro A8 can deliver - thanks to a prodigious 550Nm of torque. Even if you ignore its efficient fuel figures, this diesel variant still feels more flexible than the similarly-priced 290PS 3.0 TFSI petrol option.

A glance at the spec sheet might suggest the A8 to have lost the significant weight advantage the MK2 model used to have over its rivals, courtesy of its aluminium spaceframe underpinnings. But that’s to ignore the way that this Audi is almost unique in this class with its standard fitment of quattro four-wheel drive.

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On any road, in almost any conditions at almost any speed, this A8 feels better the harder you drive it, solidly planted and reassuring in a way that no rival can better and few can match. Whether you’ll feel the same about the standard and very undoubtedly clever ‘Drive Select’ electronic chassis tuning package is another question.

It’s this, Audi claims, that gives the car it’s multi-faceted personality as the driver chooses between ‘comfort’, ‘auto’ and ‘dynamic’ modes, each of which alters the suspension settings and the transmission shift points.

The rest of the A8 experience is luxury personified, with everything from the headlights to the seatbelts programmable to your mood. Highlights? It’s hard to pick one.

Maybe the effortless ease of the silky-smooth 8-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox with its steering wheel paddles and ‘Drive’ or ‘Sport’ shift programmes. Or perhaps the supple ride delivered by the multi-link air suspension.

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Then there’s the awesome refinement delivered by the whisper-quiet TDI engine (a slight rumble on start-up is the only diesel give-away) and the double-glazed glass. Though this isn’t quite the most rewarding driver’s car in its sector, all these things are factors in its status as arguably the most complete one.

Pricing for the 3.0 TDI quattro is between £55,000 and £58,000, depending upon the spec that you choose, with a £4,000 premium if you want the long wheelbase bodystyle.

This A8 is an impressive achievement, with this 3.0 TDI Quattro model the best all-round choice in the line-up. As it should be, this is a showcase for the Audi’s best and most advanced technologies.

Aluminium construction, quattro all-wheel-drive, advanced petrol and diesel engines and mind-boggling hi-tech features - they’re all there and they come together with classy design and robust build quality to create a formidable motor car.

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