Lap Of Luxury – Audi A8 L (Part 2)

Audi A8L – Rear

Under the car’s classy bonnet, the 3.0-litre 90-degree V6 TDI diesel engine that the A8 L came equipped with is one smooth operator. It’s barely audible from the outside and you’re more than likely to mistake it for a petrol unit if you didn’t notice the TDI badge at the rear of the car. This unit develops a peak torque of 580 Nm at a lowly 1.750 RPM, which then stays flat till 2,500 RPM with max power of 258 PS kicking in at 4,000 RPM. The result is that you hardly experience any turbo lag. All the time, Mated to this engine is an eight-speed tiptronic with DSP and sport programme, which works brilliantly whether you want to cruise at three-digits speeds on the highway, potter through city traffic en route to work or if you want to have a blast on an open stretch of expressway.

To aid your desires, be the sporty, relaxed or commuting orienated, there is Audi’s adaptive air suspension. Choose your suspension setting – Auto, Comfort, Dynamic and Individual – from the Audi Drive Select programme on the centre console via the lone rotary knob and you’re good to go. The ride quality at any speed is superlative and you’ll barely feel the bumps or potholes on the road. It works equally well, aided by that taut chassis and the phenomenal quattro system, to return great handling as well. The deal is made further sweeter with Audi’s electro mechanical dynamic speed dependent steering wheel, which returns great feedback while weighing up nicely as speeds rise and conversely lightening up as the car slows down. All of these combine to enhance driver confidence and allow him to push a little it harder.

Audi A8L – Engine

At the same time, things continue to remain relaxed for the passengers given the car’s minimal body-roll.Immense peace of mind comes from the A8 L’s ventilated disc brakes with dual circuit braking system, ESC (electronic stability control), ABS (anti-lock braking system) and EBD (electronic brakeforce distribution). Step on the brake pedal and the car starts shedding speed immediately. At the same time, the brakes are very progressive so you know how much pressure you’ve already applied and how much harder you can brake. Together with the ample grip from the car’s Goodyear 235/60 R17 tyres, the brakes work brilliantly to bring the Audi A8 L to a complete stop.

2014 Audi A8 L – Grill

For petrol-heads Audi have the 4.0-litre TFSi with 435 PS on tap as an engine option while for consumers who are on the lookout for an even more delightful diesel there is the 4.2-litre TDI with 385 PS. The more down to earth 3.0-litre V6 starts at just over $ 185,489.70 (ex-showroom, Delhi or Maharashtra). At that end of the price range, the BMW 7 Series is the cheapest starting at $ 164,411.33 (ex-showroom) while the Jaguar XJ and the Mercedes S-Class are nearly the same at just over $ 252,940.50. On the whole, therefore, the new Audi A8 L makes for a compelling new option for the buyer in that segment.