Audi launches A8L in India for Rs 1.11 crore
The German marque’s flagship saloon, the A8L has been launched in India with extensive updates at Rs 1.11 crore (ex-showroom Maharashtra). The updates consist of structural and technological upgrades including Audi’s tricked-out Matrix headlamps which make the luxurious saloon all the more desirable.
Among the changes, the exterior of the A8L now gets a re-designed engine hood which has twin creases carried till the headlamps, a single-frame grille which extends till the bumper and a new front bumper with added strips of chrome. The tail section too has been re-styled to lend a more cohesive look to the design. A chrome strip has been integrated into the tail lamps and although overall dimensions remain the same as the previous model, the tail now appears to be broader. The space frame is made entirely out of aluminium and weighs just 231kg.
[caption id=”attachment_3144" align=”alignnone” width=”620"]
Joe King, Audi India Head with Nicholas Cage at the launch[/caption]
The interiors now feature a host of customisable options including wooden inlays, leather trims, door sills, folding tables et all. Seats feature ventilation and massage functions; there’s a Bang and Olufsen surround system, an air ioniser, heads-up display and Audi Wi-Fi too.
Engine options now include a 4.0-litre twin-turbo TFSI V8 which develops 435bhp while there are two diesel motors on offer. The 3.0-litre TDI engine develops 250bhp while the more powerful 4.2-litre TDI develops 385bhp. These engines have been spruced-up for the new A8L as power for the 4.2 TDI engine has been bumped up by 35bhp while the 3.0-litre engine now churns out 30Nm more torque. The 4.0-litre TFSI unit also sees a bump up of 15bhp helping it clock a 0–100kmph time of 4.6 seconds. All models get an 8-speed tiptronic gearbox while quattro all-wheel-drive system and Audi Drive Select come as standard.
The most innovative addition to the A8L is the matrix headlight system. These headlamps use 25 individual LEDs which can be operated individually as required. These sum up to an astonishing 966,105,422 different illumination configurations that can be achieved. This helps dimming out direct light to oncoming traffic while the rest of the road can be fully illuminated.
Audi has been on a roll this year. Starting off by launching their most powerful model in India yet, the RS 7, followed by a host of new showrooms and very recently, their pre-owned showroom called Audi Approved Plus. With further plans of expanding its dealership network to 40 dealerships by this year’s end, the A8L adds to their aggressive marketing strategy for this year.
