In India, if a car buyer is willing to splurge a seven-digit figure on a car, they are spoilt for choice than car buyers in the mass-market segment. Not only do they have the option of buying top-of-the-line vehicles from the triumvirate of German luxury carmakers—Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz—but also ones bearing an iconic, marquee badge such as those of Jaguar or Land Rover; Porsche; Maserati; or even a Bentley or a Rolls Royce. However, in India, the competition for the largest luxury carmaker is between the Germanic carmaker tribes—which is why Audi has pulled out all the stops for its flagship luxury sedan, the A8L, which was launched earlier this year. The new A8L will take on the likes of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the BMW 7-Series.
The A8L, hitherto, is an understated limousine. Not known for its ostentatious overtones, something that the Mercedes S-Class is synonymous with, or for its streamlined performance on the road, which has given BMW almost a cult-like following, the A8L is as adept in its regal presence as its German contemporaries are. The A8L may not be a head-turner at the outset, but when passersby glance at the length of the long-wheelbase vehicle—albeit slightly pruned from the competition, in terms of absolute dimensions—rarely can they not acknowledge its presence. This was accentuated on the crowded roads of the bustling conurbation of Delhi—where vehicles, which otherwise keep their elbows out for even an inch of road, gave way for the A8L to pass, something which is expected by those who are driven in this lounge-on-wheels.
What further makes its presence imposing on the road is the new chrome grille—which occupies most of the space in the front of the car. Festooned with chrome, with the four interlocking rings of the Audi logo at its centre, it is the grill, and the adaptive headlight units placed next to it will let anyone even from a distance know that this is not just any other Audi. However, these headlight units do not come as standard equipment, and the car buyer needs to shell out another ₹10 lakh for it. But for what it is worth, and as the name suggests, the headlights do not need the driver’s input on visibility, for they can automatically adapt to the conditions on which the A8L is being driven. The chrome garnishing goes beyond the grille, encircles the air intakes, and goes to the side of the car—where the 19-inch alloy wheels are housed.
Interior: A house divided
The interior of the Audi A8L is what will leave most people divided. While the cabin has the familiarity of broadly being the same as not only previous generations of the A8L but also as other Audis, the fact that it does not offer a striking impression—with a disruptive, inimitable design—may not work in its favour, as Indian car buyers, especially HNIs, are now looking for cars, which according to major carmakers, are aspirational in design.
Notwithstanding, the rear seats of the A8L live up to its name. The seats recline, and with massage options and ventilation, help those seated in that covenant row wind down after a long day at work. The co-passenger seat in the front row can be pushed almost to the dashboard of the A8L with the touch of a button, and out comes the footstool, letting one almost lie down completely. Even in peak traffic hours in and around Delhi, the A8L’s cabin does so well in insulating the din outside, that one could fall asleep in the headache-inducing traffic jams or snarls. At night, the ambient lighting—with 30 shades to choose from—further makes the cabin ideal for a nap or a siesta between destinations. If sleep is elusive, then the 10.1-inch infotainment screens—with the option to stream content on Netflix—recreate the living room experience. When it is an occasion to celebrate, the A8L has a built-in refrigerator between the two reclining seats, where one can keep in handy, chilled bottles of champagne.
Driveability: An off-putting paradise
The driveability of a car like the A8L is not a deal-breaker, as the owner of this car may never get behind its wheel. Despite the enormous size of the A8L, especially its 5.3-metre length and 3.1-metre wheelbase, the three-litre mild hybrid engine is not bogged down. The throttle response exceeds all expectations, and even when the car was driven at triple-digit speeds on the expressway, the car was as stable and serene as it would be while snarling on traffic. Even the 8-speed automatic gearbox, instead of the dual-clutch transmission of the Germanic tribe of carmakers, does not come in the way of a refined, smooth experience. Even while putting the foot down on the throttle in the midst of manoeuvring an overtake; the gear-shifting is not jarring, at all.
There is also an active suspension system, which uses the front camera of the A8L to alter the riding height in real-time. What this entails is that most potholes are not felt even when the car went through them. However, this feature is an add-on and not standard, and one needs to shell out an additional ₹15 lakhs. While the company claims that the A8L can give 14-15 kilometres for every litre of fuel, which is far from real-world efficiency. The A8L is a gas-guzzler, and it did not deliver more than 8 kilometres per litre in city conditions. With Audi doubling down on its electrification strategy in India, the A8L could very well be one of the last of its kind.
But that is where the fun ends. The dashboard of the A8L is identical to what is available in the cheaper Audis, even the seemingly immaculate infotainment system. The climate control unit is a touch screen placed below the infotainment system—an extremely inconvenient position, for one, cannot adjust the temperature of the cabin without taking their eyes off the road. What is even more consternating is the fact that the car lacks functionalities as basic as wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay—a feature which has trickled down to cars which cost a fraction of what the A8L does.
Verdict
As mentioned earlier, the A8L is not as ostentatious as the S-Class is, or has the punch of the 7-Series. What it indeed is the daily driver for an entrepreneur or a C-suite executive who wants to make their presence known, but not at the expense of becoming the centre of attention. The A8L can turn heads, but it can also camouflage itself in the shadows of serpentine queues of vehicles on roads. Features such as a foot massager are segment-first, something which is not present even in the S-Class.
The A8L comes in two variants—the Celebration Edition (priced at ₹1.29 crore, ex-showroom price) and the Technology Edition (priced at ₹1.57 crore, ex-showroom price)—and while it is the latter that packs all the bells and whistles, the price of the Celebration Edition fits the bill, for it is cheaper than its German contemporaries (Audi is known for offering lucrative deals on its portfolio as well, so the price could go down even further). The Technology Edition is priced at par with the S-Class or the 7-Series, and the Indian car buyer could very well be swayed away from the A8L.