Launched in 2017, the 4th generation of the grand tourer with rings sacrifices the traditional exercise of mid-career restyling. It must be said that it has a strong case against its rivals. If on the French market it does a little better than the BMW 7 Series over the first 10 months of the year (63 copies against 59), they are both rolled by the Mercedes S-Class and its 331 copies. But the latter has just been renewed. That said at the global level, in 2020, the great Audi capped at 22,000 copies, when the BMW seduced 46,000 buyers, and the Mercedes 56,000.
video/x8585qc"/>
Video presentation – Audi A8 restyled (2021): while waiting for the GrandSphere
–
–
Quickly, quickly, we had to restore visibility to the A8. Unfortunately, it is certainly not with this minimalist restyling (even the communication director of Audi France speaks of “moderate facelift”) that it will succeed in countering its rivals, especially the very impressive new EQS, the S-class. electric star, which plays a hypertechnological score, with its (optional) Hyperscreen dashboard, a digital panel more than 1.40 m wide. By the way, my apologies, in the video I said hyperscreen for the S-Class, but the EQS has it. The fact remains that these are the two most “techno” of the current proposals.
–
To believe (without going too far, however) that Audi has limited investments for this restyling, and has put the package for the development of that which will be, like the EQS for Mercedes, the new flagship of the brand: the large sedan that will come from the GrandSphere concept, also 100% electric.
Unless, too, to realize that restylings in this category of cars are still minimalist …
Slight changes outside
So let’s play the game of seven errors to get to distinguish the restyled A8 from the old one, knowing that to get there, the two must be side by side, otherwise it is almost impossible.
In fact, there is hardly that on the front face, with the grille slightly revised in its form, its new filling (and different according to the finishes) and a redesigned and more “sporty” shield, that the changes are visible.
–
Because for the rest, even if the rear bumper is also revised, and the light signatures reworked, it’s almost the status quo. but we know that in this category, conservatism is required. A dogma that Mercedes seems to shatter, however.
Other minor evolutions, new designs of rims, and new body colors, some of which, matt, seem to fit very little with the standing of the car. But if there are more, it is probably that a certain clientele (mostly Chinese) must be interested …
The template, it evolves to the margin, with 2 cm more in length, only due to the increase of the overhangs, or 5.19 m for the “short” version, 5.32 m for the Limousine version , and now 5.45 m for a new Horch version, intended for the Chinese market, we will come back to this.
A completely redesigned interior
Inside, the changes are almost invisible. Even more than outside, everything has been preserved. We must salute a drawing drawn to 4 pins, the presence of three screens of good size, and a truly exceptional quality of materials and assemblies. It is very well done, yes.
But since the release of the latest S-Class, and the EQS, this interior, like that of the BMW 7 Series, appears to be terribly conservative. It was downright “outdated” by the innovation of the Hyperscreen panel at Mercedes. Like it or not, it brought the brand to star in the era of the digital and connected automobile.
Besides, the Audi seems from another century, regardless of its ergonomic qualities or ease of handling (note, the multimedia system remains rich).
–
Note, however, the appearance of heated armrests, advanced massage features, and new screens for rear passengers, who can now replicate your smartphone with Android auto and Apple Car Play connectivity. The management remote control has found a new location in the central armrest, and a particle sensor and air purifier is in place for the passengers.
The equipment gets richer (a little)
In short, nothing revolutionary. The overall equipment is getting a little richer. The rear lights adopt OLED technology as standard, and a proximity sensor that turns on the brake lights fully in the event of an approach of another vehicle within 2 m, regardless of whether you have your foot on the brake or not. Headlights, on the other hand, can adopt DMD (digital micromirrors device) technology, which consists of the use of 1.3 million micromirrors, which disperse the light into as many small pixels, and allow the light beam to be adjusted with precision. . They actually work like … video projectors! With an increased range to more than 600 m, and a function that allows only its traffic lane to be lit at night, and that of the side when changing lanes.
In the end, the biggest novelties would perhaps be the appearance on the one hand of a new S-Line finish, which, like the other models in the range, aims to give the A8 a more sporty look, which is similar to that of the peak version, the S8. Different shields, specific grille filling, as well as the interior trim are on the program.
On the other hand, Audi has developed, for the Chinese market only, a “super luxury” version of its limousine. Baptized “Horch”, it grows 13 cm more compared to the L version, or 5.45 m! It adopts a specific upholstery, with patterns inlaid in the leather (a crowned H), an enlarged quilting, thicker carpet on the ground, like the Rolls-Royces, an extended panoramic roof and a grille with vertical patterns, supposed represent more luxury.
Technical status quo
Technically, the restyled A8 sticks to what the old one offered. Under its hood, on the French market, a diesel engine, the 50 TDI, with 286 hp and 600 Nm of torque, and 4 petrol: 55 TFSI of 340 hp, 60 TFSI of 460 hp, 60 TFSI-e, with hybrid engine rechargeable with the same power (and 14.4 kWh battery), and finally S8 bi-turbo with 571 hp. The engines still all benefit from 48 V microhybridization to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
And all of the A8s are still equipped with the Quattro transmission and the Tiptronic8 gearbox, then depending on the versions and options subscribed, the adaptive predictive suspension, rear wheels steering, the automatic parking function (no need for be on board), level 2 semi-autonomous driving. In all, nearly 40 driving aids are still available. The S8 keeps its dynamic steering and sport differential.
The new prices are not yet known, except the “from” one, which is set at € 99,000. And it is at this level, if it is not too greedy, that the A8 could pull out of the game. Indeed, faced with a conquering and technological S-Class, and a Series 7 which sells twice better, it is by posting less ambitious prices that it could possibly remake a small place on the market. While waiting for the next generation of large sedan, which promises, everywhere, as being now electric, connected, and possibly very autonomous. The GrandSphere is an announcer in any case.
Orders for this restyled A8 are already open
–
