Audi A8 3.0 TDI SE Exec

Can Audi storm the last bastion of the prestige sector? The firm has enjoyed a remarkable rise, from leftfield mainstream alternative to a genuine luxury car maker. Now, it faces the ultimate challenge – to beat Mercedes’ S-Class at its own game.
 
From a style perspective, the A8 gets off to bad start. Mercedes learned long ago that giving your flagship model the same look as its smaller stablemates isn’t a good move, but Audi has fallen into this trap. The newcomer resembles an upscaled A4 –great news if you own the compact executive, but not so desirable if you’re forking out £58,600 for the A8.

Its trademark family grille and conservative lines are unremarkable in this company – beside the swashbuckling Jaguar and classy Mercedes, the saloon comes up short, even when it’s wearing the large 19-inch alloys of our SE Executive model. The traditional Audi approach is more successful inside, where the firm’s reputation for interior excellence is demonstrated to the full.
 
The clarity of its displays, the material quality and the layout’s simplicity are all top drawer. High-class aluminium trim comes as standard, and the whole cabin is superbly finished. Ambient lighting gives a premium feel at night, and you get everything from keyless go to an eight-inch colour display that folds smoothly out of the dashboard.

This allows you to operate the sat-nav and stereo using Audi’s tried-and-tested MMI interface. With its colour-coded menus and simple controls, it’s the best system on test. Rear passengers are treated to plenty of leg and headroom, while the large windows make the interior feel spacious and airy. At the back, the big 510-litre boot trails the S-Class’ by 50 litres, but the Audi comes with a power-operated bootlid as standard.

Up front, the A8’s 3.0 TDI V6 diesel engine produces 250bhp and 550Nm of torque. While both figures trail rivals here, the car makes a mockery of the stats against the clock. Thanks to its eight-speed automatic gearbox and 1,840kg kerbweight – which is 220kg less than the Mercedes – the Audi was fastest, both from a standstill and through the gears.
 
It sprinted from 0-60mph in only 6.1 seconds, but the smooth- shifting auto almost has too many gears to choose from. Although the Jaguar responds instantly to prods of the throttle at motorway pace, the Audi takes a moment to select the correct ratio before it unleashes a surge of acceleration. Its gearbox can deliver unwanted downchanges around town, too.
 
The A8 feels faster than the S-Class, but the Mercedes is no slouch and has the edge for high-speed refinement. The Audi suffers because of its large diameter 19-inch alloy wheels, as there’s a firmer feel to its suspension over coarse surfaces. This is even more obvious at low speeds. It picks out lumps and bumps that the Mercedes glides across – although both cars are more cosseting than the Jaguar.

The A8 trails both rivals on refinement – our test car generated a surprising degree of tyre noise at cruising speeds. Minute amounts of kickback are felt through the steering, too – the Mercedes manages to filter out these bumps far more effectively.

Where the A8 really delivers is on back roads, as its huge reserves of grip and four-wheel-drive traction allow you to cover ground at incredible pace. It’s neither as involving nor as willing as the Jaguar, but the responsive manual gearshifts, impressive body control and confidence-inspiring set-up still combine to make the Audi a very capable choice.
 
The Drive Select system allows you to tailor the driving experience to match the conditions and your mood, tweaking the air-suspension, gearbox and steering to suit. You can choose Dynamic, Comfort and Auto modes, or select your own Individual set-up. We’d recommend Comfort, because the steering takes on a heavy, artificial feel in the sportiest mode, and it does the same if you increase the pace in the Auto setting.

Technology addicts are indulged with kit ranging from add-ons designed to improve the driving experience (see Details, Page 89) to safety features such as Audi Assist. For £2,825, the latter provides adaptive cruise control, lane assist and pre-sense, which automatically applies the brakes when a collision is unavoidable.

The A8 goes, steers and stops like a potential class leader, and it’s also the cheapest and cleanest choice here. But in the rarefied atmosphere of the luxury car market, there’s room for improvement in its bland looks, high-speed refinement and low-speed comfort.

Details

Chart position: 2
WHY: A8 aims to mix the sporty appeal of the XJ with the comfort of the S-Class. New 3.0-litre TDI engine could be pick of the range.