Ingolstadt, Germany - It’s not easy to stay at the top of the game in the limo class where the Mercedes S-Class is best known, but Audi is attempting to keep its A8 flagship sedan at the cutting edge with a fresh design for 2022, and new technologies.
On the outside, the base of the singleframe grille is now wider and it’s adorned with chrome garnishes that increase in size from bottom to top. At the rear you’ll find a redesigned diffuser insert which now has horizontal bars.
Another design highlight is the Digital Matrix LED headlights, each of which contains 1.3 million micromirrors which disperse light into tiny pixels to allow the light pattern to be adjusted with the greatest precision. The 2022 Audi A8 also comes with Digital OLED rear lights, and customers can choose between two light signatures.
Beneath the bonnet, Audi is offering four engine choices to overseas customers. These include a 3.0 TDI turbodiesel that’s good for 210kW and 600Nm, a 3.0-litre V6 turbopetrol with 250kW, a plug-in hybrid that pairs the aforementioned engine to an electric motor for a 340kW output, and an S8 flagship powered by Audi’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. The S8, which is currently the only A8 model sold in South Africa, produces 420kW and 800Nm, and according to claims it’s capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in 3.8 seconds.
Adaptive air suspension with controlled damping is standard, while Audi’s rear-wheel steering system is part of the deal for S8 customers, and optional in the other models.
The cabin of the Audi A8 continues as before, offering a wide range of trims and features. In the cockpit area the MMI infotainment system uses two touchscreen displays, measuring 10.1 and 8.6 inches, and the advanced voice assistance system responds to “Hey Audi”. Head-up Display and MMI Navigation plus are standard in the new A8.
There are plenty of back seat options for those who prefer to be driven, including new 10.1-inch full HD screens that are tailored to the expectations of modern rear-seat passengers. The screens display content from passengers’ devices and can also stream music and video via casting. Furthermore, the rear seat remote, which is now firmly mounted to the centre armrest, allows many comfort and infotainment functions to be controlled from the back seat.
The new Audi A8 is available with around 40 advanced driver assistance systems, some of which are optional through ‘Park’, ‘City’ and ‘Tour’ equipment packages.
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