The Audi A8 is a four door luxury limousine from the German automaker that competes with the BMW 7 Series sedan. The A8 entered production in 1994 and the third generation was just unveiled as a 2011 model. Powered by everything from a 2.8 Liter V6 in the base model all the way up to the top of the line 6.0 Liter W12. The first generation S8 was featured in the 1998 film Ronin, powered by a 4.2 Liter V8 making 335 HP. Meanwhile the second generation S8 had a 5.2 Liter FSI V10 under the hood that produced 444 HP and 398 lb-ft of torque and could rocket from 0 to 60 MPH in 5.1 seconds, more then enough to trounce its 12 cylinder luxury limousine rivals despite being electronically limited to a 155 MPH top speed.
Audi revealed the first video for the 2011 Audi A8L W12 that made its world debut at the Beijing Auto Show in April 2010.
The promotional video provided by Audi shows the Audi in its entirety. The video allows the viewer to see the interior up close and personal as the camera zooms in. The Audi A8L W12 has a longer wheelbase with an extra 130mm of legroom which is clearly illustrated as the gentleman in the video stretches out his long legs in the back seat. Of course, we know how well Audi does with its videos considering the mini-series they have created with Justin Timberlake and Dania Ramirez which stars their newest hatchback, the Audi A1.
Back to this Audi. The Audi A8 L W12 uses a twelve cylinder engine that consists of four rows of three cylinders with a 15-degree included angle between the two offset rows of cylinders in each broad cylinder block. The engine is primed to deliver 500 hp and 460.98 lb-ft of torque at 3,250 rpm. The result is a sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, while top speed remains limited to 155 mph.
We’re pretty surprised that it has taken so long for an auto manufacturer to come out with a factory-installed WLAN hotspot inside a car. We figured with the way the Internet was going, somebody would have it done by now.
Well, just in time, Audi has finally taken to making the term ’mobile web surfing’ to where we’ve always wanted it to be: inside a car. The Ingolstadt-based car maker is giving their new Audi A8 luxury sedan an option of having a WLAN hotspot inside it, which can then be connected to up to eight mobile devices while the car is moving.
Users can activate the WLAN by just inserting a data-capable SIM card into the A8’s Bluetooth online car phone and they’re all set to go and enjoy connection speeds of up to 7.2 Mbit/s, which is pretty fast considering that this is a new in-car technology for Audi.
Audi unveiled the long wheelbase version of the A8 luxury sedan today at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show. Compared to a standard A8, the L version is 130 mm longer. It is built on an aluminum chassis using the Audi Space Frame (ASF) that helps reduce the weight by about 40% compared to a comparable steel body.
The top version, the Audi A8 L W12 quattro, uses a twelve cylinder engine (four rows of three cylinders with a 15-degree included angle between the two offset rows of cylinders in each broad cylinder block) that delivers an impressive 500 hp and 460.98 lb-ft of torque at 3,250 rpm. The result is a sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, while top speed remains limited to 155 mph.
The L version is distinguished by a single-frame radiator grille with integral grid structure painted in high-gloss black finish and special chromed horizontal bars, chromed inserts of new design in the air inlets, and chromed applications on the exterior mirrors, W12 badges displayed on the single-frame grille and at the rear of the car and the exhaust system with two trapezoidal-pattern tailpipe trims integrated into the rear bumper.
While Hofele Design was the first one to reveal a tuning kit for the luxury sedan Audi A8, Abt Sportsline brought there own version to Geneva Motor Show.
Abt focused their attention to the 4.2 TDI engine. With a few trick it has been tuned to deliver 385HP and an impressive 880 NM of torque. Next to the engine modification the tuner also added new front spoiler, side sills, the rear aprons with the tailpipe cover and the three-piece rear spoiler.
The car sits on 20 or 21 inch sizes wheels, depending on customer’s desire.
Next to the A1 e-tron, Audi also unveiled a hybrid version for the A8 luxury sedan today at the Geneva Motor Show. The concept is powered by a 2.0 TFSI four-cylinder unit rated at 211 hp and 258.15 lb-ft of torque combined with an electric motor that develops a total of 45 hp and 155.63 lb-ft of torque.
The A8 hybrid has a total weight of 4,155.71 lbs and can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds, while top speed is limited to 146 mph. In all-electric mode it can hit a top speed of 40 mph. Above 40 mph the combustion engine alone does all the propulsive work, while the electric motor supplies onboard users and recharges the battery.
The A8 hybrid is distinguished by 21" two-color wheel rims styled with highly three-dimensional surface areas. The car is painted in "Prism Silver" with "Spectra Flair" as an accent color.
