29 Jun 05
3.2 FSI: new entry point to range
When Audi launched the current A8 it embarrassingly claimed that it appealed to the 'rock aristocracy'. Sure, a few aging rockers might have bought the large executive saloon in preference to its BMW and Mercedes rivals, but the vast majority of sales go to businessmen wanting a discreet, classy car to whisk them to and from the office rather than backstage at Glastonbury - where admittedly the four-wheel-drive quattro transmission might prove useful.
Now old enough to warrant some mid-life revisions, the A8 range has adopted the bolder grille previously seen only on the flagship 6.0 W12 model. Along with the controversial new look, two engines have been replaced in the line-up; a new 3.2-litre V6 FSI petrol engine has been exchanged for the 3.0-litre unit as the entry point, and the new top-shelf diesel is a 4.2-litre V8 TDI which supersedes the outgoing 4.0-litre TDI unit.
But 4.2 TDI is a real barnstormer
Impressive as the 3.2-litre V6 petrol is, it's the turbodiesel that's unquestionably the star of the revised range. Audi claims it has no competition - it's the fastest, most accelerative, most powerful diesel car in the UK, apparently. And with 322bhp the A8 is certainly strong, but Audi has forgotten about Volkswagen's 5.0-litre V10 turbodiesel fitted to the slow-selling Phaeton. Sure, the A8's horsepower betters the Phaeton's 309bhp - but the Audi can't match the VW V10's whopping 553lb ft slug of torque, falling 74lb ft short. And that's the kind of twisting force that comes in handy for overtaking. That said, the A8 still easily beats its VW relative from standing: 0-62mph takes just 5.9 seconds compared to the Phaeton's 6.9sec dash. Top speed for either is limited to 155mph, though.
Drive the big A8 diesel to achieve these numbers and you'll never manage anything like the 30.0mpg claimed fuel consumption figure, nor the potential 590 miles between fill-ups. On the plus side, carbon dioxide emissions, crucial for business users when totting up the yearly tax bill, are impressively low for an engine this size, at 258g/km.
