(NUI) - With its new A8 sedan, Audi has rewritten the book on how to build a premium luxury car.
The front-wheel drive A8 3.7 and all-wheel drive A8 4.2 quattro are the first vehicles sold in North America to offer six airbags, including a side airbag for both front and rear outboard occupants.
And with its lightweight aluminum alloy space frame, the A8 has 40 percent greater structural rigidity than a steel frame, increased safety and better handling. It also makes for a car that's easier on the Earth's limited resources - aluminum is abundant, recycles easily and consumes less energy during its useful life.
The Audi space frame took 10 years to develop and employs 40 new patents and seven new aircraft-grade alloys.
Technology aside, the A8 is a supremely appointed luxury car. Within its 118 cubic feet of interior room, burled walnut abounds and organically tanned Nappa leather lends a smooth, supple feel and exceptional breathability to the 14-way power-adjustable seats. Acoustically accurate music arrives through the Bose sound system's eight high-end speakers. Eighteen cubic feet of cargo area make it the class leader.
Red backlit instrumentation is reminiscent of a jet fighter. A power-adjustable steering wheel telescopes, adjusts for height, and motors up and away whenever the key is removed from the ignition. A sophisticated climate-control system fine tunes itself by detecting the intensity and angle of sunlight. In winter, a rest function circulates the residual vehicle heat to keep the interior warm for up to 15 minutes.
The A8's sleek exterior yields a 0.29 drag coefficient - near the practical minimum - and along with special glass contributes to the nearly silent ride inside.
Also contributing to the A8's quiet driving experience are Audi's V8 powerplants with specially designed engine mounts. The 4.2 liter DOHC alloy 32-valve V8 engine provides 300 horses at 6,000 RPM.
Famed Audi four-link suspension geometry creates a "virtual center steering axis" to nullify driveline effects on the front wheels and gives a pleasantly neutral handling behavior.
Audi continues to provide the most comprehensive customer care plan in the industry: three-year/50,000-mile no-charge scheduled maintenance and limited new vehicle warranty, 10-year limited warranty against corrosion perforation, and 24-hour roadside assistance provided by the Cross Country Motor Club Inc.
