Audi has unveiled its new flagship
sedan called the A8 at Miami design week. The new sedan is set to
come to America in 2010 and sources cited by Autoblog claim
that the sedan will also be offered in TDI and hybrid versions.
The
standard
version of the A8 has a 4.2-liter FSI V8 with 372 horses mated to
an 8-speed Tiptronic gearbox. The V8 engine is more powerful than the
engine in the previous version of the A8, but Audi manage to improve
fuel efficiency despite additional power. Audi claims that the fuel
efficiency of the new engine is 15% higher than the previous V8.
The 8-speed Tiptronic transmission is
complemented by full-time all wheel drive tuned for more power to the
rear wheels. The A8 is a large vehicle measuring in at 16.85 feet
long with a wheelbase of 9.82 feet. The car is 6.39 feet wide and
4.79 feet in height. The vehicle can also be equipped with radar
sensors that work with the optional adaptive cruise control to change
the speed of the car when in traffic.
Audi uses full LED
headlights on the A8 and the lights change their throw and direction
based on cues from the navigation system inside the car. The new A8
also has an improved MMI navigation and recognizes handwriting.
The
LED lights consist of 22 white and 22 yellow LEDs combined with a
surface reflector. The color temperature of the lights is 5,500
Kelvin allowing the light produced to resemble daylight making for
less eye fatigue. The low beam LED lights consume only 40 watts each
when in use.
Audi's Rupert Stadler said in a
statement, "The new Audi A8 is the sportiest sedan in its
segment. It combines numerous functions in a new and intelligent way.
And it's unmatched in the stylistic elements and impression of the
interior."
The new Audi A8's adaptive cruise control
system can even be used in traffic with a special stop & go
feature that will reduce the speed of the car all the way to a stop
when in traffic. Data is received from 27 different control units to
let the system know exactly where the car is located to make the
system function.
