The New Audi A8 is here and Wow is it something else by , on July 11, 2017, 17:30 While the Audi A8 has always seemed to wear an understated tuxedo with its sleek looks and undeniable style, the third-generation model has been in circulation for the last seven years. So, it was no surprise when we started seeing prototypes hitting the streets and the and now — after a quick peak at the Spider-Man: Homecoming premiere, Audi has laid it all out on the table. As is the usual case with Audi, overall design changes are somewhat minimal, but it does get the new, wide grille, a pair of sexy headlight units, and repositioned body lines that make it even more appealing than ever before. To go along with this, the A8 gets a revises suspension system that includes all-wheel steering and active suspension. Topping off the new generation is a pair of reengineered, turbocharged V-6 engines that will eventually be joined by a pair of V-8 powerplants and a 6. It looks like a genetic engineer simply played with some DNA to make some minor mutations as opposed to an engineer coming up with a fresh design. What we have here is a deceptively fresh look that makes it easy to forget that the last A8 was as attractive as it was. In fact, it looks like a genetic engineer simply played with some DNA to make some minor mutations as opposed to an engineer coming up with a fresh design. From the beltline up, the new A8 looks nearly identical, with the only noticeable difference being the slightly taller mirrors with smaller corner mounts. Otherwise, the rear stationary window, shape of the window cutouts and the roofline have practically carried over. Check it out: What has change along the side profile is the way the lower body lines are executed. In the previous model, the contour of the front fender fed into the body line that ran below the belt line. Down below, the lower body line has been enhanced in size and angled just slightly upward in the rear, giving the car a commanding look from the side without sacrificing a level ride height. With a shorter but wider approach to the grille, the hood now has a smooth edge from corner to corner. The sharp points of the grille allow for top outer edges that run parallel with the new headlights in a sleek fashion while the rounded lower corners follow the contour of the fascia. The wrap around chrome trim that runs along the lower fascia and wraps around the corner vents has been enlarged and now sits higher in the corners with an extra pair of louvers above the fog lights. The redesign of the rear end was executed just as well as the front, with a whole new take on not only the rear fascia but the design of the taillights as well. Where the outgoing model had taller, thicker units that were split between the rear quarters and the rear decklid, the new model uses a thicker chrome strip to go with a long LED strip to visually connect the corners together. The taillights come to a perfect point in the corners and feature an attractive matrix layout that should look sexy at night. New Audi A8 Vs. Old Audi A8 Wheelbase Inches 118. Obviously, the new A8 has an evolutionary cabin in comparison. The massive button panels from the old A8 have been replaced by a new touchscreen display that matches the new 10. The center console is just as wide but features sharper trim on the edges while the shifter has been moved forward a bit. The storage bin to the right of the shifter and the rear-sitting cup holders remain as part of the new cabin. Naturally, the seats get a new design and are fairly supportive for a sedan this size, while the door trim panels got a makeover, too. They are still quite similar, but the armrest is curved a little more in the middle, providing better access to the cubby below. The new hub is smaller and provides for much better visibility toward the instrument cluster. Ahead of the driver sits an all-new steering wheel that features a completely unique design with just two spokes — one on each side — that curve around and connect to the bottom of the center hub. The new hub is smaller and provides for much better visibility toward the instrument cluster. Flatter than ever before and now featuring a long, thin air vent, with shutters that are electronically controlled based on user input to the HVAC control display on the center console. This provides for one of the cleanest looks every, and the long trim that runs along the face sits flush with the infotainment display for an elegant look. Rear seat passengers get their own remote mounted to the rear center console that is removable. It allows them to control things like ambient lighting, reading lights, and the seat massage functions. They are also able to make private phone calls via a separate operating unit. As far as user input, the onboard infotainment systems allow for input via a touchpad up front as well as voice control. Navigation works seamlessly and pulls information from the LTE internet connection. European models offer up 3D renderings of most major European cities, much like the infotainment systems found in new BMW models. It works basically like every other semi-autonomous system in which it can handle the legwork in difficult and slow-moving traffic up to a reported speed of about 37 mph. However, keep in mind that this feature is only available below that speed threshold and only when there is a barrier between your road and the traffic moving in the opposite direction. For this generation, Audi went all out in the drivetrain department. There will be one diesel and one gasoline engine for both main engine sizes, with the 3. In gasoline form, the 3. At some point after the A8 hits showrooms, Audi will begin offering a 4. Finally, the range-topper is the 6. Audi has yet to provide any specs for this engine, but it should match pretty well with anything of the W-12s offered by , which could mean as much as 600+ horsepower and nearly 600 pound-feet of torque — obviously a monster and a gas hog, but it maxed out form, it can get the 2017 and its 5,400 pounds up to 199 mph, hitting 60 mph in just 4. These are important because they solve the issue of the minor waiting period between engine shut off and start up when stopping or coasting. All told, the system provides a recovery output of about 12 kW, which in combination with engine-off coasting, manages to save 0. Finally, Audi is also working on an A8 L e-tron Quattro that will naturally be a plug-in hybrid model. Audi says that it will combine a 3. With the sheer size and weight of the A8 L, the battery will only offer 31. The suspension controller will then adjust each shock automatically at just the right time to prevent the effects of the obstacle from being transferred into the passenger cabin. It can also compensate for body roll during spirited driving and prevent the car from taking a nose dive when braking hard. According to Audi, the suspension can raise either side by as much as 3. The collision protection feature only works at speeds up to 15. To put things into perspective, each wheel gets an electric motor that, paired with a rotary tube, torsion bar, and a lever, can exert up to 811. Sounds pretty wild, huh? In addition to this, the A8 also gets dynamic and rear-wheel steering, which helps keep things sporty while offering up a high level of handling for a car this size. What do you think about this new suspension system for the A8? Let us know in the comments section below. Pricing The new A8 is set to hit showrooms in a few months as we roll into fall of 2017. As you move up the range, there is the S550e plug-in hybrid that runs a 3. Opting for the 750i xDrive gets you the same horsepower with all-wheel drive and a 60-mph sprint that takes just 4. Usually, it drives me crazy how little Audi can change with its facelifts and generational shifts, but not this time. However, I would probably wait for the W-12, or at the very least the V-8 models. Let us know in the comments section below. As you can see, the biggest change come for 2017 is probably the reshaped grille up front. It will now feature longer slants on the upper corners that run parallel with the inner edge of the headlights. Speaking of the hood, we also expect it to take on a more muscular design, featuring sleeker body lines on the outside and a more muscular tone to the center. We expect the side profile to remain about the same. The lower body line will probably be more dominant than before to go with the muscular hood, and the body line that runs from the headlight to the rear, between the waistline and the door handles, will be sharper than ever. Around back, changes will likely be limited to a slightly revised rear fascia and redesigned taillight units. Even with just these minor changes, the 2017 A8 will be the best-looking A8 to date, and that is something we can all be happy about. The new A8 will be making its official debut in July. Check out the Rendering section below to read all about it. Press release Today is where the future begins in the luxury class: The new Audi A8 makes its world debut at the Audi Summit in Barcelona. In its fourth generation, the flagship model again provides the benchmark for Vorsprung durch Technik — with a new design language, an innovative touchscreen operating concept and a systematically electrified drive. The is also the first production automobile in the world to have been developed for highly automated driving. From 2018, Audi will gradually be taking piloted driving functions such as parking pilot, garage pilot and traffic jam pilot into production. Doyen of style: the exterior design The Audi A8 is stylistically defining — it signals the dawning of a new design era for the entire brand. The front end with the wide, upright Singleframe grille and the fluid, muscular body symbolize sporty elegance, sophistication and progressive status. The new A8 delivers on the promise made by the Audi prologue design study. The luxury sedan possesses a powerful presence — whether in the 5. The Audi brand is renowned worldwide for sports appeal, lightweight construction and quattro permanent all-wheel drive — and the design of the new A8 conveys these values. The balanced proportions emphasize all four wheels in equal measure. Muscular shapes above the wheel arches give visual expression to the quattro drive. Viewed side-on, the upright front end combined with the gently inclined rear create visual tension. The flagship model proclaims its identity both day and night, drawing on both the striking HD Matrix LED headlights with Audi laser lighting, and the LED light strip combined with OLED technology rear lights. These produce unique light animations as the driver approaches and leaves the car. Luxury lounge: the interior Freedom is the defining design feature with a new luxury slant. Compared to the predecessor model, it has grown substantially in length in both body versions. The range of equipment and materials is extensive, with every detail radiating superlative bespoke quality — from the perforation in the seat upholstery to the electrically opened and closed shutters on the air vents. The classiest seat in the new Audi flagship model is in the rear right — the optional relaxation seat in the A8 L that comes with four different adjustment options and a footrest. In this seat, the passenger can warm and massage the soles of their feet on a unit with multiple settings incorporated into the back of the front-passenger seat. The new comfort head restraints complete the experience. The rear passengers can also control an array of functions such as ambient lighting, the new HD Matrix reading lights and seat massage, plus make private phone calls, via a separate operating unit. The rear seat remote, with its OLED display as large as a smartphone, is a removable unit housed in the center armrest. Audi carries its high quality standards into the digital age with a radically new operating concept. It does away with the familiar rotary pushbutton and touchpad of the predecessor model. The instrument panel is kept largely clear of buttons and switches. At its center is a 10. The user interface appears as soon as the car is opened. The driver controls the Infotainment system with fingertip control on the large display. They can use a second touchscreen display on the center tunnel console to access the air conditioning and comfort functions as well as make text inputs. When the driver activates a function in the upper or lower display, they hear and feel a click by way of confirmation. The glass-look operating buttons respond in the same way. The combination of acoustic and tactile feedback along with the use of common touch gestures such as swiping make the new MMI touch response especially safe, intuitive and quick to use. The A8 can also engage in intelligent conversation. The driver can activate an array of functions in the automobile using a new, natural form of voice control. Information on destinations and media is either available on board or is delivered from the cloud at LTE speed. The extensive connect range also includes traffic sign recognition and hazard information — innovative car-to-X services that draw on the swarm intelligence of the Audi fleet. The extensively optimized navigation is another new feature: It is self-learning, based on the route just driven. This provides the driver with intelligent search suggestions. The map also incorporates highly detailed 3D models of major European cities. World premiere: the pilot-driving Audi A8 The new A8 is the first production automobile to have been developed specially for highly automated driving. The system is activated using the AI button on the center console. The traffic jam pilot manages starting, accelerating, steering and braking. The driver no longer needs to monitor the car permanently. They can take their hands off the steering wheel permanently and, depending on the national laws, focus on a different activity that is supported by the car, such as watching the on-board TV. As soon as the system reaches its limits, it calls on the driver to take back control of the task of driving. From a technical perspective the traffic jam pilot is revolutionary. During piloted driving, a central driver assistance controller zFAS now permanently computes an image of the surroundings by merging the sensor data. As well as the radar sensors, a front camera and the ultrasonic sensors, Audi is the first car manufacturer also to use a laser scanner. The introduction of the Audi AI traffic jam pilot means the statutory framework will need to be clarified in each individual market, along with the country-specific definition of the application and testing of the system. In addition, a range of approval procedures and their corresponding timescales will need to be observed worldwide. Audi will therefore be adopting a step-by-step approach to the introduction of the traffic jam pilot in production models. The Audi AI remote parking pilot and the Audi AI remote garage pilot autonomously steer the A8 into and out of a parking space or a garage, while the maneuver is monitored by the driver. The driver need not be sitting in the car. They start the appropriate system from their smartphone using the new myAudi app. New dimension: the suspension With a whole package of innovations, the suspension revisits the very limits of what is physically possible. One such innovation is dynamic all-wheel steering, which combines direct, sporty steering with unshakable stability. The steering ratio for the front wheels varies as a function of speed; the rear wheels are turned in or against the direction of steering depending on the speed range. This actively distributes the drive torque between the rear wheels, complementing the quattro permanent all-wheel drive that is now standard in the new A8. The second new technology, Audi AI active suspension, is a fully active suspension system. This flexibility imparts the driving characteristic with huge latitude — ranging from the smooth ride comfort of a classic luxury sedan to the dynamism of a sports car. In combination with pre sense 360°, the car is raised with lighting speed if there is an impending lateral collision, reducing the potential consequences of the accident for all occupants. This highly innovative suspension system obtains the energy it requires from a 48-volt electrical system. Audi now for the first time fits it as the primary electrical system in all model versions of the A8. In conjunction with the advanced air suspension for the A8, the innovative suspension concept delivers an utterly new driving experience. Mild hybrid and e-tron: the drives The new A8 starts out in the German market with two extensively reengineered V6 turbo engines: a 3. The diesel develops 210 kW 286 hp , and the gasoline version 250 kW 340 hp. Two eight-cylinder versions — a 4. The exclusive top engine version is the W12 with a displacement of 6. These vehicles are not yet on sale. All five engines operate in conjunction with a belt alternator starter BAS , which is the nerve center of the 48-volt electrical system. This mild hybrid technology MHEV, mild hybrid electric vehicle enables the car to coast with the engine switched off, and to restart smoothly. The combined effect of these measures is to bring down the fuel consumption of the already efficient engines even further — by as much as 0. The A8 L e-tron quattro with its powerful plug-in hybrid drive will follow at a later date This vehicle is not yet on sale. The lithium-ion battery stores enough power for about 50 kilometers 31. It can optionally be charged by Audi Wireless Charging. A pad in the garage floor transfers the power inductively to a receiver coil in the automobile with a power output of 3. The new Audi A8 and A8 L are being built at the Neckarsulm site and will appear on the German market in late fall 2017. The starting price for the A8 is EUR 90,600, with the A8 L starting at EUR 94,100.