Insurance Group: 44
MPG: 43.5
CO2: 171
0-62 Mph: 6.2 secs
BHP: 247 BHP
Range: 861 miles
The saloon is sleek and well-equipped with loads of features including rear parking camera and satellite navigation complete with touchpad.
PROS: The 3.0 TDI Quattro SE Executive is a powerful saloon, with a fantastically efficient diesel engine. The cabin is fully equipped and elegantly styled. Four-wheel-drive means that the handling is stable and controlled.
CONS: The V8 is much more powerful and the steering of the A8 is not particularly sharp.
All the A8 cars are powerful saloons even with the smaller engines in the range. The car has good grip, especially with the four-wheel-drive and the adjustable air suspension means you can select the level of firmness you desire. Unfortunately it can sometimes lack firmness whilst the steering is a little unresponsive.
The V6 engine runs on diesel and has a smooth eight-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox, which provides smooth acceleration - allowing the car to travel from 0-62 mph in 6.2 seconds.
The engine is refined and the saloon has hardly any road or wind noise, thanks to the acoustic wind shield. The overall power figures stand at an impressive 247 bhp of power with 405 lb-ft of torque, giving the car a great top speed of 155 mph.
The interior of the A8 is well-designed and of a high-quality, living up to the reputation of Audi as a stylish manufacturer. The seat and steering wheel adjust comfortably and the dash is free from clutter and well organised although rear visibility is not great due to the high set rear.
The 3.0 TDI Quattro SE Executive comes with leather seats, metallic paint, power steering, satellite navigation, cruise control, climate control, stability control, rear parking sensors, alloy wheels, MP3 connectivity and stereo as standard with optional extras including Bluetooth for £410.
The Executive upgrade includes rear parking camera and a powered boot lid.
The A8 also features a touchpad linked to the satellite navigation and the start/stop system and electromechanical power steering come as standard to improve efficency and lower CO2 emissions.
The A8 comes with all the safety equipment you would expect in a high-quality car including driver, passenger and front side airbags, alarm and immobiliser as standard. It also has stability control to prevent accidents and anti-lock brakes.
There are also front and back ISOFIX child seat mounting points and options to fit adaptive xenon headlights, lane-departure warning systems, a rear-view camera and blind-sport warning systems.
Unfortunately, Audi’s recent rating for reliability has been slightly negative and they did not fare well in the 2011 JD Power survey. This means that, despite the standard warranty offered on the model, buyers should exercise caution.
The boot is fairly sizeable offering 510 litres (though not the largest in the competition) and the A8 has got plenty of room for front and back passengers in both head and leg room.
The running costs are high with the A8 due to the size of the engines. The 3.0 TDI Quattro SE Executive model costs £63,230 and has a combined economy of 42.8 mpg and CO2 emission rate of 176 g/km.
The A8 is not a cheap series of cars and running costs and CO2 emissions are high. The V8 offers the most power, but the cheaper V6 is the best value for money as it still proves to be a very strong engine but much more affordable.
The resale value of the A8 is fairly good but then this is true for cars of this class.
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