Insurance Group: 44
MPG: 32.1
CO2: 205
0-62 Mph: 6.2 secs
BHP: 286 BHP
Range: 635 miles
The engine is powerful and refined, but can’t match the power of the V8 (which will also cost a great deal more in running costs). The diesel engine is much more efficient and will save in fuel costs and in CO2 emissions.
PROS: The 3.0 TFSI is a strong, powerful engine, with good handling thanks to the four-wheel-drive and a refined, quiet engine. The cabin is fully equipped and elegant.
CONS: The steering could be sharper and the running costs will be higher than with the diesel engine.
The V6 engine runs on unleaded petrol with a fuel tank capacity of 90 litres. There is an eight-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox, which provides smooth acceleration.
The refined engine delivers a total power output of 286 bhp with 309 lb-ft of torque to give the car an impressive top speed of 155 mph and fast accelerations speeds of 6.2 seconds (when travelling from 0-62 mph). This means that the car delivers strong power whilst generating little noise and even noise from the wind and road is kept at bay thanks to strong cabin insulation.
All the A8 cars are powerful and this model has good grip, especially with the four-wheel-drive and the adjustable air suspension. The steering can be a bit unresponsive however and this is a real disadvantage.
The interior of the A8 is well-designed and high-quality, living up to Audi's strong reputation.
The seat and steering wheel adjust comfortably and the dash is free from clutter and well organised. Rear view visibility is not great due to the high set rear but the Executive upgrade on this model provides rear parking sensors as a standard feature in order to address this issue.
The 3.0 TFSI Quattro SE Executive also 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.
Unfortunately the reliability of Audi has come into question of late and the brand performed poorly in the 2011 JD Power survey. This means that reliability could be a concern for buyers and that makes the three year warranty a vital addition.
The boot is fairly sizeable offering 510 litres when the seats are in place. Whilst this is decent for a car of this class it is not the largest on offer. However the A8 also benefits from plenty of room in both the front and back, with passengers benefitting from amply head and leg room.
In terms of safety equipment you get a great range of features as you would expect in a high-quality car such as this. These features include driver, passenger and front side airbags to protect the occupants from impacts as well as an alarm and immobiliser to protect the car from theft.
It also has stability control to prevent accidents and anti-lock brakes to ensure ultimate safety when driving. There are also front and back ISOFIX child seat mounting points and options to fit adaptive xenon headlights, a lane-departure system, a rear-view camera and blind-sport warning systems.
The running costs are high with the A8 due to the size of the engines. The 3.0 TFSI Quattro SE Executive model costs £63,495 and has a combined economy of 30.4 mpg and CO2 emission rate of 217 g/km.
Whilst the purchase price is high you do get a lot of kit for your money and the quality of the car feels high even though reliability is a concern. Practicality is also high but buyers may find it hard to reconcile the overall cost with the drawbacks associated with the range.
That being said, resale values are strong - as with most cars of this class - and that means this would be a fair investment for buyers.
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