It’s Official: Next Audi A8 Coming in 2010
It’s official! The upcoming flagship sedan of the German manufacturer, the Audi A8 will be unveiled in the fall of 2009 and will make its debut on the market next year. Thus, the Audi A8 will enter its fourth generation, but the company will stay focus on evolution rather than revolution.
The next Audi A8 looks more luxury and elegant. It seems that the new model will keep unchanged the famous “Vorsprung durch Technik” meaning it will be made from aluminium space frame chassis (it saves about 150 kilos and compensated for the extra weight of four-wheel drive and sport differential) and will borrow technology components from the A4 and A6. But, even if the new vehicle will feature a start-stop technology in order to reduce consumption, one thing is for sure: the new A8 will not feature a hybrid drive such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Bmw 7-Series.
At first the new A8 will be on sale with 4.2 FSI / 372 hp and a 4.2 TDI / 340 hp engine. After that Audi will be followed by two six-cylinder (gasoline / diesel) with 3 liters and later a V10. On the Audi’s W12 could renounce it lacks a hybrid drive. One sees the D4 internally referred obliquely newcomer from the rear. The dashboard is more driver-oriented than before. As a world novelty is the absolutely draft automatic climate control. More facilities and better serve ergonomy the comfort and safety. The operating system has on the left side next to the dominant controller six Favorites keys; the right is the MMI for Radio/MP3/CD about the air conditioning with separate buttons.
On the other hand, the long-wheelbase version of the new A8 will have more presence and charisma than the current generation: the single-frame grill is even bigger and more powerful, the controversial style LED provide additional lighting effects to the bow and stern, the wider track emphasizes the sporty appearance.
However, according to AutoBild, the A8’s design will be aggressive, will feature too little progress in architecture and in detail, and like the new 7-Series will take no risks.
Source – 4wheelsnews.com; topspeed.com.