Simon and Garfunkel, curry and rice, Batman and Robin, Vettel and Red Bull – some things just work well together.
I get much the same feeling about the 4.2-litre V8 turbodiesel engine recently slotted into Audi’s flagship sedan, the A8.
This is the engine the A8’s been waiting for - not that there’s anything wrong with the other three engines on offer (two turbocharged 3-litre V6s and one 4.2 petrol). It’s just that the V8 turbodiesel’s burly outputs of 258kW and 800Nm, combined with claimed fuel economy of just 7.6 litres per 100km, has a convincing ring to it.
And it’s not only good on paper. The only V8 diesel engine in the luxury D segment makes a great match for the A8 quattro, delivering all the power and refinement you expect in a big luxury car. There’s nothing agricultural about its smooth and creamy sound and, when revved hard, it also develops an acoustic rumble bordering on sporty.
There’s no shortage of muscle either. This Audi flattens the steepest hill with the ease of Mike Tyson flattening a lightweight boxer, and overtakes long trucks in double-quick time. Along with a 250km/h governed top speed which it reaches with effortless haste, the big car takes just 5.8 seconds to sprint to 100km/h at Joburg altitude.
Power goes to all four wheels via an eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox with a sports differential torque-vectoring system as standard equipment.
Audi’s optimistic fuel consumption claim is unattainable in real world driving but the 8.5 litres we achieved on a trip from Jo’burg to KZN was pretty impressive nonetheless (add another two to three litres to that with some town driving included).
Audi’s typically high-quality finishes dominate the luxurious cabin, all presented in a businesslike fashion without overt pomp and ceremony except for the very stylish leather seats.
There’s a large clutter of buttons to operate all of the car’s many toys, but far fewer than there could have been thanks to Audi’s MMI system integrating features like the satnav, audio, and car setup. MMI’s fairly intuitive to use, and also easy to read on the extra large monitor which glides out of the top of the dash when the ignition’s turned on.
The handwriting touchpad for inputting navigation addresses, the one gadget that differentiates the A8 from cars like the S-Class and 7-Series, is a difficult-to-use and quite pointless gimmick.
There’s oodles of interior space and the seats are comfy, as proven over a six-hour trip we drove between Jo’burg and KZN.
The boot could be slightly larger though. Although Audi claims a generous 510-litre load area it still seemed we could stuff less holiday luggage into it than you’d expect for a car this size. Gadgets and gizmos are plentiful in the latest generation A8, although many of them aren’t standard but expensive extra-cost options.
These include adaptive lighting which includes cornering headlamps and an automatic anti-dazzle funtion; night vision with a pedestrian sensor (a fantastic piece of technology); and rear-seat entertainment with DVD screens and Bluetooth headphones. Optional too are items like adaptive cruise control with lane-change assist, and a 1 400 watt Bang and Olufsen sound system.
The A8’s driving dynamics can be changed at the press of a button to suit road conditions and your mood, affecting the stiffness of the air suspension, steering feedback and gearshift settings. It’s more than just a gimmick, and switching from Comfort to Dynamic mode affects the car’s character in a fundamental Jekyll and Hyde kind of way. At the press of a button it turns from silky-riding limousine to sharp-fanged sports sedan with a hell-raising attitude.
What I liked most about this A8 was its quick and sharp responses, and the lack of any “old-man’s car” feel, with no wallowing or pitching as you might expect of such a big tank. This is largely thanks to its lightweight aluminium body which makes the 5.1-metre long Audi feel like a decidedly smaller car (except when you park it, when its tank-ness becomes very noticeable).
What I liked least was its unassuming styling. If it weren’t for our test car’s black paint job and tinted windows which gave it a somewhat mafioso look, it would easily get lost in the crowd. The A8 could easily be mistaken for a smaller Audi and its neat and inoffensive styling simply doesn’t generate the visual grandiosity of a top-of-the-range car.
But perhaps some high-flyers wishing to keep a low profile are seeking precisely this kind of not-too-ostentatious look.
VERDICT:
Selling for R1 121 500 without options, the 4.2 TDi quattro’s an excellent luxury car in almost every regard, and it’s without doubt the pick of the A8 range for its combination of power, refinement and economy. Just a pity the A8 range in general is somewhat let down by its anonymous presence. -Star Motoring