Audi presents a facelifted version of flagship A8. The changes are mainly cosmetic and the (literally) biggest news, the A8 L Horch, is not coming to Europe for the time being.
- New nose, different taillights
- In the Netherlands only as a plug-in and S8
- Especially for China: extra long Horch
The A8 was the car that introduced Audi’s new style in 2017. That does not mean that the Germans took a radically different path, because that is not for Audi. However, the A8 was a bit sharper-lined than the Audis we knew at the time, with less rounded shapes and more sharp folds. This model also introduced the new MMI system, in which the rotary knob makes way for a touchscreen, incorporated in a dashboard full of large glossy surfaces.
rounded
It is precisely this fairly extreme linearity that comes to an end with the facelifted version of the A8, at least as far as the nose is concerned. The front of Audi’s top limousine gets some ‘softer’ corners here and there. The grille is slightly less wide and ends in width no longer in two razor-sharp ‘points’, but simply in a more rounded corner.
The implementation of the fencing is also new, and quite special with its chromed corners. The headlights have a spur at the bottom, as we also see on the A3, for example. They are of course (optionally) filled with the latest state of affairs in the field of lighting technology, in the form of digital matrix lighting that can also project things onto the road. For example, the car illuminates the lane you are driving just a little better than the immediate vicinity.
Mat
Under the headlights and next to the grille we find new air intakes, which visually now put more emphasis on the height than on the width. There is a lot less news to report from the side and at the back. The rear bumper has been changed in detail, as have the rear lights, which now feature OLED technology with variable ‘light signature’. The S8 will have its own layout and A8 buyers can select their favorite variant when ordering. Of course, there are new wheels and new paintwork, with four matte shades being without a doubt the most striking additions.
S-Line
This facelift A8 is also the first A8 ever to be available in S Line trim. We know that of course from other models and means that the car is more sporty. This package can be expanded with a ‘black appearance package’. This means that almost all exterior details are in black, which saves a trip to the wrapper for certain people.
Plugin or S8
The interior news is limited to the arrival of other colors and materials and the introduction of new, optional displays for the rear passengers. Of course, the A8 will remain available in a ‘short’ and a long ‘L’ variant, but the rest of the range is somewhat stripped down. The diesel version has been deleted, leaving only the plug-in hybrid and the S8. That is a pity for those who use the A8 for really long stretches, but on the other hand, the 286 hp 50 TDI was already more expensive before the facelift than the 449 hp 60 TFSIe. Moreover, the latter is now more usable than ever, because Audi mounts a larger battery pack than before. As with the Q5, A6 and A7, there is now a gross 17.9 kWh battery on board. Audi does not yet specify an electric range, but the outgoing model came 46 km with 14.1 kWh. So you can count on us that we will now exceed the magical 50. The plug-in A8 may keep the thick V6 and zooms from 0 to 100 in 4.9 seconds.
If that’s not fast enough, you can open the cut considerably further for an S8. That remains nice itself, with biturbo-V8, 571 hp and a 0-100 time of 3.8 seconds.
Horch
That was the news for the Netherlands. Earlier this week, however, it became clear that Audi is presenting an ultra-luxurious Horch version of the A8 in China. That is a car that has been talked about since 2016 and whose name has been around since 2018. The Audi A8 L Horch can be seen as a direct rival to the Mercedes-Maybach S-class and, like that car, it is extra long. 5.45 meters to be precise, 13 centimeters longer than a ‘normal’ A8 L. Beautifully stitched leather, deep-pile carpet, lots of chrome and special wheels make this super-A8 a special appearance inside and out. If that is not enough, you can opt for a two-tone body, just like with Maybach. The Audi A8 L Horch is currently only on the menu in China, but Audi reports that expansion to other countries is certainly not inconceivable. In the Netherlands, the somewhat shorter and slightly less luxurious A8 should be available from March.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl