The Audi A8 L flagship saloon is now in Malaysia boasting the latest tech with a little more room
The fourth generation of the Audi A8 L is available now in Malaysia, boasting a new design language, an innovative touchscreen operating concept and a mild hybrid drivetrain. The ‘L’ in the A8 badge denotes a longer wheelbase. Measuring at 5.3 metres in length, the Audi A8 L is 13 cm longer than the regular A8, 35 mm more than the outgoing D4. The wheelbase is now 6mm longer. Fully-imported from Neckarsulm assembly plant in Germany, the Audi A8 L (D5) 3.0 TFSI quattro Tiptronic retails in Malaysia for RM 879,900.
The Audi A8 L infotainment
Inside the Audi A8 L, the 10.1-inch touchscreen display when switched off blends almost invisibly into the high-gloss black bezel of the instrument panel thanks to its black-panel look. With a resolution of 1,540 x 720 pixels, the curved TFT screen provides sharp images and high contrast, even when viewed from an angle. The menu structure is akin to a modern smartphone.
The driver controls the infotainment system with fingertip control on the large display. They can use a second touchscreen display on the centre tunnel console to access the air conditioning and comfort functions as well as to enter text. When the driver activates a function in the upper or lower display, they hear and feel a click by way of confirmation. The combination of acoustic and tactile feedback along with the use of common touch gestures such as swiping make the new MMI touch response especially safe, intuitive and quick to use.
The latest version of the Modular Infotainment Platform, the MIB 2+, serves as the control hub for all these functions. It integrates a cutting-edge K1 processor by the Audi venture partner NVIDIA. A second K1 chip generates the graphics on the Audi virtual cockpit, which like the digital instrument cluster offers a full HD resolution of 1,920 x 720 pixels.
The drivetrain in the Audi A8 L
In Malaysia, the D5 A8 L comes with a 2,995 cc TFSI twin-scroll turbo V6 engine which makes 340 hp at 5,000-6,000 rpm and 500 Nm of torque at 1,370-4,500 rpm. Paired with quattro permanent all-wheel drive, power is transferred via an eight-speed tiptronic automatic transmission which Audi says “delivers fast and smooth gear shifts,”.
The Audi A8 comes standard with mild-hybrid technology. This enables the car to coast with the engine switched off, and offers a smooth restart at junctions or traffic lights. This also extends the start/stop function and an energy recovery output of up to 12 kW. Audi claims that the new drivetrain is able to achieve 0.7 litres per 100 kilometres in real driving conditions. The key element for this is the 48-volt electrical system, which in the A8 serves for the first time as the primary electrical system.
The Audi A8 L suspension
Having a longer wheelbase, the A8 L benefits from the all-wheel steering system. The steering ratio for the front wheels varies as a function of speed; the rear wheels are turned in or against the direction of steering depending on the speed range. The handling is augmented further with the sport differential, which actively distributes the drive torque between the rear wheels.
Also new to the A8 L in this department is the Audi AI active suspension. It’s a fully active, electromechanical suspension system that works together with the adaptive air suspension. The system utilises electric actuators to increase or decrease the load on each wheel individually as a function of the driver’s wishes and the driving situation for active and optimal control of the body, which is said to improve the ride comfort while providing agile handling characteristics.
In combination with pre sense 360°, the Audi AI active suspension quickly raises the body in the event of a pending side-impact collision. The other vehicle strikes an even stronger zone of the A8 as a result, which mitigates the potential consequences of the accident for the occupants.
