German Car Forum

Arfff, cimpletly dislike it. There are changes wich I can´t stand, because they are all for the worse.

The current A8 side profile, wich is simply the best part of the car (and the best side profile of the entire Audi line up), has gones totally, and now is exactly the same that the A4 one. UGLY.

The front, very similar shape that the other Audi models, so the have had to make the front lights huge so they are not a copy of the other models. The grille is a big as ugly.

The rear... Meh, again the same style tail lights that A3, A4, A5... But bigger, so they can say us that is not exactly the same.

And the interior... In terms of design it is wose than the actual one, that´s for sure.

Very very bad movement from Audi, specially when F01 is looking that good.

Even though this is a drawing of the evolution of the Audi A5 coupe,
internal sources have confirmed with us that the face on this drawing is quite similar to the face that will appear on the next generation Audi A8 in 2009.

We're told to also look for hints from the R8...


I love the old one!

I still can't believe that some leaked the photos so early ... I mean its more than a year away right ? Heck if I was one of Audi's managing directors I'd be really pissed off ...

No way that car is nice. Still classy clean and minimalistic design. The big grille is perfect on a car like the A8. It makes the car stand out, its a great big focal point for people to concentrate on. It just screams presence, and everyone will know that a big audi is coming. A big focal point is really really important on a really expensive luxury car. Think of it like the fire mantel piece in a mansion. The mantel piece is the focal point of the main room, and it makes the room.

Other cars that have done this for example is the phantom. Grille is a great big focal point.

Made a little chop (made the Grill a little smaller) And also this is defiantly a chop The grill is slightly curved where as th car is facing forward and the lights have been chopped (can tell by the straight lines and sharp corners)


P.s Notice the neat job

Definately, my all-times favorite old one is simply awesome, agreed & sold ...!

Are we sure its the real deal we see?

Worst aspect is without a doubt the rear end. Audi is dead to me.

notice something very important

the gear lever has been decentralized into a secondary utility vis a vis the command, first time it happens in an audi. the centerpoint is now the driver-car interface (very E65). which also entails that the gearlevel will not be "fancy" as it stands from the small gate it has you can expect something like PRND not more, maybe P being the button on the lever. but the problem is i don't see flaps on the steering wheel

practically what we are seeing here is a reformulation of the ergonomic philosophy. the focal point is the MMI, going all the way up to the AC controls ending in the pop up screen via the cd changer.

now problems arise, for one there are no visible audio commands, something that has proven to be a necessity after the original Idrive debacle, no steering wheel buttons is also an issue in this day and age. if this is representative of a finalized audi interios (less quality) like we saw with the F01, then there is a huge misunderstanding of market requirments.

what audi has basically done is fallen into the overt minimalism ushered in by the E65, but splashed in a zillion controls into the MMI itself. instead of the countless buttons around MMI, centralize the gearlever, and add a couple of radio buttons.

^^
Why you you need flaps behind the steering wheel? This is a luxury car, no need for that.

Like you probably know this interior is probably just a general representation of the final design. Like any car on the market it will have buttons and scroll wheels on the steering wheel.

There are actually dedicated radio buttons on the center console.

in all acrs you need to be able to go through the gears, even if 90% of the time or more you just slide it in D, i can't see the lever details but as it stands i don't see any way to go through the gears, i mentioned flaps becuase they are the only extra-lever way to pass through the gears

why is everyone talking like this is the real deal?

Cause it is, samething with the F01 pictures that some people refused to believe were real. Autobild have leaked images like these many times and not one single time have they been fake.

i am 100% sure those are pre prodcution prototype pics of the interior, just like the leaked F01, they lack actual LCD screens, and steering wheel buttons only, and interior fit and finish

I believe it's too early to criticize the looks of the upcoming A8. Let's wait for the final product. I'm sure it will look astonishing.

..........only if they change the design language completely. If it ends up looking like that it will be a complete bore just like the new A4.

Τhe new A4 is boring for you. For me it's by far the best car in it's class.

Now that i saw the new Α8 pics they look real.

That means that either someone who works for Audi sold the pics to the press (highly unlikely) or that Audi is following BMW's path and deliberately leaking shots to the press (very likely).

I disagree. No manufacturer would be stupid enough to leak fully uncovered images of an up an coming product 8-12 months ahead of launch. There's no gain in that, especially when the new production is highly evolutionary. That's just spoils the surprise. Given the large secrecy around Audi's new models which are hardly ever caught driving on public roads, Audi would never do something like this.

If manufacturer's leak images they do it a couple of days before the press embargo is over, just to steer things up. This is without a question not the work of Audi's marketing department. Like with the Panamera, E-class and 7er someone has been invited to see a preview fully scale model of the, snapped pictures and sold them to Autobild.

Exterior is very A4-ish. Typical Audi evolutionary. But Audi designers are adding the BMW-ish elements ... very carefully yet consistently. Eg. more dynamic lines, Bangle-butt-ish boot lid, sportier aggressive appearance, very high & expressive shoulder line etc.

I'm sure the car will look very sharp & aggressive IRL. Yet IMO a bit too evolutionary. With some "controversial" details - ala boot lid.

****

The interior looks very smart. Very smart. An evolution of the current one, yet enhanced.

I like the combination of leather, wood, chrome & ceramics ??? (black trim on dash and center console, & white MMI pointer buttons).

The new e-shifter is very interesting. Sci-fi design like the one in Jag and BMW. Yet With a bit traditional sense though.
The analog clock in the center dash also add some traditional atmosphere.

Very Audi.


What I do not like is the position of MMI control center. It looks positioned to close to the dash. Far,far away from driver. Very Japanese.


****

IMO the car will look fine. Yet ... this time BMW made a home rune with the F01. The new 7er definitely looks much more refined, sporty & elegant than current S-class, and the new A8. It just has that THE factor. Inside S-class is definitely more comfort-luxury oriented, 7er is the sportiest / driver's choice, while Audi will try to offer both worlds ... and try to push benchmark higher with using ceramic trim.




IMO this time A8 will have harder times to fight 7er in the traditional markets (eg. Europe).

Fanboy

3er LCI will win 4 out of 5 tests, wanna bet?

I don't like the new A8 much....just as I thought, the old A8 was the pinnacle of Audi design and they haven't been able to hold on to that. I like the 7er MUCH more, inside out

1. The back looks like the A5
2. the LCD screen is just terrible sticking out like this
3. interior as a whole is a mess. Way too many buttons and weird lines... and that silly analog clock....yuckkkk ! Eni, I really don't understand what you see it it, but I assume you are just being nice...
4. It looks sort of chubby. 7er proportions are much better with the greenhouse so much to the back and long hood.
5. side profile looks a bit dull and A6ish
6. headlights are again the same as every other Audi
7. BANGLE BUTT..OMG...lmao...can you believe it......hahahahaha

So my conclusion is that the old A8 was much better for it's time and that I love these early scoops. The whole new A8 completely reveiled.....must be extremely painful for Audi. This is a huge scoop....

Pre-production 7er vs A8 interior




Audi fans don't have to be worried about quality and fit and finish though, because that 7er interior picture became this in the production car (and the same will happen to the Audi, I just don't like the design):

Funny cause i was also thinking that new 7 series is a lot like modern Audis with the more elegant style and the flowing lines (and almost no flame surfacing).

^Yannis watch your mouth
Don't you know by now that bmw only creates new design themes and never follow or take inspiration?
How can you even suggest such a thing..
Everything they have done from the start of the brand has been like nothing else when it comes to design

Yeah, sure. Audi has a monopoly on elegant style & flowing lines.

Wake up, Yannis.


Before Bangle experiment BMWs were notoriously known for their elegant style & flowing lines. It's just back to the past with the new cars. Nothing to do with Audi.

But that boot lid on the new A8 looks very "bangle-ish".



PS: F01 is much more flame-surfaced than E65 ever was (the only FSed details are on the facelifted hood). I guess you have absolutely no idea what FS really is.



PPS: It's kind a sad I can't even express my opinion freely without geting a slap back by guys like Yannis, Luw, Artist, Merc1 etc. Yet I have I great news for you: I'll slowly fade away from this forum. New job, new times etc. And I got bored of same old people here ... performing same old tricks.

Maybe, but what Audi forgot to add are good proportions