A8/S8 [Official] The new Audi A8

[Centurion]

That front & rear suspension look very formidable. Complex as hell. But it looks promising & potent. Can it outmatch MB's ABC / MBC suspension IRL. It has some real potential! I'm eager to read first reviews.

Yupp. The Q5 and Q7's air suspension are offer the best ride quality in their respective class. The new A8 stand at good chance at being in the elite class of few to beat the S-Class on comfort.

 

[Busty]

Any info on 'factual' weight yet?
It's certainly one of the hot topics for the Audi guys themselves (in a negative sense) ...

Another marginal note: have not yet seen really appealing, not to mention clearly new, wheel designs.

 

[Sonder]

Bauhaus versus Barock.

yeah, but the Barock is the A8, because we've seen this design 15 years now alreday...just so boring...

 

[EnI]

So, after seeing the video ... Detailing is superb! Inside & outside.

The overall exterior styling is too conservative yet too busy at the same time. Lights graphics is just too tacky for my taste. Especially the sequential "fire-up" feature. Christmas tree, anyone?

Interior is extremely techy-looking. Very cool. Too cool. Just cold. Not very inviting & not appearing cosy at all. Although the details are amazing.

Styling, design, features, appearance etc caters very much to the tech-savvy buyers of luxury large sedan. New luxury? It could be. But there are still quite a lot conservative baroque-loving customers out there (based on S-class sales figures). And still quite a lot of those who want something in between.

I'm eager to see, hear, read (and later also test) how it drives & rides. It looks like a serious attack on 7er & S-class & LS et all - all at the same time. As promised.

 

[EnI]

Animation: blob:https://www.audi.de/49a4dd9b-5f69-4e3c-b6c2-2ac4db4f9164 (link not working; copy/ paste the entire URL into the address bar)

 

[Deleted member 1071]

yeah, but the Barock is the A8, because we've seen this design 15 years now alreday...just so boring...

...so...the boudoiresque S-Class is Bauhaus ?

I'm confused.

 

[Giannis]

What I find quite interesting is the use of materials. Firstly, Audi has used CFRP in a key part of the chassis. If you looks at the image which shows the number and direction of each layer, you'll count multiple fiber layers. As an engineer I can tell you that that's a lot of sheets.

For comparison, when you wrap up a reinforced column as a way of retrofitting it (because it's damaged or you want to increase its strength) a maximum of 3 CFRP layers are used, as the effectiveness of each layer drops to about 20% from the fourth layer.

Audi's scheme reminds me of aerospace grade CFRP, where multiple layers in many directions are used. Also, I find the design of the front strut brace quite nice, yet I am disappointed that the front strut towers are made of aluminum. The front strut towers are possibly the most failure prone part of the chassis in normal conditions. Audi's approach of the front strut brace (as opposed to BMW's for instance) is a whole new subject though. I can elaborate if anyone is interested.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

View attachment 416291
View attachment 416304 View attachment 416305

Looks cool in that shot !

Who'da thought ?? A photogenic Audi ?

 

[Giannis]

Finally, the most interesting part for me is the bonding of all those different materials. The CFRP part is bonded with the chassis with epoxy glue, as is the industry standard (because you need a large area to transfer forces between CFRP and steel parts, as CFRP's very prone to individual fiber failure under large concentrated stresses).

Spot welding, laser beam welding, MIG welding, roller hemming and clinching are also industry standard for decades and decades and the various types of punch rivets are fairly modern techniques, but those flow-drill screwing, I've never seen them again!

 

[martinbo]

Hell! That's one technological tour-de-force.

Notice how the photographs are angled to best hide that nearly meter-long (from wheel hub) front overhang.

 

[martinbo]

Finally, the most interesting part for me is the bonding of all those different materials.

It's positively riveting.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

So, after seeing the video ... Detailing is superb! Inside & outside.

The overall exterior styling is too conservative yet too busy at the same time. Lights graphics is just too tacky for my taste. Especially the sequential "fire-up" feature. Christmas tree, anyone?

Interior is extremely techy-looking. Very cool. Too cool. Just cold. Not very inviting & not appearing cosy at all. Although the details are amazing.

Styling, design, features, appearance etc caters very much to the tech-savvy buyers of luxury large sedan. New luxury? It could be. But there are still quite a lot conservative baroque-loving customers out there (based on S-class sales figures). And still quite a lot of those who want something in between.

I'm eager to see, hear, read (and later also test) how it drives & rides. It looks like a serious attack on 7er & S-class & LS et all - all at the same time. As promised.

Absolutely. In essence, it is whittled-down to a matter of personal preference. And I suspect that, merely in terms of unit sales, the A8 will be unable to loosen, much less break, the M-B S-Class' stranglehold on this particular segment. It may do a bit more harm to BMWs' 7-series in this aspect. But good sales do not necessarily define a given automobile as being "better" perse.

With regard to an affluent clientele, I can easily envisage a good number of Porsche 911 Carrera owners opting for a new A8 (or better said, S8) as their luxury sedan of choice. An Aston Martin DB11 owner may prefer an S-Class or BMW 7 series.

 

[Matski]

It's positively riveting.

Screw that, I'm positively glued to these details!

 

[klier]

YOUCH!

What a disaster! Exterior is a caricature at best, and the interior looks like it's melting. Or better put, like an old lady where things are starting to...uhm...hang a bit....

And that rear? My lord, talk about a disconnection between the over styled front and the plain rear. The rear almost looks like an old previous gen A6....

 

[Centurion]

Absolutely. In essence, it is whittled-down to a matter of personal preference. And I suspect that, merely in terms of unit sales, the A8 will be unable to loosen, much less break, the M-B S-Class' stranglehold on this particular segment.

Maybe the LWB saloon loving Chinese will prop the A8 sales figures. VAG have an extensive lineup of sedans in China and the Pheaton, despite flopping in the West, had acceptable sales there.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

Maybe the LWB saloon loving Chinese will prop the A8 sales figures. VAG have an extensive lineup of sedans in China and the Pheaton, despite flopping in the West, had acceptable sales there.

..and actually, one can spot some similarities in accentuating details between the China-only VW Phideon and its' MLBevo A8 sibling.

I'm not sure whether this is a good thing.

 

[martinbo]

Screw that, I'm positively glued to these details!

Hmmm, you just wanted to join in on the conversation to bond with us.

 

[klier]

Found a new pic guys:

Enjoy!

 

[Matski]

Yikes... now you mention it @Jimmy , I think I actually prefer the Phideon front end!

also...

Spoiler: Phideon

Hmmm, you just wanted to join in on the conversation to bond with us.

I did for both the clinching.. and the grip punching...*

*vague pun is vague

 

[JHF]