Merriam-Webster defines “flagship” as (1) “the ship that carries the commander of the fleet and carries the commander’s flag”, and (2) “the finest, largest, or most important one of a series…”
That would be the 2011 Audi A8L all over.
Indeed, “flagship” is how Audi defines the A8, and it is the biggest, most luxurious and most impressive and imposing Audi sedan ever. The 2011 Audi A8 is all new, the third generation of the A8 model line, and comes with a superlative generator as standard equipment. You’ll use a lot of superlatives.
The standard Audi A8 is longer and wider than its predecessor, gaining three inches in length and two inches across. In addition to the A8, an Audi A8L version is available. As the nomenclature suggests, the A8L is longer, stretching from 202-inches to 207.4 inches overall, with a longer wheelbase, expanding the distance between front and rear wheels from 117.8 inches to 122.9 inches, directly increasing the rear leg room by 5.1 inches.
Audi calls the standard wheelbase A8 “the driver’s car,” featuring an optional sport package and a three-spoke steering wheel. The long wheelbase Audi A8L “balances prestige, sportiness and comfort,” and has optional rear seat luxury packages. In other words, the A8L is one a few cars where it’s better to be in back than at the wheel.
We did that wrong. We tested the 2011 Audi A8L. But without a driver.
It’s impressive nevertheless, even if it does mean spoiling the kids with enough room for soccer practice.
It’s odd for a manufacturer to tout a lack of efficiency, but not, of course, when speaking of putting together the interior in a luxury car. Then inefficiency is praised. In the Audi A8, “designers were free to draft the A8’s environmental lines with a focus purely on creating a flow around the passengers.”
With a blank check, the interior designers were able to play with “wood inlays, aluminum accents, leather dashboard covering and plastic” to come up with something called the “Koenigsfuge,” or “king’s joint.” It’s where the door and dashboard meet and all the various elements come together. We’re not quite hep to designerspeak, so we don’t get the jargon. Whatever, it’s nicely done. As is the interior as a whole, and that’s an understatement.
There are a few elements of questionable taste, such as the “driver-selectable LED lighting themes.” It’s mood lighting and it’s available on a Scion, too. On the other hand, why should the kids have all the fun?
Yet on yet another hand, Scion doesn’t offer a factory-installed wifi or Google Maps or a premium package that includes front seat ventilation on 22-way multi-contour seats with pneumatic lumbar support and seat massage. Or an Executive Rear Seating package with a “relaxation seat” with a power footrest and a fixed console that includes a table and its own controller for the navigation system. No need to say, “Home, James.” Just program the way.
Our test 2011 Audi A8L didn’t have that stuff either. But it did have a $6,300 Bang & Olufsen audio system with little speakers that rise out of the dash like a Star Wars droid extra. Also a $3,000 rear seat entertainment system, a $3,000 driver assistance package (adaptive cruise control with stop and go–full stop and start in traffic), lane assist (lane departure warning), side assist (blind spot warning), pre-sense plus (pre-collision prep) and a four-spoke multi-function steering wheel with shift paddles), plus night vision assistant (infrared imaging) for $2,300, full LED headlights for $1,400, a solar sunroof for $790 and for $800, dual-pane acoustic and security glass (you really should move out of the city).
The night vision system is interesting. Not just an infrared display, the system also detects pedestrians and highlights them in red, reducing the distraction factor that simple camera systems create.
Both the 2011 Audi A8 and 2011 Audi A8L are powered by the 4.2-liter direct injection V-8 as standard equipment, although a 500 horsepower W12 engine is available to power the 201 Audi A8L. Naturally, Audi quattro all-wheel drive is standard on all A8 models.
For 2011, the V-8 engine adds direct injection which is the primary reason for a 22 horsepower increase to 372 hp and torque edging up to 328 lb-ft, previously 325 lb-ft. (The W-12 gets direct injection as well, making Audi the first car maker with all engines so equipped).
The changes not only make the 4.2-liter V-8 stronger, it’s also more efficient, combining with for the first time in an A8 an eight-speed automatic transmission for an EPA fuel economy rating of 17/27 mpg city/highway, and increase of 17 percent, according to Audi. Our own experience with the 2011 A8L powered the 4.2 was an overall 17.4 mpg. That’s not as high as it might be in other areas as our testing was in a hilly area, a venue for driving that tends to increase fuel use.
There’s no doubting the 2011 Audi A8L is anything but an Audi. The grille is massive, imposing, spectacular. Set the thesaurus to max. No one gives grille like the Audi A8. The optional full LED headlights–the first of their kind on any production car–and not only distinctive with their checkmark arrangement but also very effective and worth the price. With the LED headlights, the Audi A8 also becomes the only car with all-LED exterior lighting.
The 2011 Audi A8L continues the use of an aluminum-intensive body structure though with increased rigidity. Audi claims the basic chassis weights a phenomenal 40 percent less than an equivalent steel construction. It’s still a big car, however, the A8L weighing in a 4453 lbs–though still only 44 lbs more than the standard-wheelbase A8 4.2.
The Audi A8L is surprisingly nimble for such a large car, though the only time the A8L would normally be tossed about on back roads is when being pursued by bad guys, or perhaps the media…but I repeat myself. The A8 line has adaptive air suspension standard, which undoubtedly has something to do with handling, and Audi also has biased the normal torque split biased to the rear, again to help with going around corners as well as straightline traction and overall feel.
Performance is also impressive. Audi claims the A8 and A8L with the 4.2-liter V-8 will hit 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. That’s enough to win a stoplight grand prix with all but the most serious players. And sound good doing it as well. It’s among the elite of V-8 engines after all.
It’s also among the elite on the window sticker as well. Or at least before you get to the crazy elite. Start with a base price of $84,000, add in options and a destination charge of $875 for a bottom line of $102,265. Yes, we know. More than your first house. Or if you’re old enough, more than twice as much. Or if you’re older than that, well, it’s bunch no matter what.
The question that always arises when discussing six-figure vehicles is whether it’s worth it. Certainly considering the handcrafting and materials, the technology. construction and the all around performance, and the exceptionality, and well, one doesn’t send the admiral out in a tugboat, does one?
Addendum: You might not send the admiral in a tugboat, buy consider the Maserati Quattroporte? A Lamborghini Espada? Or maybe the Austin Princess Limo? If the Princess was good enough for a princess, the admiral should be satisfied.
2011 Audi A8L 4.2, prices and key specifications, as tested
Base price: $23,545
- Adaptive cruise control w/ stop and go, navigation w/ retractable touch screen, Bose Surround Sound audio, AM/FM/ CD/DVD/HD/Sirius/iPod , 18-way power front seats w/ 4-way lumbar, front heated seats, automatic climate control, sunroof, power rear side window sunshades, Homelink, Bluetooth, proximity key w/ pushbutton starting, power trunk open/close, parking sensor w/ rearview camera, power soft-close doors, front and rear floormats: std.
- Redline 2-coat Pearl ext: $295
- Customer preferred package 27V: 3.6-liter V6 Pentastar engine, engine oil cooler, dual bright exhaust: $1,795
- 6 Boston Acoustics speakers: $475
- Media center 4340N CD/DVDE/MP3/HDD/NAV/30GB hard drive/Garmin navigation: $395
- Destination: $750
Total: $27,255
Body style/layout: 4-door sedan, front engine/front-wheel drive
Engine
- Type: 3.6-liter 24-valve DOHC V-6
- Displacement, cc: 3605
- Block/head material: aluminum/aluminum
- Compression ratio: 10.0:1
- Horsepower: 283 hp @ 6400 rpm
- Torque: 260 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
- Recommended fuel: midgrade (89-octane) preferred
- Fuel economy, mpg, EPA est.: 17/27 mpg city/highway
- Fuel economy, mpg, observed: 26.4 (highway intensive; 29.0 at highway speed)
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Chassis/Suspension
- Suspension, front/rear: McPherson strut / multilink
- Wheels: 18×7.0-inch alloy chromed
- Tires: 225/50R18
- Brakes: 4-wheel disc; 11.5-inch dia. front/10.3-inch dia. rear
- Steering: power rack-and-pinion
- Turning circle: 37.7 ft.
Dimensions
- Wheelbase: 108.9 in.
- Length: 192.6 in.
- Width: 72.8 in
- Height: 58.4 in.
- Curb weight: 3,603 lbs
- Trunk volume, max: 34.5 cu. ft.
- Fuel tank: 13.5 gal.
Warranty: 5-year/100,000 mile powertrain; 3-year/36,000 bumper-to-bumper
