A8 Performance & Handling

4.2 TDI Engine
Lean and strong

20 years ago, Audi introduced the first TDI engine and since then we have been continuously refining this class-leading technology.

From its 4.2 litre diesel V8 engine the 4.2 TDI generates 350PS and 800 Nm of torque, enough to propel it's occupants from 0 - 62mph in just 5.5 seconds. Even more impressive is the low nominal combined fuel consumption of just 37.2MPG and CO2 emissions of 199 g/km. Compared with its predecessor this represents an increase of 7.1MPG and an impressive 20% reduction in CO2 emissions (50 g/km).

As a result the A8 4.2TDI is capable of over 600miles on a single tank of diesel.

The 4.2FSI V8 petrol engine has also been thoroughly reworked and now generates 372PS, an increase of 22PS over its predecessor and a peak torque figure of 450 Nm.

quattro
Grip whatever the weather
quattro is Audi's renowned four-wheel-drive technology. With quattro, optimal drive delivery to each wheel is managed automatically and continuously, for superior handling and phenomenal grip - even in less than perfect driving conditions.

In 1980, the Audi quattro was the first permanent four-wheel drive production car. So while the technology is thoroughly tried and tested, it has also been enhanced and evolved ever since it was first introduced.

The latest version of quattro, found in the Audi A8 typically sends 60 percent of its power to the rear axle and 40 to the front - delivering a sporty driving experience. As road conditions demand a maximum of 80 percent can be sent to the rear axel and 60 percent to the front. All of which ensures complete stability and traction whatever the situation.

quattro with sports differential
Sport differential - all-round driving improvement
The sport differential is designed to make driving obviously smoother, more agile and more satisfying - and not just when you're pushing the car towards its limits.

Safe, accurate turning
The sports differential enables the quattro system to not only transfer torque between the front and rear axles to counter traction losses, but also between the rear wheels. When cornering, power is redirected to the outside rear wheel, literally pushing the car through the corner. The driver benefits from feeling more in control and the need to make small steering corrections, so familiar in an ordinary car, become a thing of the past.

Why react when you can predict?
Conventional stability management systems detect errors, then correct them. We think that's a little late. The sport differential's technology has such a short reaction time - less than 100 milliseconds - that any instability is sensed and dealt with before it has any effect. Almost like it never happened.

You're still in control
The sport differential has been designed to work in tandem with Audi drive select. This enables you to change the characteristics of the engine, transmission, steering, shock absorbers and the active sport differential to suit your mood and the demands of the road.

Audi quattro with Sport differential is standard on 4.2TDI derivatives of the A8.

Audi Drive Select
A ride to suit you
Not all driving situations are the same. Audi drive select, standard across the range, changes handling and response at the touch of a button to suit how you want to drive. There are four modes: comfort, dynamic, auto and individual.

For long-distances, comfort adjusts your set-up to create a more relaxing ride. The Dynamic is for a sportier driving experience, sharpening the cars steering and throttle response. The auto mode adapts the system depending on the current driving situation while individual allows you to configure the dynamics of the car to your own preferences depending on what special equipment is fitted.

8 Speed Transmission
A ratio for everything
The all-new 8 speed tiptronic transmission is a technical tour-de force.

Selection of the drive programs are facilitated by the new selector lever, which can be trimmed in a wide range of leather or wood to perfectly complement the A8's elegant interior. The lever communicates with the gearbox 'by wire', i.e. without any mechanical connection, so a brief push, or nudge, is all it takes to select the drive program after which the lever returns to the central position. The driver can also change gear manually by using the paddles mounted on the steering wheel.

Management of the new tiptronic is handled by the innovative dynamic shift program (DSP, which is networked with the detailed route data delivered by the MMI navigation system. The DSP uses this information to incorporate approaching corners or junctions into its shift strategy, so the days of an automatic gearbox changing gears mid-corner are behind us. Vorsprung Durch Technik.