Last week, I was invited to attend the world premiere of the 2011 Audi A8. This being their flagship vehicle, Audi spared no expense, housing guests at the Fontainebleau Hotel Miami Beach, in the heart of "Millionaire's Row". It was a fitting backdrop for the luxury automaker and their "Art of Progress exhibit." The A8's premiere was held at nearby Audi Pavilion, and was surrounded by an impressive art collection from the Rubell Family.
Though I wasn't allowed to drive the A8, I did see it in person, and learned some of the philosophy behind its design. Here are three things that caught my attention.
LED Headlights: Light plays a big role in the design of this vehicle. The 2011 A8 will be the first vehicle to offer an available all LED headlamp. The high/low beam, turn indicators, and daytime running lights are all LEDs. In fact, just about every piece of lighting in this car comes with an LED. For example, the A8 can be ordered with an optional ambient lighting package. LEDs will illuminate the center console, tunnel, door pockets and door sill trim. Drivers can choose from three interior LED colors (Polar, Ruby, and Ivory) as well as increase the brightness via the Audi Multimedia Interface (MMI).
MMI Touch: The MMI in the A8 has a unique feature that lets you write letters on a track pad to input navigation destinations. The track pad is backlit to allow it to change to a pointer for map functions or a number pad for radio functions. It can also be used to scroll through lists in the MMI. Audi says that this method allows drivers to keep their focus on the road, while their fingers do the typing.
Yacht-style Shifter: The A8's shifter was inspired by the thrust lever on a yacht. This is also a "shift-by wire" gear select lever. It does not have a mechanical connection with the eight-speed transmission. When you put it the car in drive, the shifter returns to the central position. On A8 models with navigation, the shifting characteristics of the transmission can change in real time, as the "dynamic shift program" monitors the road you are on and adjusts accordingly.
Did I like the A8's design? Yes, though I seem to be in the minority. A few people I've spoken to around the office think the car looks too much like an A4 or that the front lights are overdone.
What's your take on the new A8's looks?
By jjabbytaylor
on December 10, 2009
08:39 AM
I love the current A8, but can't say I care as much for the new one. If I was going to buy a car in this class, I'd likely buy the BMW 7-series or Mercedes S-Class.
If course I'm buying none of the above, so my opinion doesn't really matter :)
By brn
on December 10, 2009
11:02 AM
I have a hard time caring about Audi products. I know it's anecdotal, but 100% of the people I know who have purchased an Audi or VW regret it. 100%! They like the cars, but hate the nonstop repairs.
By ulf187
on December 10, 2009
03:35 PM
I dont regret buying my Passat, Jetta and A4. No nonstop repairs. You probably could generalize that with every car.
By cruiserhead1
on December 15, 2009
07:52 AM
gorgeous interior and well done exterior. It's a lot better looking than the 7 or S. The headlights are cool, but the "droopy eyes" look a bit sad or, w/ headlights on, like a Cylon. Cylon is kinda cool... the LED bling factor makes it too cool to care.