Refreshed 2022 Audi A8 and S8 deliver space for progress through sharpened design and enhanced technologies

February 16, 2022 by Audi

• Audi flagship reaffirms its position as luxury sedan leader with broad design refresh

•Simplified A8 model range features powerful 6-cylinder 3.0-liter TFSI engine, while S8 is outfitted with 563-horsepower 4.0-liter V8

•Revised equipment offer across model line presents a tiered approach to personalization, from high luxury to high performance

Enhanced design of the 2022 A8 and S8 models strengthens their presence and authority, and represent Audi's flagship luxury models. In an increasingly complicated world, the Audi customer desires calming experiences and technologies that complement their busy lives. The Audi A8 and S8 have always represented an elegant combination of driving engagement, top-tier materials and build quality offering the respite desired from life's demands. Highlighted by a serene interior experience, the model line is distinguished by its driving dynamics and performance capabilities. Comfort, control logic, infotainment, and the quality of the materials are of utmost importance to the discerning customer. For 2022, a streamlined entry point to the heralded 563-horsepower V8 engine, appeals to A8 and S8 buyers alike. With new standalone packages available, S8 customers can now outfit their vehicle with equipment and technologies that reflect their unique preferences and priorities.

Exterior: space to stand out

The refreshed 2022 A8 family catches the eye with strengthened design elements. From the front, the A8 receives a wider singleframe grille, adorned with an all-new design including angular bar design. The rear design is anchored by broad fascia and features customizable taillight signatures comprised of OLEDs, linked by a segmented light strip. Additionally, the rear diffuser insert in the bumper is highlighted through redesigned horizontal bars, highlighting the width and stature of the A8.

When viewed from its side profile, the level roof line accentuates the vehicle's length, and its wheel arches allude to its standard quattro all-wheel drive. The S line exterior package now comes standard on the A8, with air intakes on either side of the front fascia, highlighted with distinctive blades and a black grille, which adds to the overall character of the vehicle.

The Audi S8 performance sedan can be identified by its four flow-optimized tailpipes, a design signature of Audi S models, and a wider Singleframe grille adorned from top to bottom with chrome angles. For an even more formidable appearance, an additional Black optic Plus package is available to be equipped to both the A8 and S8, including black mirrors, badges, rings, and black 21-inch wheels.

Interior: a space for progress

Customers stepping into either an A8 or S8 will be welcomed to a purposefully elegant cabin offering the premium experience expected for a first-class journey. Interior design highlights include opening and closing decorative trim that opens upon start to reveal HVAC vents and close to provide an elegant minimalist environment when not needed.

The interior is adorned with available Valetta and Valcona leather and incorporates Dynamica, a microfiber material first introduced in the Audi portfolio within the Audi e-tron GT. Dynamica is added to the door panels, and can be further optioned to cover the interior pillar trim or roof lining.

For the A8, ventilation and massage seats with lumbar support are just a few of the comforts customers and their passengers can experience. For the S8, the amenities expand further with an available four-seat rear comfort package, including a rear full-length center console offering fold out wing tables and an integrated digital remote to control the lighting and seating preferences.

Infotainment: seamless and sensible operation

The MMI touch response operation found in the A8 is presented in two displays (10.1'' upper and 8.6'' lower), with the upper screen controlling infotainment and navigation functions and the lower devoted to climate control and comfort operations like massaging, ventilation, and seat heating. Of course, occupants can control most functions through advanced natural voice recognition. The Audi virtual cockpit, with optional head-up display, contributes to a thoroughly modern driver-focused experience, with the most pertinent information displayed directly to the line of sight of the driver.

Connected Services: an easy, intuitive digital ecosystem around the customer

The Audi A8 and S8 can be a mobile office as much as they can serve as a retreat. With the MIB 3 suite of infotainment technologies, passengers can connect up to eight mobile devices to available LTE mobile Wi-Fi. Sitting in the back of an S8 with the available four-passenger rear-seat comfort package, passengers are able to deploy individual tables to create a convenient secondary workspace.

Audi connect and the entire suite of services offered within the A8 and S8 enrich the driver's experience as well, with its available Traffic Light Information that can provide a live countdown of a traffic light's time to turn green at more than 21,000 intersections across the U.S. It also entails an Integrated Toll Module to eliminate the need for a toll transponder, and a number of other services.

Performance: from sublime to surreal

Standard adaptive air suspension in the A8 provides a balance between comfort and performance expected from the Audi flagship. The A8 can effortlessly awaken on command with the backing of a 335-horsepower, 3.0-liter V6 TFSI engine. Standard on the A8 are 19-inch 5-spoke design wheels with all-season tires. Optional with the Executive package are 20-inch 10-parallel-spoke-design wheels with all-season tires, and 21-inch 10-Y-spoke design wheels with the Black optic and Black optic plus packages respectively. The high-performance S8 elevates the luxury sedan by way of its 563-horsepower, 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine. Further complimenting S8's prestige, there are several differentiating standard features such as sport air suspension and dynamic all-wheel steering. The S8 comes standard with 20-inch 5-double-spoke S design wheels on summer tires. The optional Executive package includes 21-inch 10-spoke-star design wheels and the Black optic plus package includes 21-inch 10-spoke design wheels with a black finish.

A8 and S8 customers may select from several optional driver assist features, such as those found in the Executive package. This option includes Audi active lane assist with emergency assist, Audi adaptive cruise assist with traffic jam assist, turn assist, intersection assist, and side assist with pre sense functionality for the rear.

Digital Matrix-design LED headlights and OLED rear lights

Lighting innovation has long been a hallmark of Audi design, and the A8 family continues to lead the way in demonstrating the brand's most advanced technology. The enhanced A8 comes standard with LED headlights and OLED taillights. When the Audi drive select is switched to dynamic mode, the taillights adjust to a wider signature unique to the driving mode. Working alongside the driver assistance systems, the OLED taillights have a proximity indicator which activates all OLED segments when another vehicle approaches closer than 6.6 feet of a stationary A8 from behind. Also incorporated into the OLED rear lighting system are dynamic turn signals and a choreographed lighting display through coming home/leaving home animations.

Further differentiating Audi S8 is the Audi approach to the future of advanced lighting technology. Available Digital Matrix-design LED headlights create a striking signature. Each of the headlights are equipped with 1.3 million micro-mirrors that break down the emitted light into tiny pixels, allowing the light beams to be controlled with maximum precision. Producing a unique lighting performance, the Digital Matrix-design LED headlights can display unique coming home/leaving home animations. Additional features may be unlocked if U.S. regulations allow, including on-road lane markers and light beams that can dip around or below other cars.

Peace of mind: safety-enhancing tech and driver assistance

Delivering an Audi benchmark in driver assistance and convenience systems, the 2022 A8 continues to set the standard in luxury, providing increased ease of mind and operation through its comprehensive assistance functionality. The A8 comes to market with a suite of standard and available equipment to ensure complete dynamics and driving assistance. Enhancements to this standard package include the optional stress reducing adaptive cruise assist, advanced collision mitigation and cross traffic assist, through its onboard sensors, cameras and laser.

The advanced driver assistance systems in the A8 offer an added element of ease behind the wheel. While the driver maintains control, the intelligent systems in the A8 can simultaneously assess the vehicle's surroundings, providing the driver with added confidence and stress reduction. The impressive array of safety enhancing systems, including lane centering capabilities and precise lane tracking, makes A8 the driver assistance benchmark for the brand and the segment.

Photo credit: Audi
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