2018 Audi A8

Leading all that is to come, the all-new 2019 Audi A8 brings future premium to the luxury segment

• First production execution of new Audi premium design language shown on the Prologue concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 2014
• New touchscreen MMI system with haptic feedback for user-friendly operation
• Exceptional balance of safety, dynamics and comfort through innovative Audi AI active suspension and driver assistance systems

HERNDON, Virginia, November 20, 2017 – The all-new A8, in its fourth generation, serves as a leader in the luxury sedan segment. The all-new A8 delivers a serene interior design, usable technology that seamlessly connects drivers and passengers to their digital lives and driver assistance technologies that allow everyone to arrive more relaxed. The A8 redefines future premium and leads all that is to come in the Audi model portfolio.

Design

The exterior design of the all-new 2019 A8 marks the start of a new era for Audi. With an emphasis on progressive elegance, the sedan blends bespoke craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology. The latest generation A8 establishes the basis from which the Audi portfolio will build upon in terms of design and integration of life-simplifying technologies.

The front with its broad, upright Singleframe® grille, the flowing and muscular body design and the rear with its full-length strip of dynamic lighting, radiate the powerful presence of the new A8. The flat roof dome offers the sedan a sporty touch, while stretched lines underscore its length and luxury presence. The upright front end combined with the gently sloped rear creates visual interest. The proportions equally highlight the front and rear wheels, with definition at the wheel arches calling attention to the standard quattro® all-wheel drive. The exterior lighting is state-of-the-art, particularly when equipped with HD Matrix LED headlightsand rear lamps with OLED technology, further cementing Audi lighting leadership. These taillights continue the horizontal architecture from the front of the vehicle, contributing to an overall light, precise and distinctly Audi presence. The result is a dynamic light show, welcoming driver and passersby.

Based on the ASF® multi-material frame technology, the body of the 2019 A8 consists of 58 percent aluminum parts paired with hot form-steel and ultra-high strength carbon fiber reinforced polymer components, creating a dramatically stronger body in white over the outgoing model. The resulting superior rigidity of the body provides the basis for the precise handling, excellent ride comfort and a tranquil, quiet cabin despite varying road conditions.

The well-appointed interior of the A8 has been simplified, refined and intelligently redesigned. With expert attention to material selection and the fine details, even in darkness, the contour and ambient lighting subtly highlight the striking new horizontal design lines and luxury fittings. The tailored quality of the interior is elevated through innovative technology, offering the most progressive experience yet for the Audi brand.

Rear-seat passengers experience advancements through a host of relaxation and comfort features, from available, fully customizable Matrix LED reading lights, allowing the customer to direct overhead lighting where it's needed most, to reclining and multi-setting heated massage seating. Further enhancing the rear-passenger experience are electrically height-adjustable comfort head restraints, footrests, a long center heated console and arm rests, four-zone automatic air conditioning, the Rear Seat Entertainment system comprising of two Audi tablets, and a detachable Rear Seat Remote. Stored in the center console, this smartphone-sized OLED touch control remote allows passengers to conveniently customize their seating and infotainment preferences. Completing the luxury cabin, for ultimate relaxation, the right rear passenger seat offers an available heated massaging footrest discretely positioned on the rear of the front passenger seat. The A8 interior offers a serene respite from the hectic life that surrounds it.

Technology

As the flagship of the brand, the A8 has long presented industry leading technologies. This latest generation is no different as Audi approaches the digital age with a revolutionary infotainment concept debuting in the A8. It transforms the award-winning rotary/push-button control and touchpad – into the MMI touch response® a step-change system for the future of the brand. At the center of this intelligent new system's instrument panel is a 10.1-inch touchscreen display that, when turned off, blends almost invisibly into the high-gloss black surround. When the system is started, the user interface illuminates with a soothing greeting and a new, simple graphic configuration. Like a smartphone, the menu structure is intuitive and flat, and the user can freely arrange the feature icons according to their personal preferences. The intelligent system can store up to seven profiles, allowing each driver an entirely unique and customized experience, from lighting preferences and media favorites to preset navigation inputs.

The driver interacts with the infotainment system through two large stacked touch displays positioned in the center console. The lower control panel, previously consisting of numerous individual buttons, is now a simple touch surface to operate the climate control and convenience features, as well as enter text through a keyboard or freeform handwriting. When the driver makes a selection across the platform, the system offers confirmation through an audible and tactile 'click' that helps the driver use the system without diverting his or her eyes. All audible and haptic feedback can be configured to the drivers' wishes.

The A8 voice interaction extends to a new level of search commands as well as driver-activated functions in the vehicle using an updated, natural form of voice control. Information on destinations and media is either available on-board or is sourced from the cloud at LTE speeds. The driver can make commands with the voice recognition system and dialogue manager understanding complete sentences for navigation searches or requests for adjustment to HVAC or media. A multifunction steering wheel and an optional head-up display round off the new infotainment offering.

The all-new, MMI Navigation plus functions as a multifaceted media center, using th modular infotainment platform in its latest version, the MIB 2+. It integrates cutting-edge processing power to seamlessly link the multi-surface system, including the standard Audi virtual cockpit. Connectivity throughout the vehicle, as well as an onboard Wi-Fi Hotspot for up to eight passenger devices is offered through LTE capability.

The line of services from Audi connect is highly diversified. The all-new HERE-powered map and navigation system debuting in the A8 is able to learn overtime through driven routes, so that the system can make smarter route suggestions. The new myAudi app enables a greater range of smartphone-controlled vehicle selections, including myAudi Navigation. This time-saving function becomes a personal mobility manager, where a route started on a smartphone and continued on the on-board system upon entering the vehicle can be passed back to the smartphone to guide the occupant to their next destination – by foot or public transport.

Bang & Olufsen brings its leading audio expertise to the A8, adding 3D surround sound to the luxury sedan for the first time. This premium sound offering delivers a new audio experience encapsulating the driver and passengers. The music unfolds exactly how it's experienced in the concert hall.

Performance

Launching with a new 3.0-liter V6 turbo engine, the A8 powertrain is paired with a standard new 48-volt electric mild-hybrid drivetrain. This 10Ah lithium-ion battery and new beltdriven alternator starter (BAS) has been engineered to support the TFSI engine and functions as the main vehicle electrical system enabling the advanced infotainment and luxury equipment including the driver assistance systems and electromechanical suspension in the A8. This system allows for recuperation of power and is designed to provide a more efficient, responsive and smooth ride. The paired powertrains operate in conjunction with a fast and gently shifting eight speed tiptronic transmission and standard quattro® all-wheel drive with self-locking center differential.

With dynamic all-wheel steering, active electromechanical suspension and the powerful all-new electronic chassis platform, Audi has rethought every aspect of the all-new flagship's chassis and ride experience.

All-new technologies and control systems make the A8 more comfortable, dynamic and adaptive to the driving environment. The available dynamic all-wheel steering allows the steering angles at the front and rear axles to be set independently of one another. It combines instantaneous response and steering behavior with superior driving stability, tightening the steering radius and offering improved performance at high and low speeds. This all-wheel steering remarkably shrinks the turning radius of the A8 long wheelbase to 38.7 ft (11.8 m), that of an A4 sedan. (concept carz)

Audi AI active suspension is an active electromechanical suspension system. It uses rapid electric actuators to increase or decrease the load on each wheel individually as a function of the driving situation for active and optimal control of the body, far quicker than available hydraulic systems currently on the market allow. The characteristics range from the gentle rolling of a premium sedan to the agility of a sports car, with the energy coming from the new 48-volt mild hybrid. In daily driving conditions, this ground breaking system allows the vehicle to intuitively adapt and effectively float above imperfections in the road, leading to an effortlessly premium ride.

On vehicles equipped with the pre sense 360° system, the Audi active suspension also enhances passive safety systems through mitigating the impact of side collisions. In the event a potential side impact is detected through onboard sensors and camera systems at more than 15.5 mph, the body is raised by up to 80 millimeters (3.1 in) within half a second. As a result, the other vehicle collides with a more rigid zone of the side on the A8 sedan. (concept carz) Further preparing the cabin for possible impact, the vehicle simultaneously engages pre-collision preparation, optimizing the interior for possible impact.

Driver Assistance Systems

The state-of-the-art Audi driver assistance platform takes a step forward with an advanced intersection assist, helping to reduce the possibility of a collision with crossing traffic through early detection and emergency braking as well as maneuver assist with curb warning. The advanced maneuvering assist offers steering inputs and braking when navigating the tightest garage facilities, thus helping to avoid costly low speed impact with unseen walls, columns and other vehicles. Curb warning is achieved through two mirror mounted cameras and sensors to visually alert the driver of contact risk between the vehicle's wheel and the curb that could result in damage.

In addition to driver assistance systems, the A8 debuts an intelligent approach to parking assistance with the Audi AI park pilot and the Audi AI garage pilot. These systems offer convenience for the otherwise tedious task of parking by maneuvering, accelerating and braking the A8 on behalf of the driver into and out of tight parallel or perpendicular parking spaces. While the system takes control, the driver can relax hands-free in the vehicle or monitor the action from nearby with smartphone control. Both systems are activated using the AI button in the center console or through the myAudi smartphone app.

The final component of the Audi suite of assistance technologies is conditional automated driving. The new A8 is the first production automobile developed specially for Level 3 automated driving. In A8 models equipped with Audi AI traffic jam pilot, the feature takes charge of driving in slow-moving traffic at up to 60 km/h (37 mph) on freeways and highways where a physical barrier separates the directional traffic. The system is activated using the AI button on the center console.

Traffic jam pilot meets the definition of a Level 3 automated vehicle system according to the Society of Automotive Engineers. Because traffic jam pilot is capable of handling the full driving task – acceleration, steering and braking – when certain conditions are met, drivers can take their hands off the steering wheel until the car requires manual driver control again. This takeover request occurs before the system nears the limits of its capabilities. While system advancements are constantly being achieved, many factors have to be in place to deliver a first of its kind technology. Audi continues to assess timing and will deliver the system when market readiness allows.

The foundation of these advanced systems is the central driver assistance controller (zFAS). About the size of a tablet, this central controller continually merges the signals from all sensors into a differentiated model of the vehicle's surroundings through its high-powered NVIDIA processors. Consisting of radar and ultra-sonic sensors, front rear and mirror mounted 360 degree cameras, and as an automotive manufacturer first, Audi has incorporated a laser scanner in series production - fully equipped, the new A8 has 24 unique sensors. The precise image of the vehicle surroundings created through these sensors are the underpinnings of the powerful suite of driver assistance systems in the Audi A8.

Arriving to the Ú.S. market in late 2018, the A8 delivers a transformation for Audi in the luxury market. The all-new flagship sedan sets the bar for the brand's pursuits in design, technology, performance and driver assistance systems to which all future model lines will aim.

Source - Audi

THE FUTURE IS NOW – NEW AUDI A8 READY FOR UK DEBUT

Extensive specification confirmed for new game-changing fourth generation luxury saloon.
•New fourth generation Audi luxury saloon now available to order priced from £69,100 OTR – first ÚK deliveries in early 2018
•Introduces new design language, radically different touchscreen operating concept and MHEV drivetrain electrification across the range
•First production car to be developed for conditional automated driving to SAE level 3
•Gradual roll-out of autonomous Audi AI parking pilot, garage pilot and traffic jam pilot functions to begin during 2018
The luxury class car of the future is no longer just a dot on the horizon - the new Audi A8 becomes available in the ÚK this week, breaking new ground for the brand with its design language, innovative touchscreen operating concept and electrified MHEV drivetrain, and opening up a world of possibilities for fully automated mobility. The Audi A8 is the first production car in the world to have been developed for highly automated driving, and from 2018 will be progressively introducing piloted driving functions such as the Audi AI parking pilot, garage pilot and traffic jam pilot into production.




The balanced proportions emphasise all four wheels in equal measure, and the muscular definition above the wheel arches gives visual expression to the standard quattro all-wheel drive. Viewed side-on, the upright front end combined with the gently inclined rear create visual tension which is intensified, particularly at night, by the optional HD Matrix LED headlights with Audi laser lighting, and the LED light strip combined with OLED technology at the rear. These produce unique light animations as the driver approaches and leaves the car.

Luxury from head-to-toe: the interior
Space is often considered to be the ultimate luxury, and compared with its predecessor the new A8 has grown substantially in length in both body styles. Occupants can relax in suitably exceptional surroundings that radiate quality - from the perforation in the seat upholstery to the electrically opening and closing shutters on the air vents - and subtly integrate the most advanced technology.



The user interface appears as soon as the car is opened. The Infotainment system is controllable via the large display, and a second touchscreen on the centre tunnel console gives access to the air conditioning and comfort functions and enables text inputs. Function activations are acknowledged in the upper and lower displays by a click which can be heard and felt, and the glass-look operating buttons respond in the same way. Activations can also be made via a new, natural form of voice control.

Information on destinations and media is either available on board or is delivered from the cloud at ultra-fast LTE speed. The navigation system has also evolved in line with the car which houses it – it is able to learn from the route just driven, providing the driver with intelligent search suggestions, and also incorporates highly detailed 3D models of major European cities.

Drivers of ÚK specification versions of the A8 and A8 L will be left in no doubt as to their status as the technology standard bearers of the Audi range. The fittingly extensive ÚK standard equipment list includes everything from the fully digital Audi Virtual Cockpit, the high definition colour head-up display and internet-based Audi Connect services to MMI Navigation Plus and Audi Phonebox wireless smartphone charging.

Standard LED headlights with high beam assist provide suitably precisely defined and far-reaching illumination and are paired with a rear LED light strip. The list of onboard driver aids also includes adaptive cruise assist with Stop&Go, front and rear parking sensors supplemented by a rear camera, lane departure warning with emergency assist and the Audi Pre-sense collision avoidance and mitigation system giving robust occupant protection.

Naturally, supple Valcona leather covers the electrically adjustable climate comfort seats, which offer both a heating function for colder days and an internal ventilation option for warmer weather. In the long-wheelbase A8 L the most sought-after seat could quite possibly be the rear left (in ÚK specification versions) – the optional relaxation seat which features four different adjustment options and a footrest. In this seat, the passenger can warm and massage the soles of their feet on a unit with multiple settings incorporated into the back of the front-passenger seat.

Rear passengers can also control an array of functions such as ambient lighting, the optional HD Matrix reading lights and seat massage, and can make private phone calls via a separate operating unit. The rear seat remote control, with its smartphone-size OLED display, is a removable unit housed in the centre armrest and is optional for the A8 and standard for the A8 L.

World premiere: piloted driving in the Audi A8
The new A8 is the first production car to have been developed specially for highly automated driving. The Audi AI traffic jam pilot, which forms part of the package of piloted features that will begin to be rolled out from 2018, takes charge of driving in slow-moving traffic at up to 37mph on major roads where a physical barrier separates the two carriageways. The system will be accessible via the AI button that will be positioned on the centre console.

Úsing images of the car's surroundings computed by the central driver assistance controller (zFAS) based on feedback from the radar and ultrasonic sensors, from the front camera and – in a first for Audi – from an advanced laser scanner, the traffic jam pilot will manage starting, accelerating, steering and braking. The driver will no longer need to monitor the car permanently, and will be able to take their hands off the steering wheel for prolonged periods and, depending on the national laws, focus on a different activity that is supported by the car, such as watching the on-board TV. As soon as the system reaches its limits, it will call on the driver to take back control of the task of driving.

The introduction of the Audi AI traffic jam pilot is wholly dependent on the clarification of the statutory framework in each individual market, along with the country-specific definition of the application and testing of the system. In addition, a range of approval procedures and their corresponding timescales will need to be observed worldwide. Audi will therefore be adopting a step-by-step approach to the introduction of the traffic jam pilot in production models.

The Audi AI parking pilot and the Audi AI garage pilot will autonomously steer the A8 into and out of a parking space or a garage, while the manoeuvre is monitored by the driver. The driver does not need to be sitting in the car – he or she can start the appropriate system from a smartphone using the new myAudi app. It broadcasts a live feed of the parking manoeuvre taken from the car's 360-degree cameras on their handheld device for easy monitoring.

Mild hybrid and e-tron
The new A8 makes its debut with two extensively reengineered V6 turbo engines: a 3.0 TDI and a 3.0 TFSI. The diesel develops 286PS, and the petrol version 340PS. An eight-cylinder TDI – a 4.0-litre with 435PS – will follow slightly later, as will the exclusive top engine version, the W12 with a displacement of 6.0 litres.

All four engines operate in conjunction with a belt alternator starter (BAS), which is the nerve centre of the 48-volt electrical system. This mild hybrid technology (MHEV, mild hybrid electric vehicle) enables the car to coast with the engine switched off, and to restart smoothly. It also has an extended start/stop function and an energy recovery output of up to 12 kW. The combined effect of these measures is to bring down the fuel consumption of the already efficient engines even further – by as much as 0.7 litres for every 100 kilometres (62.1 miles) covered in real world driving conditions.

The A8 L e-tron quattro with its powerful plug-in hybrid drivetrain will follow at a later date: Its 3.0 TFSI engine and powerful electric motor achieve 449PS of system power and 700 Nm (516.3 lb-ft) of system torque. The lithium-ion battery stores enough power for about 31 miles of electric driving. Fast charging will be possible via public or domestic charge points and wall boxes, or in the latter case via induction-based Audi Wireless Charging, which uses a pad in the garage floor to transfer power inductively to a receiver coil in the car with a power output of 3.6 kW.

New dimension: the suspension
The platform underpinning the new Audi A8 combines the surface-suppressing comfort of standard adaptive air suspension with the all-weather control of quattro all-wheel-drive throughout the range. It also epitomises Vorsprung durch Technik through additionally available features including predictive active suspension, dynamic all-wheel steering and the sport differential.

The optional predictive active suspension is a fully active suspension system which is capable of raising or lowering each wheel separately using electric actuators depending on the driver's wishes and the driving situation. This newfound latitude enables it to deliver an even more finely differentiated balance between the ride comfort of a classic luxury saloon and the agility more commonly associated with a more driver-oriented performance car. In combination with pre sense 360°, the car is rapidly raised if there is an impending lateral collision, reducing the potential consequences of the accident for all occupants.

This highly innovative suspension system obtains the energy it requires from a 48-volt electrical circuit. The A8 is the first Audi model to use this more powerful network as its primary electrical system, and all versions reap its benefit. In conjunction with the advanced air suspension for the A8, the innovative fully active suspension concept delivers an utterly new driving experience.

The dynamic all-wheel-steering system combines quick and direct response with unshakable stability. The steering ratio for the front wheels varies as a function of speed, and the rear wheels are turned in or against the direction of steering depending on the speed range. Reactivity to inputs can be enhanced even further by adding the sport differential, which actively distributes torque between the rear wheels.

Source - Audi