17 W ednesday , A ugust 25, 2010 O A KVILLE BEA V ER w w w .o akvillebeaver .co m Audis flagship A8 L raises the bar for premium luxury sedans Story and Photos by Jim RobinsonMetroland NewspapersCarguide Magazine MUNICH: Presence, power and poise is how Audi describes its flagship, the 2011 A8 L. The L stands for long wheelbase. At 5.2 meters in total length, with no less than 130 mm in rear seat legroom alone, it literally fills the bill. The backseat is more like a throne room with expanses of wood trim and buttery leathers, even a carpeted footrest that pops out for the feet of the tired captains of indus- try or princes of commerce who will ride there. This is matched by heated rear seats, power sunroof, deluxe four-zone climate control and electric rear and side window blinds. One of the very special extras are tables for laptops that are stowed in the front seat backs ready for use as a work surface or for a light lunch en route. For those wishing a little light entertain- ment, there are 10.2-inch LCD monitors built into the front seat backs as well. If the body is a little tired, there is a mas- sage function built in to the rear seats. These seats also recline should one wish to have a nap. But all is not reserved for those fortunate to ride in the rear. The front heated and cooled seats have no less than 22-way adjustability with four-way pneumatic lum- bar support that is also memory capable. On top of that, climate control to the front seats operates on a lower (feet and legs) and higher (head) level. Sound is literally out of this world with a 1,400-watt, 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen super audio system complete with two little tweet- ers that rise out of the upper instrument panel when the system is engaged. I made a point of spending most of my time of the world launch of the car in Germany in the back, a very comfortable place to be. The A8 L made its world debut earlier this year at the Beijing Auto Show with a choice of several engines. For Canada, the prime model will be equipped with a 4.2-litre V8 with direct fuel injection producing 372 hp and 328 lb/ft of torque. It accelerates from 0-100 km/h in just 5.8 seconds with a European loop fuel consumption rating of 9.7L/100 km. Despite its visual girth, the A8 L is amaz- ing aerodynamic with a drag coefficient of 0.26, better than many sportscars. Not yet confirmed, but possible for Canada, is the astounding 6.3-litre, direct fuel injection W12 with 500 hp and 442 lb/ft of torque. This is not a V12, but has four banks of three cylinders each on a common crankshaft laid out in a W configuration. The W12 does 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds. Each engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic sequential manual shift mode coupled with Audis signature quattro all-wheel-drive. Torque split is normally 60 per cent to the front and 40 per cent to the rear but, if one axle slips, a majority of the power is sent to the other axle. With a length of 5.2-meters (5,267 mm) and a width of close to two-meters (1,949 mm), this car is beyond full-size being more like the American land yachts of the 1970s, but it doesnt go like one. Press the throttle at any speed and accel- eration is near instant. But it doesnt blast forward muscle car style with lots of noise. Its more like a Boeing 777 with a sensation of being slowly and inexorably pressed into the seat as eight gears change up seamlessly, and quietly. When a group of journalists from India made off with all the 4.2-litre cars after our lunch stop, my co-driver and I were forced to drive a W12, and it was worth it. With the lunch stop only 60 km from Austria and the City of Salzberg, the home of Mozart; we headed up on the autobahn and a cloudless summer day. Looping along at the posted 120 km/h, the W12 was ticking over at about 2,000 rpm. Pulling into the outside lane to pass involved a mere nudge of the pedal with the 777 effect kicking in seeing us around and by in the time it takes to read this sentence. There is a drawback and thats the length. Going to Salzberg was a bad idea. It was like driving to Niagara Falls or Whistler at the height of summer with tourist shops every- where hawking Mozart T-shirts, Mozart chocolates, Mozart caps, and Im sure, Mozart bobble-heads. Continued on page 18 Audi A8 L 2011 At A Glance:BODY STYLE:Premium luxury sedan.DRIVE METHOD:front-engine, all- wheel-drive.ENGINE:4.2-litre DOHC V8 (372 hp,328 lb/ft);W12, (500 hp, 442 lb/ft).FUEL ECONOMY:V8, 9.7L/100 kmEuro combined;W12, NA.PRICE:(Est.) $100,000 plus to start.WEB:www.audi.ca The 2011 A8 L is Audis new flagship model. At 5.2-metres in total length, it takes performance, tech- nology and luxury to a new level for premium sedans. 345 Speers Rd. (at Dorval), Oakville 905-842-9299 Valid at all GTA locations. Expiry: September 30, 2010 Code: 5669 / Cineplex Entertainment LP or used under license. with oil change FREE CINEPLEX MOVIE TICKET