Audi has shown off a heavily updated version of its A8 luxury saloon. It's not an all-new model - which maybe puts it somewhat on the backfoot relative to the double-whammy of Mercedes' all-new S-Class and all-electric EQS - but is instead a mid-life update intended to keep the A8 feeling fresh. Audi calls it a 'mid-life improvement.'
On sale since 1994
The A8 has been on sale, in one form or another, since 1994 and has carved out a niche for itself in the luxury car market with its all-aluminium construction and quattro all-wheel drive. The high-performance S8 derivative has also become something of a cult car, not least thanks to on-screen appearances in the likes of Ronin and The Transporter.
The current, fourth-generation, A8 has been on sale since 2017, but as Audi says 'the customer demands in this segment are especially demanding and varied.' Audi will have to hope that the A8's relatively mild updates will help keep its success story going - some 570,000 A8s have been sold in total since 1994, with 86,000 sales of the current model. The car's biggest market is now China.
Audi says that the aim of the new update was to refresh the styling, without losing the car's 'carefully-crafted' look, as well as bringing back a super-luxury name from Audi's past.
As before, the A8 will be available in standard and long-wheelbase forms, but you'll instantly spot one on the road from the bigger, deeper grille that reaches almost all the way to the bottom of the front bumper. It's said to be inspired by the original 'Prologue' concept car. The idea is to give it a 'more vertical and more prestigious feeling.'
New grille, new lights
As well as bright metalwork in the grille, there's even more chrome below, which leads into the front fog lights. Speaking of lights, there are new LED headlights, with a segmented light signature, and the option of digital Matrix LED technology. These use so-called DMD, Digital Micromirror Device, tech that not only allows active high-beam control, but can also dynamically project the beam to, for instance, help drivers keep to their lane on the motorway by actively illuminating the width of the lane.
The side of the A8 gets new skirts along the bottom of the doors, while around the back there are new bumpers and high-tech OLED brake lights that allow you to alter the light signature at the rear of the car to your taste. They also light up brighter if they detect that the car behind is getting too close.
For the first time, the A8 will be offered as an S line model designed to be sportier looking with a blacked-out grille and more open front air intakes. The S line will also get optional 21-inch wheels and a darker finish to the OLED rear lights.
The S line A8 will come with special sports seats with S line embossing and a vast swathe of 'Piano Black' trim across the dashboard, too, which can be optionally switched out for carbon fibre.
The return of the Horch name
Audi has also increased the options for seat design and upholstery, including a four-seat layout for the long-wheelbase model, which includes reclining seats in the back and a footrest integrated into the rear of the front passenger seats. All A8 models will now come with 'Valetta' leather upholstery as standard, with an 'Exclusive' leather trim available as an option.
Specifically for the Chinese market, where almost 60 per cent of current A8 sales head, Audi has developed a custom A8 model, an exclusive version that revives the classic Horch name (Horch was one of the brands that came together to form the original Auto Union, just as Mercedes revived Maybach for the top-spec versions of the S-Class). The Horch version is some 130mm longer than even the long-wheelbase A8, and features a bespoke grille and light treatment, as well as unique leather finishes, and embossed logos on the seats. The Horch will only be offered as a V6 petrol or plug-in hybrid. As yet, there are no plans to offer the Horch name in Europe, but it's not being ruled out completely.
While Audi confirmed that a sporting V8-engined S8 model will continue, any ideas of a high-performance RS 8 have been comprehensively shot-down.
There are also no plans to change the engine line-up, and the current version of the A8 won't get a fully electric version. That will have to wait until the current A8 is replaced by a new model inspired by the recent Audi Grandsphere concept. For now, the A8 will continue with V6 diesel and petrol, V8 petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains.