The updated Audi A8 gets more tech, subtle cosmetic changes and a bit more power. Here's what it feels like from behind the wheel.
What they will care about are the interiors and in particular, the rear seats. The optional rear seat executive package fitted to our test car can rival a business class seat. They recline, adjust for thigh support and have a massage function along with an electrically operated foot rest, individual rear screens, a refrigerator and pop-out writing tables.
Up front, the new Alcantara, aluminium and wood trim along with Audi's signature red and white lighting scheme makes the cabin a really nice blend of cutting-edge and traditional. It's not quite as elegant and restrained as the S-class in this respect, but it is a very pleasing place to be in nonetheless. What we didn't like is the the yacht shaped gear shifter – its fiddly. That and the confusing mass of buttons on the center console means it isn't the easiest system to use on the move.
The facelifted A8 costs Rs 1.1 crore and for that, you get plenty of standard equipment. Know that all the delicious stuff is on the options list – things like the panoramic sunroof, Bang & Olufsen stereo (the standard fit is Bose), seat ventilation, massage seats, front and rear cameras, insulated glass, the matrix beam headlamps, the automatic parking system (much like on the VW Passat) and the night vision are all options. And going by what we know of Audis, they'll be pretty expensive as well.
Still, it's clear the A8 has upped its game with this facelift and it would be at the top of its game if it weren’t for one formidable rival from Stuttgart.