As if the standard Audi A8 is small, Audi makes Long Wheelbase versions of the flagship saloon as well. And they are now available in the United Kingdom priced from £60,010 to £94,460.
2011 Audi A8 L can be obtained with all the engines in the range including 3.0-litre TDI (250PS), 4.2-litre TDI (350PS), 3.0-litre TFSI (290PS), 4.2-litre FSI (372PS) and 6.3-litre W12 FSI (500PS). It ha a 130mm longer wheelbase than the standard version, all of which is used to make the rear passengers more comfortable. It also comes with some extra features such as heated outer rear seats, sunroof, deluxe four-zone climate control and electric rear and side window blinds.
Still, if you are not at least 6.5 feet long, it’s not worth the extra pay because you fit like a dream at the back of the normal model!
But if you don’t want to get the most perfect A8, the get the LWB version with the 500 hp W12 engine. It’s like a Boeing 747 for the roads.
With that engine, the A8 L W12 can power to 62mph in just 4.7 seconds, and cruise serenely, where conditions allow, at a governed top speed of 155mph. And with the help of FSI technology, fuel economy belies these figures, with up to 22.8mpg achievable according to the combined cycle test – an improvement of around 9 per cent over the outgoing model which results in CO2 output of 290g/km.
This version also gets adaptive air springs, lightweight suspension and latest generation quattro all-wheel-drive.
Rear passenger comfort is also further improved by standard seat heating, an upgraded climate control system which enables precise temperature modulation in the two rear ‘zones’ and electrically operated rear window and side window blinds. In the W12, comfort is taken to even greater extremes by replacing the standard rear seat arrangement with two individual sculpted rear seats which can be heated and feature fore/aft adjustable bases and angle adjustable backrests.
You are also provided with online services. When a Bluetooth-capable mobile phone with SIM access profile is present, weather information and Google Earth images can be beamed via the car’s internal UMTS module to the Multi Media Interface (MMI) and its navigation unit. Through its wireless local area network (WLAN) link the car also doubles as a wi-fi hotspot, allowing passengers to connect up to six computers to the internet. So it’s like a 90grand W12 router!
