Currently reading: 2022 Audi A8: pricing and specification revealed
Flagship luxury saloon starts at £74,985, featuring refreshed design and new technology

Prices and specification details for the refreshed Audi A8 have been revealed, with the luxury Audi saloon which has received a subtle facelift for 2022 with new styling features, advanced lighting technology and a top trim level reserved for the Chinese market. 

The A8 line-up consists of three models: the A8, the long-wheelbase A8 L and the sporty Audi S8, with four specification levels: Sport, S Line, Black Edition and Vorsprung. 

Prices start from £74,985 for entry-level Sport models with a 282bhp diesel engine, rising as high as £117,610 for the range-topping petrol-V8-powered S8 Vorsprung with 563bhp. 

All models are equipped with Audi's Quattro four-wheel drive system and a Tiptronic eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard.

Entry-level Sport models are equipped with adaptive air suspension, leather comfort seats, a 10-speaker audio system, a 12.3in digital instrument display and wireless smartphone charging. Passengers also gain a 5.7in touchscreen.  

Other standard features include a head-up display, Audi’s twin-touchscreen infotainment system, sat-nav and several driver assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control, a rear-view camera and traffic-sign recognition.

All diesel models are offered with 18in wheels, while petrol models gain 19in wheels. 

Next-step S Line models receive external design changes, including bespoke front and rear bumpers, a sportier-looking grille and 20in wheels. S Line models also gain LED headlights, dynamic indicators and acoustic double glazing with privacy glass. 

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Those who opt for Black Edition trim will have their A8 equipped with five-spoke 20in wheels in gloss black, a black exterior trim pack and OLED rear lights. 

The top-of-the-range Vorsprung is fitted with 21in wheels and all-wheel steering. Other luxury features include LED matrix headlights, front-seat ventilation, a massage function, a panoramic glass roof, additional interior leather, ambient lighting and an upgraded 17-speaker audio system. 

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The Vorsprung model also gains additional driver assistance systems, including crossing assist, lane-change warning, rear cross-traffic assist, a 360deg parking camera and remote parking. 

The A8 has received a redesigned front end with a wider grille, while the air intakes at the edges of the bumper have been angled slightly to make them appear more upright.

A new S Line package will be available for the first time on an A8, adding bespoke styling features including S8-inspired blades in the side intakes. Optional Chrome and Black exterior packages have been carried over from the pre-facelift model, while the colour range has been updated with four new metallic and five new matt shades.

The new A8 L Horch trim level has been created exclusively for China and is designed to rival other super-luxury saloons, such as the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class. At 5.45m long, the A8 Horch is 13cm longer than the existing A8 L. 

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It features new wheels and chrome exterior styling, with optional two-tone paint - a first for the A8. The interior receives diamond quilting, deep-pile rear floor mats and foot-massaging relaxation seats as standard. The Horch is powered by the same 3.0-litre V6 found in the standard A8.

All new A8 models are available with Audi's Digital Matrix LED headlights, which use around 1.3 million micromirrors to split the light into individual pixels, similar to a digital projector. This allows the car to emit a “carpet of light” into the driver’s lane only.

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Digital OLED brake lights are now included as standard, as are proximity sensors that activate them if another car comes within two metres of the A8 when it's stationary.

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Inside, two 10.1in infotainment screens have been added to the rear seats and are controlled by a touchscreen remote in the centre armrest. Optional extras include a cooler with a bar compartment, a fold-out centre console table and a perfume function.

The updated A8 splits 40 driver assistance systems over several different packages. For example, the Park package features Audi’s remote park assist, allowing the car to automatically manoeuvre in and out of parallel or bay parking spaces without the driver needing to be in the car. 

The City package includes Audi’s pre-sense 360deg safety system to lift the suspension up in a side impact to protect the occupants, while the Tour package features adaptive cruise assist to automatically adjust its speed.

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The engine line-up remains unchanged, with the six-cylinder 3.0 TDI diesel and 3.0 TFSI petrol producing 282bhp and 335bhp respectively. The TFSIe plug-in hybrid powertrain delivers 455bhp - slightly more than the range-topping 4.0 TFSI, a detuned version of the V8 found in the S8.

The 563bhp V8-powered S8 performance variant gets predictive active suspension, a sport differential and dynamic all-wheel steering included as standard. It promises 0-62mph in 3.8sec.

The refreshed A8 is now available to order, with the first customer deliveries expected in March 2022.

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artill 1 December 2021

I bet there wont be many more new cars launched with a diesel engine in 2022 and beyond

dezzn 1 December 2021

Another hideous grille from Germany.

567 1 December 2021

It will be a used car bargain in a few years.