Audi’s 2019 A8 L Is Making A Comeback In India This February

• Internationally, the Audi A8 comes with one of the most sophisticated driver assistance tech.
• The BS6 compliant 3.0-litre V6 makes 340PS and 500Nm of torque.
• A diesel engine will not be offered at launch.
• Ex-showroom prices are expected to start from Rs 1.5 crore.

Audi India will reveal the fourth-generation A8 L sedan in India in February 2020. Sources within dealerships have told us that the carmaker will offer it with a single powertrain option -- a 3.0-litre petrol V6 mild hybrid. Expect the A8 to retail upward of Rs 1.5 crore (ex-showroom). Once launched, the flagship sedan will stir up old rivalries with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the recently updated BMW 7 Series.

The new A8 is more than a mere facelift. It is styled like a scaled-up A6. The sober exteriors don’t scream opulence as much as murmur it. Even so, the previous A8’s small headlamps and grille have given way to complex LED matrix headlamps and a large grille. As before, only the long wheelbase version will be offered in India. Delicate chrome strips line the grille and bumpers.

Audi A8's interior is vastly different from the model we last saw in India. Minimalism is the theme here, even though this is one of the most kitted-out cars on sale today. You get a dainty four-spoke steering wheel. Behind it stands a digital instrument panel which Audi calls the Virtual Cockpit. The entire width of the dashboard is lined with unpolished wood. Two screens sit in the centre console. The one at the top is the infotainment touchscreen. Below it sits a large display for the HVAC controls.

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This car's greatest appeal lies in its safety and autonomous tech. Active safety features are likely to be offered as standard on the India-spec model. It remains to be seen if Audi will offer Traffic Jam Assist as part of the Driver Assistance package. This is the only Level 3 autonomous system available on a production car. It can drive the car independently at speeds up to 60kmph. Beyond those speeds, the adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist will continue to keep you comfortable in the driver’s seat.

Audi offers one of the best automotive tech packages in the world. Its 3.0-litre V6 isn’t such a showstopper, though. At 340PS and 500Nm it is slightly more powerful than BMW’s straight-six in the 740Li. But the BMW is also offered with a massive 6.6-litre V12 engine which sprints to 100kmph in 3.8 seconds. Audi may offer the V8 TFSI motor in the future. Other than the Bimmer, Audi will compete with European barges like the Mercedes S-Class and the Jaguar XJ. We can’t wait to get our hands on one.