Audi A8L India Launch Confirmed For End Of 2019

Audi, the Deutsche luxury car brand is all set to launch its flagship A8L in India by the end of this year. The manufacturer has already started to accept the booking for the same and has already clocked in a few bookings ahead of its official launch.

Front three-quarters of the upcoming Audi A8L.

The 4^th generation Audi A8 was universally showcased in  2017, as a standard wheelbase version and an extended wheelbase version. It is the latter, which will be making its way to Indian shores. Based on Volkswagen’s MLB Evo platform, the Audi A8L measures a whopping 5,302mm in length, 1,945mm in width, and 1,488mm in height. The new A8L is 37mm longer and 17mm taller but 4mm narrower than the outgoing version. At 3,128mm, it has also gained an extra 6mm of wheelbase which would only mean extra space in what was an already roomy cabin.

In the international markets, the Audi A8L is offered in an array of different engine options, starting with a pair of 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 petrol and diesel units producing 340bhp and 286bhp respectively. It also gets an options of a 460bhp twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, a top of the line W12 variant variants  and a plug-in hybrid option. In India, the A8L is expected to come with the mild-hybrid versions of the 3.0-litre V6 petrol and diesel engines and a plug-in hybrid drivetrain as an option, considering what the competition has on offer.

Talking about the interior of the car, the new A8L comes loaded with screens. The highlight of the dashboard is Audi’s Virtual Cockpit which is the company's name for its all-digital instrument cluster. The central console is equipped with a 10.1-inch touchscreen display for the ICE unit, while there’s another 8.6-inch curved touch screen unit to operate the various creature comforts like climate controls and seating functions. The A8L will offer optional massaging and heating seat, with a segment-first feet massager. On the electronic-assistance front, the A8L comes with 4-wheel steering assistance to maneuver tight turning spots and autonomous driver assistance of level 3 in developed global markets. This feature is most liklely to be sidelined for the Indian specific model.

The rear three-quarters of the Audi A8L shows it's light bar connecting the OLED tail lamps.

On the design front, the upcoming A8L has some distinguishable and appealing changes to the exterior. The front hexagonal grille is much sharper, accompanied with the sleek HD Matrix LED Headlamp. The design is now closer to Audi's newer design language and the theme of sharp flowing lines can be found throughout the length of the car. At the back, it gets LED tail lamps which are slimmer in profile, in accordance with the design of the headlamps. The tail lamps also feature a one-piece design with the help of a LED strip which runs between the two tail lamp clusters.

Expected to make its way to Indian shores via the CBU route, the A8L is likely be priced anywhere between 1.30-1.50 crore INR, which will give some serious competition to the likes of Mercede-Benz S-class, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ and Lexus LS500h.

Also Read - Mercedes-Benz S-Class – A Quick Walkthrough.