2021 Audi A8 L

Audi delivers A8 L in two different trim levels namely: 55 TFSI & 60 TFSI and there isn’t much difference between them besides the powertrain such as the 55 TFSI features a 3.0-L turbo V6 engine and 60 TFSI features 4.0-L twin-turbo V8 engine. One more difference between them is the support of sporty interior, sporty steering wheel settings, and the sporty suspension setup to enhance the vehicle as a sports sedan, and that’s one of the traits of the Audi as it’s known for its sporty heritage.

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We recommend buyers opt for the Audi A8 L 55 TFSI Quattro as the A8 series by Audi isn’t the purest form of the sports car with the racing driving dynamics. The A8 L is meant for the luxury to feel with the appropriate engine size to suit its overall driving dynamics and performance as an Audi. The base trim of A8 L features enough features to the audience at a very reasonable price tag of $86,500 and customers can also go with any of the packages that Audi offers with the vehicle as per their requirements.

As stated before that the Audi A8 L arrives in the market with the standard 3.0-liter, turbo V6 gas engine which produces around 335 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, the engine provides the max torque at low rpm which gives the A8 L a certain pull and accelerates it rapidly. The standard powertrain is powerful enough for a sporty ride but it’s not powerful enough to take on its rivals and that’s why Audi also provides another powertrain option a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 gas engine that puts 453 hp of power and 487 lb-ft of torque down to the wheels.

Both 3.0-liter turbo V6 and 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 are mated to Audi’s special 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission, this gearbox takes the power from the engine and transfers it to all four wheels of the A8 L with the aid of an AWD drivetrain system. The transmission & drivetrain system work in harmony to accelerate Audi A8 L from standstill to 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds and can complete the quarter-mile sprint within 13.8 seconds.

Out of all four vehicles, the Lexus LS 500 has the biggest engine in terms of displacement, and on top of that, it also has twin turbos to boost the engine’s max power to 416 hp which is 81 hp more than that of Audi’s A8 L. Those power figures aren’t just for show, it actually accelerates LS 500 from 0 to 60 mph within 4.6 seconds and makes this vehicle the fastest in the segment. In the second position sits the BMW 7 Series in terms of performance and it even beats the LS 500 in the quarter-mile test. Audi A8 L sits at the bottom of the list with its performance figures.

How does the 2021 Audi A8 L handle?

The Audi A8 L holds its composure while riding it at a decent speed, the cabin remains silent even at high speeds. Audi A8 L is meant to be a chauffeur-driven vehicle as its rear row is the most crucial part of the car, the overall royal and luxuriousness are in the genes of the car. The overall use of material and technology inside the cabin is brilliant and makes one feel important.

Both front and rear rows have more than enough space even for the tall passengers, the suspension handles the car smoothly on the rough patches and holds it tightly while high-speed turns on the corners. The 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission makes the ride super smooth and one won’t have to bother himself with the shifts in the tight traffic conditions. The engine is powerful enough to pull the vehicle pretty quickly but it’s on the rougher side and sometimes feels harsh.

2021 Audi A8 L Braking Performance

The Audi A8 L gets all four disc brakes, front wheels are equipped with the big 15.8-inch rotors whereas the rear wheels have 13.8-inch rotors, with respect to the weight of the vehicle the rotors’ size is quite decent. Audi has taken care of the braking performance of the vehicle by providing the A8 L with the basic plus advanced braking system and tech like all 4-wheel ABS, EBD, electric parking brake, brake assist, front and rear vented discs. 

The Audi A8 L is the heaviest one in the competition with a curb weight of 4905 pounds and those big front rotors suit the vehicle for better braking performance, other than that nothing much can be said about its stopping distance. But out of the three sedans in the competition, BMW 7 Series 740i is showing some awesome braking performance with the stopping distance of 112 ft followed by the Mercedes-Benz S Class which takes 1 foot extra to stop from 60 to 0 mph. Lexus on the other hand is the most performance-oriented but its braking power is something that disappoints as it sits on the bottom of the list with a stopping distance of 118 feet.

Usually, sports and luxury sedans aren’t much good in terms of fuel economy due to their gas-guzzling power plant, more power and performance means less fuel economy and it’s the same case with the Audi A8 L too. The 2021 Audi A8 L claims around 17 mpg in city driving, 26 mpg on the straight highways, and 21 mpg under the combined conditions. The fuel numbers are not much impressive but not bad either, one thing good about the Audi A8 L is its big 21.7 gallons of the fuel tank which increases the combined range to 455 miles.

Out of all four sedans, BMW 7 Series and Lexus LS 500 sit at the top of the list with the fuel numbers that they claim with respect to the performance they offer. After those two, Mercedes-Benz S Class makes its way in the fuel efficiency category with its 27 & 21 mpg of the economy on highways and combined conditions respectively. Audi A8 L does poorly when compared to its rivals but at least it gets the biggest in the segment fuel tank capacity of 21.7 gallons just like the Lexus LS 500.

The interior of the Audi A8 L is astonishing as ever, the cabin can hold up to 4 passengers and 1 rider which is standard for every sedan. In terms of cabin space the front and rear row feature sports cum luxury seats with enough bolstering to keep one comfortable on long journeys and hold the passengers on curves while speeding. The long wheelbase of the Audi A8 L provides more room at the rear seats and with more leg space even the taller passengers wouldn’t find themselves tired or fatigued. 

Now let’s talk about the standard features and cabin styling, one can pick three different cabin colors from black, saiga beige, and sarder brown whereas the cabin is covered with leather upholstery mixed with a combination of wooden and aluminum trims which enhance the overall luxury and royal appeal of the cabin. Audi also provides the option to change the roof material and customers can opt for either the black Alcantara headliner or the black cloth headliner. The rear handrest completely folds down and becomes the luxury cupholder. The Executive package includes some extra safety and convenience features whereas the Luxury pack further enhances the cabin.

All four sedans support the occupancy of 5 people including the driver. The BMW 7 Series excels in the first row seats, it’s the one amongst the rivals with the spacious front row after BMW, Mercedes-Benz S Class shines as the second place, and it's the only car that gives the tough competition to the BMW. On the rear row, both BMW and Audi A8 L are evenly matched in terms of spaciousness and lastly, BMW again takes the crown when it comes to cargo capacity as it has the biggest cargo room of around 18.2 cu-ft. Some highlights of the features inside the cabin of the Audi A8 L are:

• 22-way power-adjustable front seats with memory settings & 4-way lumbar support
• 60-40 Split-folding rear seats
• Steering mounted audio & cruise controls
• Power tilt & telescopic steering wheel
• Leather upholstery with leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Front & rear cigar lighter
• Proximity key for doors & push-button start
• Remote keyless entry
• Cruise controls
• Dual-zone front & rear automatic climate control

How intuitive is the infotainment system of the 2021 Audi A8 L?

The most famous German automaker won’t make a mistake by keeping its customer away from entertainment during the ride, Audi understands the difference between the pleasure that comes from the vehicle’s driving dynamics and the entertainment of rider & passengers during the journey. That’s why Audi offers a standard 8.6-inch HD touchscreen infotainment display with bottom LCD touch display to control the dual-zone automatic climate control. With the awesome infotainment system, the A8 L also gets the 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium brand sound system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. Some highlights of the Audi A8 L’s infotainment system:

• 8.3-inch Touchscreen display
• 17-Speaker Bang & Olufsen premium brand sound system
• Wired Android Auto & wireless Apple CarPlay smartphone integration
• Navigation
• SiriusXM radio
• Audi Connect care
• Front & rear USB ports

The exterior styling of the Audi A8 L is done like a typical sedan but the sober looks of the vehicle do retain its non-sporty and somewhat luxury characteristics. Audi A8 L is a full-size sedan with a long body and wheelbase, when looked at the front end the sharp LED headlights win the best simple yet classy design which integrates well with the chrome-treated front grille, the front also gets the LED DRLs and the LED foglamps.

There is nothing much happening on the side profile, the sober and smooth design language just like the front end follows on the side with some chrome treatment near the running board which sort of continues to the rear end and then goes all the way to the other side. At the rear end, Audi has given this sedan the LED taillights which are connected to one another with a red stripe and on which chrome treatment runs through it. The vehicle gets the black treatment and the all-wheel steering when opted for the Black Optic/ S Line Plus Package. 

By the looks of the data mentioned above in the table, the Audi A8 L seems the heaviest one amongst the competition with a curb weight of 4905 pounds, and its also the longest and widest which certainly depicts that it would be hard for the rider to maneuver it in the tight traffic conditions than its rivals. The Mercedes-Benz S Class and Lexus LS 500 aren’t much behind Audi, they are just a couple of inches shorter than the A8 L but still have comparatively large dimensions. One of the biggest disadvantages of having a long body with a long wheelbase is that it becomes hard to make sharp turns. Some highlights of the exterior features of the Audi A8 L are:

• 19-inch 15-Spoke alloy wheels
• All season 255/45R19 tires
• Power trunk rear cargo access
• Auto LED headlights & LED DRLs with cornering lights
• Front & rear foglights
• LED brake lights
• Heated, auto-dimming, and power-folding ORVMs
• ORVMs integrated turn signals

The Audi A8 L hasn’t been crash-tested by any of the crash testings organizations even the 2020 model has no NHTSA and IIHS safety ratings but by looking towards the background of the German automaker one can surely vouch for the safety of the occupants in the Audi A8 L. Audi also ensures the safety of the rider and the passengers by offering tons of basic & advanced safety features like ABS, EBD, ESC, active cruise control, lane-keeping assist, tire pressure monitoring system and much more. All the safety features of the Audi A8 L are mentioned below:

•  All 4 wheels disc brakes with the antilock braking system
• Electronic stability control
• Electronic brake distribution
• Driveline traction control
• Dual-stage driver & passenger seat-mounted side airbags
• Front & rear parking sensors
• Active lane departure warning & lane-keeping assist
• Airbag occupancy sensors
• Rear child safety locks
• Top view with 360 surround camera view
• Tire pressure monitoring system
• Forward collision mitigation

2021 Audi A8 L Vs 2021 Mercedes-Benz S Class

The Mercedes-Benz S Class and Audi A8 L both the sedan are manufactured by the German automaker. Mercedes is more powerful and provide better performance than the Audi A8 L, the cabin of both the vehicles are evenly spaced for passengers’ comfort but Mercedes has been in the business of manufacturing luxury vehicles for a very long time and those traits can also be seen in its S Class. Mercedes S Class not only feels luxurious from the inside but it surpasses the exterior styling of the Audi A8 L as well.

2021 Audi A8 L Vs 2021 BMW 7 Series 740i Sedan

The BMW 7 Series 740i Sedan is slightly more inclined towards sporty characteristics but it doesn’t mean that it lacks in luxury features and royal appeal, it’s actually more fun to ride than the Audi A8 L which is slightly tweaked with better performance and great driving dynamics. In terms of luxury feel both Sedans would feel evenly matched with the spacious cabin and over-the-top material quality. 

2021 Audi A8 L Vs 2021 Lexus LS 500

The Lexus LS 500 is the most powerful sedan with a somewhat luxury cabin with sporty driving dynamics and exterior styling. The sporty characteristics of the Audi A8 L are very minimalistic but those traits can be seen on the LS 500 much more clearly. From the outside, the Lexus LS 500 looks absolutely beautiful with the sharp/ sleek LED headlights and massive front grille and its cabin does have some luxury feel to it but it’s not on the level of Mercedes and Audi and plus it also lacks space in rear row seats.

The new Audi A8 L is the overall package of luxury and raw sporty performance but it surely isn’t made for tracks. The acceleration and driving dynamics are good enough to make wheel spins and do launches but it gives the A8 L the over-the-top sporty performance as the R8 series. Audi made this vehicle for those who want a luxury ride quality and smooth ride on a daily basis which A8 L provides without breaking the sweat. It’s a good product even with the base engine but if someone wants more power and performance from their vehicle then surely go with the 60 TFSI trim.