Audi’s new flagship Audi A8 luxury sedan goes on sale in Australia during September priced at $225,904.

Under the bonnet is Audi’s glorious 4.2-litre FSI petrol V8 with power and torque up to 273kW/445Nm. However fuel consumption has been slashed by 13 per cent thanks to brake energy recuperation and thermal management and the new A8 averages 9.5l/100kms. 

Also helping reduced fuel consumption is Audi’s new eight-speed tiptronic automatic transmission.

Underneath Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system and sports differential dynamically distribute power between front and rear axles with an intuitive bias towards the rear for the hallmark Audi sporty driving characteristics. Adaptive air suspension with controlled damping is also standard. 

Inside is the usual Audi luxury/technology overload including Valcona leather trim, 22-way electronic adjustment for the front seats, optional adjustable individual rear seats and touch-pad control for the Multi Media Interface (MMI) and navigation system – you trace letters, numbers or characters on the touchpad. Even the new analog clock is automatically set via the GPS system. 

Audi A8 also features night vision assistant for pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control with Stop & Go, Audi lane and side assist.

Audi says the V8-powered A8 will be followed later this year by a 3.0-litre TDI (turbo-diesel) Quattro version with 184kW/550Nm and in 2011 an A8 powered by a 4.2-litre V8 turbo-diesel will be launched. 

As Audi’s range-topping luxury sedan, the Audi A8 maintains the technological breakthroughs of its predecessors and continues to be made with a lightweight aluminium bodyshell and beautifully crafted alloy suspension arms.