AUDI HAS BEEN into serious weight-loss for quite a while now. The German marque's regimen showed very visible signs in 1994, when it introduced an all-aluminium-bodied A8 that was significantly lighter than most luxury saloons at the time. The A2 followed suit.
Though brilliant in concept and technologically excellent, the A8 was not a hit in Hong Kong, where there are more Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7-Series and Lexus LS models on the streets. Perhaps Audi's image is too young for those punters who can afford the odd million on a car and prefer a more established badge on their bonnet to the reduced fuel consumption and more agile handling that an aluminium car brings.
The newest A8 builds on Audi's expertise in aluminium space frame construction, and is again lighter than its competitors. A 3.7-litre A8 weighs 1,770 kilograms, while a BMW 735i and Mercedes-Benz S350 tip the scale at 1,935kg and 1,810kg respectively. The new top-of-the-range Audi is faster too, sprinting to 100km/h from a standing start in 7.3 seconds, 0.2 of a second faster than the BMW 735i and 0.3 of a second quicker than the Mercedes-Benz S350.
The A8 has been loaded with the latest technology, but I find my test car, a 3.7 Quattro base model, is cleaner, simpler and exudes the understated elegance of the fine leather, wood and chrome. The new Multi Media Interface (MMI) system, Audi's answer to BMW's iDrive, features a pop-up screen at the centre of the dashboard and a rotary dial that controls functions including entertainment, communication, information and settings for the electric windows, indoor lighting, parking sensors and the new adaptive air suspension. Unlike BMW's iDrive, which can be quite intimidating and frustrating to the non-technical minded, the Audi A8's MMI controls and display are a joy to use. The electro-mechanical parking brake is clearly another answer to the 7-Series: the A8's pull/push switch resembles the workings of a mechanical hand and seems more logical than the single push button of the biggest BMWs.
Another first for Audi is its introduction of an air suspension system, much like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Four pneumatic struts are electronically controlled for ride heights and damping force. I keep changing the settings with a twist and mouse-like push on the MMI system, finding the Comfort setting is ideal for the pothole-laden city streets. Although the ride is not as creamy as in a Lexus LS430, it is comfortable. A quick change to Dynamic firms up the suspension to minimise body roll and increase cornering stability, as you would expect of a competitive Audi. I choose Automatic as the all-around mode, as it enables an overall smooth ride, but reacts quickly to the road's undulation. If the A8 is driven for more than 30 seconds above the speed of 120km/h, the air suspension is supposed to automatically lower the car's ride height for lower drag and more stability. But I am unable to test this facility on Hong Kong's roads.
My test car's V8 engine belts out 280 brake horsepower, compared with the 245bhp of the Mercedes-Benz S350, the 272bhp of the BMW 735i and the 281bhp Lexus LS430. Only the beloved, controversial mount of our former financial secretary feels faster. Being a base model, the 3.7 Quattro is not terribly fast. For those who are really eager to go places, the 335bhp 4.2 Quattro can reach the same speed in only 6.3 seconds. But the A8 can easily be the most fun of all these high-powered saloons.