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Audi A8The Audi A8 is Audi's luxury car flagship. It competes against such cars as the Jaguar XJ, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Lexus LS 430 and BMW 7-Series. It can trace its lineage to the V8 version of the Audi 100 launched in the late 1980s, developed by combining two Volkswagen Golf GTI engines. The A8 dbuted as a model line in its own right for the 1997 model year in the United States and for the 1994 model year in Europe and was unique at the time for having an aluminium bodyshell, a distinction that is now shared by the Jaguar XJ. In 1997, the A8 became the first car in the world ever to offer six interior airbags. In Europe the following engines are available: - 3.0 L V6 petrol, 162 kW (217 hp), 0–100 km/h in 7.9 s,
- 3.0 L V6 diesel, 171 kW (229 hp), 0–100 km/h in 7.8 s,
- 3.7 L V8 petrol, 206 kW (276 hp), 0–100 km/h in 7.3 s,
- 4.0 L V8 diesel, 202 kW (271 hp), 0–100 km/h in 6.7 s,
- 4.2 L V8 petrol, 246 kW (330 hp), 0–100 km/h in 6.4 s,
- 6.0 L W12 petrol, 331 kW (443 hp), 0–100 km/h in 5.2 s.
In North America only the 4.2 L V8 and the 6.0 L W12 are available. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard, and the 3.7 L and higher models have Quattro four wheel drive as standard. In 2004, Audi won a Challenge Bibendum award for its A8 3.0 TDI (the A8 variant with the 3.0 L diesel). This particular model uses piezoelectricity in its fuel injection. The new A8 features Audi's new styling theme with a tall grille inspired by past Audis and the Audi Nuvolari concept car. Many have noticed that a similar look was simultaneously used in the Rover 75 V8 and Volkswagen Golf. Audi S8 The Audi S8 is a high-performance version of the first generation A8, compared to Mercedes-Benz's S-Class's AMG version. It ceased production in 2003, before Audi introduced its second generation A8. The 2003 Audi S8 is powered by a 4.2 L 360 hp (268.5 kW) V8 engine. With a Quattro IV permanent all-wheel drive system, this performance sedan is equipped with a five-speed automatic transmission. Its base price in 2003 was US$72,500. Forbes magazine reported that every class in the Audi line will soon offer an S-model and RS-model, which means there will be an all new Audi S8 and a new-to-the-line RS8 in the future. The A8 Coup In 1997, IVM Automotive of Munich, Germany built a 2-door Audi A8 Coup. The car was unveiled at the 1997 Geneva Motor Show. Audi hired IVM to build the prototype, and was considering production of the vehicle. The coupe had a re-engineered alloy body shorter than the production A8 sedan. Like the Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, there was no central pillar, giving the car a seamless design with a gradually sloping roofline. The car included custom leather seats and could seat four. Ultimately, Audi decided not to put the coupe into production, citing lower-than-expected sales figures for the similar BMW 8 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe. Only one A8 Coup was ever built. The single prototype, painted a color called "Ming Blue Pearl," remains the property of IVM Automotive and resides in Munich. Its last public appearance was in 2002 on a series of test drives. External link References A8
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