In the luxury D-class flagship market, the Audi A8 has always been a very special existence. After the first-generation Audi A8 succeeded the V8 as the brand's flagship in 1994, it achieved status as the world's first full-size luxury sedan with an aluminum alloy body. With the blessing of Quattro, W12 and other technologies, the A8 has become one of the representatives of high-end flagship sedans in Europe, alongside the top three of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series.
However, as competitors have carried out revolutionary facelifts, the D5 generation A8 model launched in 2017 has also recently added a 2.0T model named 45 TFSI in its mid-term facelift. As Audi's flagship internal combustion model, does the 2.0T model, which has the lowest entry threshold, have enough strength to compete with the other two German flagships? We went to the track to conduct an in-depth comparative test on two "entry-level" D-segment cars: the Audi A8L 45TFSI quattro luxury model and the BMW 7 Series 735Li M sports package.
Subject 1. Acceleration test
The first is the test of acceleration performance. In the straight-line test area, two vehicles will accelerate from standstill to 50km/h respectively to test the vehicle's initial explosive acceleration capability. From the data point of view, the Audi A8L 45TFSI quattro luxury model is equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine with a maximum power output of 195kw/370N·m, and the official acceleration time from 0-100 km/h is 6.7 seconds. The BMW 7 Series 735Li M Sports Package is equipped with a low-power version of a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine with a maximum power of 200kW and a peak torque of 400N·m. It is equipped with a 48V mild hybrid system. The official 0-100 km/h acceleration time is also 6.7 seconds.
During the test, both cars switched to sports mode (7 Series: SPORT, A8: Dynamic). Depressing the brake pedal and pressing the accelerator to the bottom will activate the vehicle's launch control function. When starting, the 735Li showed signs of slight slipping because all power was distributed through the rear wheels. However, it regained grip after the speed exceeded 30km/h. The transmission of power from the gearbox was relatively direct, and the test was finally completed in 1st gear. 0 -50km/h acceleration time is 2.80 seconds.
A8L From the moment it started, there was no sign of skidding at all. The four tires were like sprinters wearing spiked shoes, running away from the ground. The 8-speed Tiptronic gearbox also completed the test in 1st gear, and the 0-50km/h acceleration time was locked at 2.47 seconds, 0.33 seconds faster than the 735Li. Don't be trivial about the few tenths of a second. In the actual environment, every 0.1 second difference means a distance of at least one parking space. When encountering an emergency and needing to quickly accelerate away from the scene, it may lead to a completely different outcome.
Although it is a pity that this generation of A8L lacks the W12 model, it is just that the author still has a certain obsession with traditional multi-cylinder engines. In fact, the strength of Audi's 2.0T engine cannot be underestimated. The speed at which the turbine officially intervenes is quite low, and the throttle response is linear. This advantage is that the performance in the mid- to low-speed range is smooth and full. Don't forget that the A8L is not just for drivers to drive. It’s just fun, sometimes you still need the driver to do it for you. As the environmental protection requirements for fuel vehicles become more and more stringent, small-displacement vehicles have gradually become the mainstream power option for D-class models. The 2.0T, which can take into account environmental protection, economy and power, is actually a good choice. .
Subject 2: Four-wheel drive test
In this test, we will drive two vehicles through the pulley block to examine the vehicle's tracking and escape capabilities when encountering low-adhesion roads. Let’s talk about the conclusion first. A8L can easily pass the single pulley set and the diagonal double pulley set that tests the power distribution between axles. The A8L is equipped with the Quattro system that the Audi family is proud of, using a purely mechanical self-locking center differential that can distribute torque between the front and rear axles in a 40:60 ratio. When the front and rear wheels are exactly on the pulley block, start to step on the accelerator deeply. The three wheels with low adhesion rotated briefly, and the inter-wheel torque was quickly transmitted to the wheel with adhesion in the front. After the tire squeaked briefly, the car was successfully freed.
The 735Li uses a rear-wheel drive platform, so when the two rear wheels are on the pulley block, the two front wheels have no power at all, so it is expected that they cannot pass.
Subject 3: Bump test
In this subject, the vehicle will pass through continuous speed bumps at the same speed to compare the riding experience, and at the same time observe the body jitter from the outside. During the test, the driving modes of both vehicles were set to Comfort. You can clearly feel that the damping of the A8 L's adaptive air suspension is very comfortable. The shock-absorbing advantage of the air pressure spring also allows it to have an excellent buffering effect when encountering speed bumps, without any discomfort from hitting the ground. The 735Li has also changed from the sporty-tuned style of the previous 7 Series, becoming more comfortable and almost all bumps on the road can be ignored. Both cars look calm and composed from the outside perspective. After all, they have reached the level of flagship sedans, and the chassis is the biggest moat.
Sitting in the car, the A8L feels much more comfortable. It can be clearly felt that the suspension system is better at filtering vibrations at speed bumps than the 735Li. In terms of chassis, both vehicles are equipped with a front multi-link/double wishbone and rear multi-link dual independent suspension combination. However, the A8L comes standard with an adaptive suspension system that can cooperate with the terrain management system to form an independent suspension system. Real-time control of frame damping enables hundreds of support strength adjustments to be completed silently within one second. Therefore, the ironing effect is more responsive to the short-wave vibration of continuously bumpy road surfaces.
Subject 4: Vehicle Quietness Test
In this project, speakers playing large-scale electronic music EDM were placed outside the car. Under the same sound environment, the decibel levels of the sounds in the two cars were recorded. Due to the positioning of entry-level models, neither car is equipped with double-layer acoustic glass, and the difference is purely based on NVH capabilities. In the 735Li, we sat in the driver's seat, holding a decibel meter, and recorded a sound pressure value of 58.5dB.
When switching to A8L, when the vehicle is parked in the same position, the sound value is 53.7dB, which is significantly lower than 735Li.
Subject Five: Pile Winding Test
In the pile winding test, the A8L felt better than the 735Li in terms of body flexibility and directivity. Thanks to the new ASF frame (Audi Space Frame), more than 58% of the body structure is not only made of aluminum alloy, but also uses steel, carbon fiber, magnesium alloy and other materials in different areas. The overall rigidity is increased by 24% compared with the previous generation.
entered the pile-circling area at the same speed. I could clearly feel that the rear of the car could follow forward in a very agile manner. The steering feel was very tight and there was no obvious empty position. This is because the A8L's standard progressive steering system can make the vehicle more stable when making small turns (such as changing lanes or making slight adjustments in direction). When turning around a pile, the steering will become more flexible.
Subject 6: Track Test
Transferring the scene to the track is another surprising experience. Originally, I thought that such a large flagship would be constrained on the track, especially on a small track like Shodo Boyue, unless it was equipped with rear axle steering of high-end models to make the vehicle more flexible. However, the A8L equipped with adaptive air suspension and Quattro system is not so bulky when driving on the track. The strong grip and excellent directivity of the four-wheel drive system make the A8L's dynamic performance quite pleasing. I don't feel like I am driving a large car over 5.3 meters at all.
In addition, the suspension damping of the A8L is very sporty, and the slight beating frequency when encountering undulating road surfaces is actually not much different from that of the Audi S8. Moreover, the shock-absorbing advantage of the air spring also allows it to have an excellent cushioning effect when encountering road shoulders, without any discomfort being transmitted to the steering wheel and seats. Coupled with the air suspension equipped with the A8, the damping feedback response when driving on the track is also much sportier than that of double B long-axle models of the same class (same as in sports mode). Even in high-speed corners, it has extremely high stability and can corner with deep accelerator with confidence.However, the slower hairpin turns fully reveal the characteristics of rear wheel steering. The long body has greater tail inertia, so when the rear wheels reverse turn, the rear of the car will have a very special swing phenomenon. It's like the moment when drift starts. However, as long as you gently reduce the oil, the pendulum posture will disappear immediately.
Overall, the handling characteristics of the A8L are very much like rear-wheel drive. As the throttle is deepened, it will be "sucked" deeper into the corner. This unique flavor can be said to be between a mid-engine (MR) and a front-engine, rear-wheel drive (FR) car, and can pass through the APEX cornering center with a smaller arc. This characteristic allows the A8 L to handle the hairpin turns effortlessly even on a small and narrow track. It even feels like driving an S4, which is very surprising.
The BMW 7 Series, which is known for its sportiness, has gradually moved away from its control orientation in this generation. The directivity and response speed of the front of the 735Li still feel like a BMW, and the followability of the rear is also good. But even if the mode is switched to SPORT, the suspension is still too soft. When the center of gravity shifts, the roll is relatively large. When the suspension compression limit is approached, there is a serious tendency to push the head. The steering system of the 735Li on the track still responds very quickly, but it has the same troubles as when going around piles: the suspension has weak lateral support and serious roll. The side tilt is more obvious. The overall controllability is worthy of recognition, and the tracking performance is no problem. However, due to the too soft suspension setting, its dynamic performance is not calm enough on small tracks.
Purchasing advice:
Once upon a time, when the first-generation 7 Series was born, compared to the huge and bloated competing products at the time, a large flagship sedan with sporty attributes made the world shine. After 50 years, the new 7 Series has become larger, heavier, and more bloated, and has successfully become something that I hate. The new generation 7 Series wants to express a strong aura, but it always feels like it is using too much force. The 7 Series has also lost the driving pleasure that BMW has always focused on, and its overall performance is mediocre, which is a pity.
The core competitiveness of the D5-generation A8L 45 TFSI, the youngest in the BBA flagship sedan camp, is its rich technological configuration, coupled with the neutral handling chassis characteristics provided by the carefully cooked MLB EVO architecture. As for the aura that a luxury flagship should have, after the facelift, it is perfectly presented through sharper geometric lines and a large number of chrome elements, successfully becoming the new benchmark for entry-level luxury D-class in our minds.
If four-wheel drive is the main requirement, the price of 829,800 for the Audi A8L 45 TFSI quattro luxury version is much more attractive than its German rivals at the same level. Because the BMW 7 Series fuel version has canceled the xDrive four-wheel drive model, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class will not provide four-wheel drive until the 1.3432 million yuan S450L 4MATIC model.
Finally, friends who are considering a luxury D-class car, what would you choose?
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