Supersonic

Twelve-Audi A8: The new flagship, the new icon of Ingolstadt. And the brand new face with a chrome "muzzle" in the style of conceptual supercar Audi Nuvolari, Audi Le Mans and ... just declassified Audi A6 new generation. It is unlikely that "eight" of this was beautiful, but unique - beautiful, meaner and even more brazen. We will appreciate it. And in front of a giant lit ingolshtadtskogo stray sparks: a dozen LED tail lights - the first time in a production car. Two five-pointed "star" shining constantly under clear lenses, and only slightly faded, when the passing beam. Finally, the head of the clan Audi guaranteed one hundred percent uznavaemost.V Salzburg brought not only "ordinary» Audi A8 6.0, but the long wheelbase version, "stretched" by 130 mm - the same car, but with engine V8, already sold in Russia. The "long" sedan unexpectedly harmonious silhouette - the big rear door here at the time. Shifted his gaze to the standard car - and it already seems to be "wrong", a shortened, with truncated doorways ... Rear seats - the apotheosis of comfort: in this version of the double sofa, and its halves are equipped with numerous electric and built Vibrating. A good profile of backs, the impressive range of adjustment, comfortable fit geometry, excellent climate system ... And the mass of leg room. Feels like - no less than in a long "seven» BMW, and more than a "stretch" the Mercedes S-Class (see AR № 16, 2003). In front of almost everything the same way as in the Audi A8 cars with motor V8 (see AR № 19, 2003) - aviation architecture front, which flows into the wide central tunnel. High-tech, but crowded to excess of information appliances, ergonomic multifunctional terminal MMI with seven-inch display. "Dear," pleasant to the touch plastic adjacent to the oak veneer, and the controls are decorated with chrome. The main feature of the interior version of W12 - steering wheel with new hub, fashioned after "horseshoe" radiator. Appeared under the steering wheel for manual control of the spatula, six-speed automatic ZF.Prikladyvayu finger to a scanner button, labeled Start - and the body of a giant silver runs barely perceptible tremor. All the same W-type engine is not perfectly balanced, like a traditional motor V12 ... The weather was not lucky: after an overnight snowfall western Austria has developed first in Finland, then sadly thawed under drizzling rain, and finally froze on chilly winds. Everywhere on the road - the track and ice cones. But the big sedans have something to counter nature - a proprietary all-wheel drive quattro transmission with limited slip Torsen differential interaxable makes two-ton aluminum all-weather aircraft. This is what was so much hassle with a complex W-shaped power plant - because the relative compactness allowed to place it over the front axle. The combination of all-wheel drive powertrain and a W-shaped engine, consisting of two like folksvagenovskih VR6 engine with the cylinders of the collapse of the angle of 15 degrees, was first tested in the Audi A8 sedans previous generation. But then because of the layout features the designers were forced to provide the six-liter engine expensive dry sump lubrication system, as in sports cars. Now the engine has become a little easier - it has a regular pan. Lightweight pistons, connecting rods and valves allow the engine to maximize the value of 30 hp and 20 Nm - 450 hp and 580 Nm. Of course, it does not record results for: naturally aspirated engine in the BMW 760i develops 445 hp and 600 Nm, and crazy biturbomotor Sedan Mercedes S600 - 500 HP and does and 800 Nm! But it is a little heavier rivals Audi and have the drive to the rear kolesa.V such circumstances, they would have had hard times. A "ingolshtadtskomu Express" snow is no obstacle. In response to the expressive pressing the accelerator pedal the engine blows up acceleration. Heart skips a beat, just like in the "six hundredth" Mercedes: Audi 5,2 declared for a second acceleration "from zero to one hundred" seems to be really close to the figures mersedesovskim 4.8 s (real, according to the results of our measurements). The difference - in the nuances. For example, the Audi does not feel the ease with acceleration of one hundred and sixty or two hundred, which is typical mersedesovskim turbonyutonam. But all the same "eight" damn quick - set to 200 km / h, it spends only about twenty seconds! There, in the automotive stratosphere, Audi is in his element. Aluminum bar with such confidence is flying in a straight line, so gracefully follows the curves of the motorway, that it is impossible to keep - as soon as the wheels is ventilated asphalt utaplivayut foot gas pedal to the floor. Hardly noticeable delay "automatic" - and his head together with all its contents attracted to the headrest ... but the flight does not last long: after a few seconds behind a veil of spray occurs rapidly silhouette vehicle in front. We must slow down. Slowing down is controlled practically only one force on the pedal - we have repeatedly praised the Audi A8 not only for the effectiveness of the braking system, but also comfortable, "drayverskogo" algorithm for its raboty.Pri You can slow down or succumb to the heat engine, manual mode "automatic" : at any time, even in the Drive, you can choose the right gear with the paddles of "petals". Pretending to be a while "mechanics", a clever box then becomes "automatic". And how - with a logical algorithm, with a smooth and rapid switchover of control ... The main feature of the flagship model - a reasonable understeer - remained unchanged. Only now, "the nose" at the Audi still hangs poltsentnera - just enough W12 engine is heavier than V-shaped "eight". It feels like the Audi rests on corner entry - despite all the efforts of very wide tires, worn by elegant dvenadtsatispitsevye forged aluminum wheels. On icy, winding two-ton sedan tracks every now and then strove to move to the outer side of the road. Audi engineers believe that these chassis setting is preferable to a tendency to drift - they say it is safer for inexperienced drivers. But at the same Audu A8 even twelve-incarnation is presented as a sport-oriented car. Inept driver, and even with a sports-oriented, driven ultra-fast machine with understeer - that's really dangerous ... Among other things, sensitive to skid system ESP, as always, remains indifferent to the demolition of the front axle. But to deal effectively with the demolition without the aid of electronics can only very well-prepared drayver.Vprochem, long wheelbase version for Audi A8L W12, appropriate to speak not "driver" and "driver" - most likely, the owner of an extended car to drive will not. And for someone who wants to fly on their own, is "normal" machine with a standard wheelbase. And if extended sedan steering is light and even pustovat, and feedback on the gas pedal zadempfirovany, then the "short» Audi A8 W12 bagel filled with pronounced reactive force, and motor control electronics in sports is responsive to the touch to the gas pedal. Reactions car when maneuvering precisely and sharply - the level of understanding in dynamic driving above. In addition, both machines are different gear ratio. More "stretched" long wheelbase sedan transmission helps to maximize comfort. A standard car looks more aggressive, although the factory data accelerating dynamics almost otlichayutsya.Razlichy in smooth progress, I have not noticed - air suspension on both cars is easy to "swallow" the road a trifle, but to any significant irregularities elastic body shudders. At the same time on the handlebars - the optimal ratio of vibrations and useful information. Is that the "long" car stands out a faint vertical buildup - but it disappears when I switch the adjustable air suspension with active dampers in the strictest regime of Sport. The interior is generally quiet: the dominant sound of the engine is not fatiguing, even though its "synthetic" timbre reminiscent of Electric perforator - lyubitelya.Ingolshtadtsky on hi-tech manufactures whole experience: it is really a modern car. By design, in design, quality manufacturing. Adequate response to the Bavarian "Seven», Audi A8 has been a very different stylistic dimension than seven Mercedes W220. In addition, this chassis has good potential: it is possible that over time will be more powerful version with a six-liter Audi A8 engine W12, equipped with a pair of turbochargers - as a coupe Bentley Continental GT.No advanced technologies Audi A8 W12 - not a cheap pleasure. In early April, a Russian dealers will sedans Audi A8L long-base at a price of 164 thousand euros (cars with the standard wheelbase will be available later.) Price is quite high compared to competitors, but it is assumed that each year will be sold for six thousand 450-strong sedans, most of which will go to Germany and the USA. And several hundred - and certainly in Russia.