Audi India has launched the Model Year 2022 A8 L sedan at a starting price of Rs 1.29 crore for the Celebration edition trim, going upto Rs 1.57 crore for the Technology trim. Bookings for the Audi A8 L facelift are already underway across dealerships and on the brand's website for a token amount of Rs 10 lakh.

Like the outgoing car, the Audi A8 L facelift will be sold via the CBU route, and at a starting price of Rs 1.29 crore, it costs Rs 31 lakh less than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Rs 11 lakh less than the BMW 7 Series, and Rs 62 lakh less than the Lexus LS.

What's under the hood?
The luxury carmaker has retained the 3.0-litre, turbo-petrol V6 engine with mild-hybrid tech from the outgoing car on the A8 L facelift . Producing 340hp and 500Nm of torque, the powertrain is mated to an 8-speed torque converter automatic transmission. Equipped with Quattro all-wheel drive technology, the A8 L facelift can accelerate from 0-100kph in 5.7sec, until it reaches a limited top speed of 250kph. However, unlike its rivals, Audi does not offer a diesel or a strong hybrid engine option on the India-spec A8 L.

The inside story
Compared to the older model, the 2022 Audi A8 L gets a reprofiled front end, with a bolder use of chrome on the mesh pattern across the grille. Another key change is the implementation of angled air intakes that sit beside the fog lamp housings, now outlined by a redesigned chrome strip. Unlike its predecessor, which only came as a 4-seater, the new A8 L gets 5 seats on the Celebration trim, while the Technology trim can be optioned as a 5-seater or 4-seater, with the latter getting a split rear cabin with two individual seats.

The A8 L Celebration trim carries over the HD Matrix LED headlights from the outgoing car, while the Technology trim comes equipped with the new Digital Matrix LED headlights. The new headlight system in the Technology trim projects individual beams of light from micro-mirrors, which improve visibility even while cornering and also prevent blinding oncoming drivers. The luxury limo now comes standard with new 19-inch dual-tone alloy wheels and rear OLED tail-lights.

While it carries over the standard air suspension from its predecessor, the Technology trim comes with the option to upgrade to predictive air suspension and all-wheel steering. The predictive air suspension system uses the front camera to check the road for imperfections and adapts accordingly. It can also increase or decrease the ride height of the A8 L by 50mm for easy ingress and egress.

The facelifted A8 L sees minimal changes on the inside and continues with the dashboard-mounted 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen, which controls navigation and media, along with the 8.6-inch display placed right below that houses the climate control and seating functions. Like the outgoing version, the 2022 A8 L gets two additional 10.1-inch infotainment screens at the back for rear passengers that run on the updated MIB 3 software, as seen on international versions.