There?s great news for car-lovers in the country, especially those who swear by German-made automobiles ? Audi is coming to India. True, it?s nowhere close to achieving the status of the Mercedes-Benz and the BMW, but with a slogan ? Vorsprung durch Technik ? that means ?ahead or advanced due to technology?, you can be guaranteed one mean machine. Also, the company, with its rich history, is one of the most respected in the field of auto-manufacturing.

The models most likely to make it to India initially are the Audi A8 and the Audi TT. The A8 created quite a stir when it was first launched in the mid-?90s, causing people to wonder at its novel aluminium-forged body. Of course, the A8 that will probably be available in the country is a brand-new model, gearing up to give its biggest competition, the S-Class Mercedes, a run for its money.

Being the flagship model in the Audi range, the A8 comes fully loaded with a variety of features as also engines that range from a 3.0 litre V6 to a 6.0 litre W12. V8 engines were a common feature in the 1930s, especially in Horch models of the time, and remain so even today. In fact it is the V8 that is one of the most prominent features of the A8. With five valves per cylinder, these engines form the base for Audi?s charge into the luxury segment.

There are three V8s ? 3.7 litre and 4.2 litre petrol and a 4.0 litre turbo-charged diesel developing around 280, 335 and 275 bhp respectively. The A8 is available with a 220 bhp petrol or a 233 bhp turbo diesel while the W12 unit develops a massive 450 bhp of power. Besides the W12 unit, the six-litre A8 also features a six-speed automatic gearbox as well as an all-wheel drive.

The V8 engines feature automated starting where a driver authorisation system ?authorises? the ECU (Engine Control Unit) to initiate the starting procedure. Audi is very proud of their V8 engine technology and so, in a break from current practice, there is no plastic cover over the engine to make it look neat. The cylinder head covers and other accessories are exposed for all to look at and admire.

At 5,051 mm and 1,894 mm, the A8 is longer and wider than the Mercedes S350 (5,041 mm, 1,855 mm) and longer than the BMW 7-Series (5,029 mm). And for those who feel that even bigger is better, Audi has a ?long? version (5,181mm) lined up as well. The A8 also features a rigid safety frame for better crash protection even at 80 kmph thanks to longitudinal and cross-sectional members that protect the occupants and the fuel system.

Inside the car, a new type of airbag protects the driver. It inflates radially, something which Audi claims is safer for drivers who sit close to the steering wheel. Also, the sensors used to detect crashes in the A8 activate the hazard warning lights, shut down the engine and fuel pumps, release the central locking (very important as sometimes the anti-burst locks can trap occupants inside a crashed car) and switch on the lighting.

True to the company slogan, one of the features of the new A8 is the Multi-Media Interface or MMI. This replaces conventional switchgear much like the iDrive system found in BMWs. Comprising two parts, a control and a display, MMI gives the user control of four different systems ? entertainment, communication, information and vehicle systems. Moreover, the more the driver uses one particular function, the higher it moves up in the scale of availability, thus reducing time spent in locating ? all important since distraction while driving is minimised.

The ride quality of the A8 is user-selectable, ranging between dynamic, comfort and automatic. This has been made possible by the use of advanced electronics that interact with the adaptive air suspension. The A8 is also quite nimble for its size thanks largely to the lightness of the car and the quattro system. Audi pioneered the latter years ago and the latest version is incorporated in the A8 to give better traction and allow faster (and safe) cornering speeds.

The A8 reeks of technology. In addition to the advanced key access, features such as one-touch memory personalisation and radar-assisted cruise control systems are also part of the set-up. Even the headlight units have a titanium-coloured base. A8s are available with three variations in headlights: the normal ellipsoidal main lights and high-luminosity Xenons that incorporate a moving shutter to switch between high and dipped beams and change angle according to the load conditions imposed on the car at any given time i.e. acceleration and braking. The third type is the auxiliary, adaptive cornering light that works in tandem with the (dipped) Xenons. This offers a safety gain as more of the road is lit up, enabling the driver to see what lies ahead a fraction earlier.

The rear lights and indicators of the A8 are quite high-tech. The automotive world is increasingly turning to LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) thanks to an LED?s inherent advantages of space saving, high brightness level, long life and quicker response.

Still not sold on the A8? Just take a test drive and you?ll be convinced that an Audi is indeed ?vorsprung durch technik?. Add to that German reliability and attention to detail and it becomes an irresistible package ? of course, only for those who can cough up big bucks.

My first car

Indrani Halder,
actress

Growing up, I saw quite a few cars come and go as my dad had this policy of changing cars often. But the first car I bought for myself was a Maruti 800. It was in 1991, a couple of years after I starred in my first film, and I was really excited at being able to have bought this one, all on my own.

Which probably explains why I went way over my budget on the car d?cor ? investing in everything from power windows to central locking. To me, the most important thing was comfort, since I spend a large part of my day in my car and my red Maruti ? which my father nicknamed Lalu ? was as comfortable as it got. It held a lot of good memories for me as well ? in fact, I used to ride in it with my first boyfriend.

I had every intention of holding on to Lalu but my dad advised me to change cars every three years. By that time, the Zen was also on the market and I opted for one in place of my red Maruti. Since then, I?ve changed several cars and currently I own a Zen and a Honda City. But Lalu will always be special to me. After all, your first car is like your first love, you can never quite forget it.