Audi unveiled the all-new A8 in 2017. The saloon was supposed to arrive in India latest by end-2019. However, that didn’t happen. One of the main reasons was the distressed Indian automobile industry. Now, Audi India says that after launching the Q8 in January 2020, the fourth-gen A8 will go on sale the following month.

It will be interesting to see which version of the A8 does Audi launches in India – the standard or the long wheelbase. Whatever it may be, the saloon will arrive in petrol guise only. Wearing the 55 TFSI Quattro tag, it will house a 3.0-litre turbo-petrol V6, 8-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system. With 335bhp/500Nm on tap, the standard A8 can hit 100kmph from nothing in 5.6 seconds whereas the LWB version takes tenth-of-a-second longer. The top speed, however, for both A8 derivatives is limited to 250kmph.

In terms of equipment, the Audi A8 will share most of the stuff with the Q8 in India. That means gizmos like a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, an 8.6-inch touchscreen display for controlling AC and other comfort features, and wireless mobile charging will be part of the standard kit. If all that doesn’t float your boat, features such as 360-degree cameras, a 17-speaker 730-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system, ambient lighting, leather upholstery and powered doors will be on offer too. What remains unknown is what all assistance systems does Audi offer with the A8.

The new A8 will arrive in India via the CBU (Completely Built Unit) route. That means the starting price will be close to Rs 1.5 crore. Once launched, Audi’s flagship saloon will lock horns with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ and the Lexus LS500h. If you had to spend on a Luxo barge, which one would it be?