Audi India has started the 2020 operations on a high note. After launching the Q8 last month, the German carmaker has now introduced the new A8L. For the uninitiated, ‘L’ stands for long-wheelbase. As you’d expect with a price tag of Rs 1.56 crore, before taxes, the A8 will not be Audi’s sales volume generator. That’s why it lands in India via the CBU (Completely Built Unit) route.

Sticking to its original plan, Audi is offering the new A8 only with a petrol engine. Wearing the ‘55 TFSI Quattro’ tag, the limousine houses a 3.0-litre, turbocharged V6 mill, 8-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system. There’s also a mild-hybrid system in the mix which, in certain circumstances, aids the ICE with an additional 16bhp. Thanks to a maximum output of 335bhp/500Nm, the A8L can hit 100kmph from a standstill in 5.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 250kmph. Considering that the sedan weighs just shy of two tonnes (unladen), those performance figures are impressive. Surprisingly in this spec, the A8L weighs over a 100kg less than the Q8, which also has the same powertrain.

As you’d expect, the A8L’s list of features is impressive as well. It includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, an 8.6-inch touchscreen display for controlling the AC and other comfort features, wireless mobile charging, ambient lighting and an array of cameras for a 360-degree view. If all that is a bit poor for your liking, the A8L also brings a 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, four-zone climate control, powered doors, electrically-adjustable and heated seats, adaptive air suspension and bucket-loads of safety features.

With the new A8L, Audi India aims to give the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series, Lexus LS 500h and the Jaguar XJ a run for their money. Do you think Audi’s offering has enough in its arsenal to do just that?