Gone is the normally-aspirated 4.2-liter V-8 from last year’s A8, which produced 372 horsepower and 328 pound feet of torque, while returning an EPA-estimated 17 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.
Replacing it will be the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 used in the S8, but detuned to a more reasonable power output than the S8’s 520 horsepower. Audi has yet to release exact specifications, but we’d expect the A8 4.0T to be both more powerful and more fuel efficient than the outgoing A8 4.2.
The new forced-induction V-8 will be available in both conventional and long-wheelbase A8 models. Standard wheelbase A8 4.0T models will be priced from $81,795, while A8 L 4.0T models will start at $88,095.
New to the A8 model range for 2013 is a 3.0-liter supercharged V-6, which is rated at 333 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. That’s not too far off the mark from last year’s 4.2-liter V-8, and the new 3.0T returns an EPA-estimated 17 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.
There's no gain in fuel economy over last year's V-8, but the big advantage of the supercharged V-6 is that it lowers the A8’s starting price by some $6,550, making the A8 attractive to a wider customer base. Pricing for the 2013 A8 3.0T begins at $73,095, while the A8 L 3.0T is priced from $79,395.
A 3.0-liter turbodiesel version of the A8 will also be offered, with specifications and pricing to be released closer to the car’s 2013 launch. The A8 W12 returns for 2013, still in long-wheelbase form only, priced from $135,395.
