Nasser Bin Khaled Holding chairman and CEO Sheikh Nawaf Nasser bin Khalid al-Thani, along with other dignitaries, led the premier launch of the new Audi A8 in Qatar recently.
With strikingly stylish design, dynamic-all wheel steering, an innovative touchscreen operating concept and the electrification of all drive units, the fourth generation of the A8 provides the brand with the Four Rings, its latest reference for Vorsprung durch Technik.
The luxury sedan is the first production automobile in the world to have been developed for highly automated driving.
From the end of 2018, Audi will gradually be taking piloted driving functions such as parking pilot, garage pilot and traffic jam pilot into production.
The Audi A8 is the first production model to define a new design era for Audi that will be incorporated for the entire brand. It symbolises sporty elegance, progressive status and sophistication.
The front-end with its broad, upright Singleframe grille, the fluid muscular vehicle body and the rear with the continuous light strip, exude a strong presence.
The TFSI engine that is available in the Audi A8, exhibits impressive power, smooth running and efficiency.
This V6 turbo, 3.0-litre, turbocharged direct injection gasoline engine produces 340hp and develops 500Nm of torque. It propels the A8 with its standard-fit quattro drive from zero to 100km/h in 5.6 seconds (the A8 L takes 5.7 seconds), and on up to an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h. Its NEDC fuel consumption is just 7.7 to 8.00 litres per 100km.
The all-new Audi A8 is available now to purchase in Qatar at the Q-Auto showroom on Salwa Road.
“As the first country in the Middle East to host our customer launch event with the first cars in the region, we are pleased to have pre-sold the first shipment already and continue to receive bookings. The new Audi A8 recently won the Word Luxury Car 2018 award in New York, which underscores the status of our flagship model,” said Ahmed Sharief, general manager of Q-Auto Audi, at the launch event.
The Audi Group, with its brands Audi, Ducati and Lamborghini, is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the premium segment.
It is present in more than 100 markets worldwide and produces at 16 locations in 12 countries.
Some 100% subsidiaries of Audi AG include Audi Sport GmbH (Neckarsulm), Automobili Lamborghini SpA (Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy) and Ducati Motor Holding SpA (Bologna, Italy).
In 2017, the Audi Group delivered to customers about 1.878mn automobiles of the Audi brand, 3,815 sports cars of the Lamborghini brand and 55,900 motorcycles of the Ducati brand.
In the 2017 fiscal year, Audi AG achieved total revenue of €60.1bn and an operating profit of €5.1bn.
At present, approximately 90,000 people work for the company all over the world, more than 60,000 of them in Germany. Audi focuses on sustainable products and technologies for the future of mobility.
AUDI AG’s commitment to the region was confirmed through the foundation of its fully-owned subsidiary in 2005.
The current Middle East model range comprises the Audi A3 and S3 sedan and RS 3 sedan/sportback, A4 and S4, the A5/S5 coupe, sportback and cabriolet and RS 5 coupe, the A6, S6, RS 6 performance, A7, S7, RS 7 and RS 7 performance, A8, A8 L, S8 and S8 plus, the Audi Q2, Q3, RS Q3 performance, Q5 and SQ5, Q7 and the Audi TT coupe/roadster, TTS coupe, TT RS coupe, the Audi R8 coupe, R8 coupe V10 Plus as well as the R8 V10 Spyder.