It's the flagship of flagships - Audi has just revealed the A8 L W12 ahead of the car's official unveil at the Beijing motor show (no prizes for guessing Audi's primary target market for this car then).
Audi's latest stretched 12-cylinder offering is all about the numbers - the A8 L is 130mm longer than the standard car, and the wheelbase has grown by the same amount.
The W12 engine is keen to join in the numbers game, too - it has grown in capacity by 300cc to 6.3 litres, with a commensurate increase in power from 444bhp to 493bhp. Torque jumps by 33lb ft to 461lbft.
Coupled to quattro four-wheel drive via Audi's clever new eight-speed transmission, the result is a 5.2-metre limo that can hit 62mph in 4.9secs on the way to a limited 155mph top speed. Oh, and it can muster 23.5mpg, but your chauffeur will be the one worrying about that, right?
Of more concern to this car's intended buyers will be the rear passenger accommodation, which looks like it would put a private jet to shame.
The back doors are longer and the two separate power-adjustable seats can be heated, ventilated and adjusted in a variety of ways: you can move forward and back, and adjust seat cushion depth and seat back angle, with a top section adjustable separately. There is also a fully adjustable lumbar support. The front passenger's seat can even be moved from the rear if extra space is needed.
Between the individual rear seats a full-length console can be ordered as an optional extra, and can be specified with integral items such as a folding table or a refrigerator. Separate controls for the rear air conditioning are also standard. The luxury four-zone automatic air conditioning is controlled by no fewer than 25 adjusting motors.
We reckon it could be the perfect place from which to write PH news stories on the move...
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