Audi is keeping its A8 flagship sedan fresh with the addition of a new 2016 Audi A8 L 4.0T Sport model to supplant the previous A8 4.0T trim. The A8 also drops its standard-wheelbase model for 2016, meaning that the luxury sedan is now available only as a long-wheelbase A8 L model in the U.S. (with the exception of the performance-oriented S8).
As a sort of bridge between the standard A8 and the S8, the A8 L 4.0T Sport gains visual upgrades like a lower front bumper, wider rocker panels, and a reshaped rear bumper. Twenty-inch double-spoke wheels are standard, with 21-inch wheels and summer tires available as an option. The Audi A8 L 4.0T Sport backs up this sporty design with 15 extra horsepower from the car’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine, up to a total of 450 hp and 444 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive continue to send the power to the road.
On the inside, the 4.0T Sport comes standard with the car’s Executive and Luxury option packages, which include diamond-stitched leather seats, an Alcantara headliner, and a panoramic sunroof. Other options include a Driver Assistance package with active-safety features and a $6,300 Bang & Olufsen sound system.
The standard 2016 Audi A8 L (pictured below) otherwise continues on with the same 3.0T gasoline V-6 and 3.0 TDI diesel engine options that sit below the 4.0T Sport, along with the A8 L W12 at the top of the range and the aforementioned S8 with its 520-hp version of the 4.0T’s same V-8 engine.
The 2016 Audi A8 L 4.0T Sport has a starting price of $91,425 including destination, which is only $100 more than last year’s A8 L 4.0T model despite the additional equipment.
