This Audi A8 has a laaaaaaarge gas tank. Audi says it will hold 23.8 gallons. Fuel mileage is respectable as well. As I reported yesterday, despite the EPA rating the A8 at 28 mpg on the highway, we averaged 23.0 mpg over the entire trip.
That gives this big sedan some serious range. As you can see in the photo above, the car's computer says it'll travel 610 miles on a newly topped off tankful.
After living in this car for seven days and 5,000 miles, I believe it. This car can easily top 600 miles per tank on the highway if the driver wants it too, and drives accordingly. If we averaged 28 mpg the Audi's 23.8 gallon tank should deliver 666 miles of range.
We didn't want it badly enough. Fact is, our bladders couldn't last that long. Also, when you're out in the middle of nowhere late at night, fuel availability can be questionable, so we would stop and fill up when we could. Better to be safe than sorry.
Still, we did have two tanks over 500 miles, with the best covering 526.8 miles. When we stopped, the Audi drank 21.707 gallons, which means there were two gallons left and we had averaged 24.3 mpg. We also had nine other tanks cover over 400 miles with six of them over 450 miles.
This Audi is like a camel.
Scott Oldham, Editor in Chief
montgom616 says:
02:32 PM, 01/24/12
So, let me get this straight. Promised 28 MPG and you got 23 MPG. And IL is "happy"? 18% less than expected and you are happy?
So, if IL drives a car that says it should get 56 MPG and IL got 46 MPG, then IL would be "happy"?
Or if IL drives a car that is supposed to get 40 MPG and IL gets 33 MPG, IL will be happy?
Highway mileage 18% less than promised and IL is happy?
the_big_al says:
02:40 PM, 01/24/12
When you're driving at 100 MPH, I think 24 MPG is respectable. I don't think they light-footed it at all. In fact I highly doubt it.
jojogovroom says:
02:43 PM, 01/24/12
The problem is that on many of those Interstates the speed limit is 70 or 75. And because of that many people drive 80. And driving 80 and still getting 23mpg in an Audi A8L isn't THAT bad. So I could understand how they are happy but its still upsetting that it only averaged 23. I would have expected at least 24.5 with all of the highway driving.
montgom616 says:
03:05 PM, 01/24/12
IL was not driving at 100 MPH. I doubt they were much over 65 MPH.
At 100 MPH they would have been lucky to make 10 MPG.
carfreak13 says:
03:24 PM, 01/24/12
OMG nobody here is reading. 23 was there average!! the E.P.A average is 21
montgom616 says:
04:05 PM, 01/24/12
The concern that the A8L is getting an editorial pass from IL for what is not the est HWY mileage result.
21 is average for City/HWY. Not HWY which is 28.
But if the EPA average is the new standard for IL, I am okay. As long as IL applies this to all cars and the cars mileage.
I just need to know about the new IL benchmark when the critique any other vehicles mileage results.
Now, it is the EPA average that is the new benchmark or 18% less than EPA HWY mileage.
So, which will it be? EPA average or 18%?
agentorange says:
04:57 PM, 01/24/12
"IL was not driving at 100 MPH. I doubt they were much over 65 MPH."
Um, not too familiar with how automotive journalists drive, are you. If you think they were driving at 65mph because the car had yet to get its first oil change. guess again.
I reckon 23 average for a car of that size and performance is pretty good.
explorerx4 says:
05:58 PM, 01/24/12
Cold weather, winter gas, altitude are not the best combo for max fuel mileage.
half_ton says:
06:29 AM, 01/25/12
@montgom616
I don't know how long you've been reading/posting on this site but I can tell you from experience that the editors here are known to have lead feet unless they are purposely trying to achive maximum MPG efficency. Scott clearly says in this post "we didn't want it badly enough" and he also pointed out that he belives 28 MPG is attainable. There's no reason to think from what was posted here that another driver can't meet that mark.
brian_k says:
06:44 AM, 01/25/12
I consistently get 25 mpg highway on my '07 A8 which only has a 6 speed in it. This has an amazing 8 speed that jumps up efficiency even more. It is a slippery car ( you remember the underbody photos of the full aero package) with a relatively small V8 (compared to its competitors). I am amazed that Ivan drive a huge fast V8 sedan and get better mileage than many midsize 6 cylinders out there. 7 series with its twin turbos and MB with its huge displacement both get more power but have terrible fuel economy.
mercedesfan says:
09:59 AM, 01/25/12
@brian_k,
"7 series with its twin turbos and MB with its huge displacement both get more power but have terrible fuel economy"
That simply isn't true. Over 120K miles my S550 (with the old 5.5-liter, NA V8) has averaged just over 20mpg overall. On the highway I regularly get 26mpg averaging 70-75mph. The S-Class' low cD of 0.26 really helps it on the highway. In pure city driving I rarely do better than 16-17mpg, but on the highway the S is remarkably efficient for something so big and heavy.
brian_k says:
10:13 AM, 01/25/12
Mercedesfan-
As the saying goes, "your mileage may vary". But I was basing my comparison to EPA highway numbers for S550 4Matic (for apples to apples comparison but also because everyone in NYC area buys 4Matic). EPA states 21 mpg highway 14 city. That's a pretty significant difference.
My greater point is that we should all be happy with technology. When Audi redesigned the A8 it picked up more power as yet better fuel economy, primarily due to the wonderful new 8 speed tranny (think its a ZF, which also supplies BMW). Good stuff!
mercedesfan says:
03:59 PM, 01/25/12
@brian_k,
That's an excellent point, I forgot about 4MATIC. Mine is plain old rear-wheel drive which has significantly less rolling resistance. I don't know anyone with a rear-drive S550 that doesn't best the EPA highway numbers, but 4MATIC adds a whole other layer of complexity. I also agree about the ZF 8-speed. It's a fantastic gearbox, at least in the Bimmers I've driven.
mercedesfan says:
04:04 PM, 01/25/12
@brian_k,
Oh, and I forgot to mention that with the new 4.6-liter, bi-turbo V8 the S550 4MATIC is rated at 24mpg highway. Still a long way behind the Audi, but closer than the 57-hp/188 lb-ft power difference and 1 overdriver gear difference would suggest.