Tag Archives: limousine
Audi Releases 21-Foot, 6-Door A8 L Extended
The past years have seen a number of automakers rolling out limousines straight from their factories. We previously enjoyed the S600 Pullman from Mercedes-Maybach and the Mulsanne Grand Limousine from Bentley.
Now, it’s time for Audi to amaze us with the A8 L Extended.
Measuring 20.9 feet between its bumpers, the Audi A8 L Extended can carry up to six people according to a report. It has six doors, allowing each passenger to enter and exit the car to their convenience. This isn’t a strategy usually employed by other limousine carmakers.
Inside the limousine, you’ll find all seats facing the front and luxuriously lined in extra-supple Valcona leather. The first two rows are electrically adjusted individual seats. In the third row, you can find a center console with some included amenities such as an entertainment package and a cool box.
Suffice is to say that those seating at the back will most likely feel the luxury of riding in the limousine.
Creating the Audi A8 L Extended took almost a year. According to Audi, the main challenge has been ensuring the safety and the rigidity similar to their sedans or shorter wheelbase models.
The major changes in the A8 are the aluminum spaceframe architecture that include thicker side sills, extruded aluminum sections for the center tunnel, additional aluminum tubes and cross-braces for the roof, as well as a double rear bulkhead separating the passenger and luggage compartments.
These changes pushed the weight of the car to 5,330 pounds, although this is still lighter than the curb weight of the G90 of Hyundai’s new Genesis luxury line. That one weighs 5,335 pounds.
For the drivetrain, the A8 L Extended has a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that can produce 306 horsepower on an 8-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. This might be an average engine at best, but even with its size, the A8 L Extended can accelerate from 0-62 mph in mere 7.1 seconds. Top speed is at 155 mph.
Audi has so far made only one A8 L Extended for a customer in Europe. It’s more or less looking like the brand will just build the limo by orders, though Audi said there might be more of the car in the market in the coming months.
2017 Bentley Mulsanne By Mulliner Runs Away From The Conventional
Bentley is known for manufacturing probably most of the opulent and posh cars you see on the road today. The company uses only the finest materials both for its exterior and interior. But Bentley does fall on one category—it doesn’t offer a vehicle with seating for six, especially rear-facing seats.
Actually, not many automakers do these days, so when a customer approached Bentley’s customization department called Mulliner, the company jumped at the chance to create something special according to TopSpeed.
Bentley then brought this one-time deal to the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, and it’s easy to see why. This customized Bentley Mulsanne is full three feet longer than a standard Mulsanne, and offers four seats on its rear cabin, two of which faces the rear of the car. A divider—a clear glass that changes from clear to opaque with a simple switch—separates the driver and the passenger seat from the rear.
Wolfgang Dürheimer, Bentley’s chairman and chief executive, said the Mulsanne Grand Limousine showcased the craftsmanship of its in-house customization department—so much so that it literally manufactured a Mulsanne limousine for a customer. Talk about service. Not many automakers would stretch a limb to do that.
Outside, the Bentley Mulsanne Grand Limousine is a full meter longer and 79mm taller because of the bespoke roofline. The extra length and height that resides between the B-pillar and the rear wheels allow for a longer rear door to accommodate a wider exit and entrance doors. There’s also a center section that adds further length.
The car is painted Moroccan Blue with the hood, roof and trunk painted in Silver Frost. The 21-inch wheels’ spokes are also colored Moroccan Blue.
Inside, the four seats (the front- and rear-facing), are covered in leather-lined cabin with rear wood veneers, aluminum parts, chilled compartments for drinks, and connectivity for electronics.
Bentley has yet to release how much its customer paid for the customization, but the standard Mulsanne has a starting price of $300,000 so the Grand Limousine will probably around the price of $500,000.
