Audi A8 Saloon (10 on) - Review

The A8 hasn't been crash tested by Euro NCAP - and neither was the previous version - but Audi has a good track record in terms of safety and models such as the A4, A6 and Q5 have all received the maximum five-star rating. As well as an incredibly rigid body shell the A8 comes with integral head restraints to counter the risk of whiplash injuries, five three-point seatbelts, Isofix child seat mounts and ESP stability control. All models come with a system called Pre Sense which uses the ESP sensors and in the event of an imminent collision will activate the hazard warning lights, close any open windows (or the sunroof) and also tension the front seat belts. It can be upgraded (as an optional extra) to include adaptive cruise control with a stop-and-go function plus Audi braking guard. The latter triggers various warning levels if it detects the risk of a collision, starting with a visual and acoustic alarm followed by a warning jolt, then partial braking of the car. If the driver still doesn't intervene it'll apply maximum braking. Another option is night vision assist. This employs a thermal imaging camera mounted in the grille with a display on the central screen between the main instrument dials. It can look as far as 300 metres ahead and is designed to concentrate on essentials such as animals and people but is cleverly not blinded by headlights of oncoming vehicles.