New Audi A8: prices start from £69k

Imagine how glorious your life would be with seven Dacia Dusters and a fair chunk of change left over for sweets. Seven! Sweets! You could paint each Duster in a different colour. Use a different one for each day of the week. Give them names. Like Monday. Or Thursday.

We say seven because that’s how many Dusters you could buy for the cost of just one new Audi A8. We jest of course, because nobody considering a new Audi A8 is cross-shopping a Duster (a conversation for a different portal, perhaps). And also we jest, because the new Audi A8 is a serious car so we must put on our serious hats.

Today, Audi has revealed that the starting price of its all-new executive saloon is £69,100, we suspect (because Audi hasn’t confirmed) for the 3.0-litre V6 diesel with 280bhp. There’ll also be the choice of a V6 petrol (336bhp) from launch, followed by a 4.0-litre V8 diesel (430bhp) in due course, as well as a hybrid.

As we’ve explained before, none of these are acceptable motive forces for the new A8, because later in its life, a 6.0-litre W12-engined monster will arrive, and that is frankly the one you really want. Sorry.

The new A8, of course, is more than just a big badge stuck to a big engine. There’s the ‘level 3’ automated self-driving feature installed, meaning it’ll take care of starting, accelerating, braking and steering up to 37mph (when/where applicable, of course). Audi calls it ‘traffic jam pilot’.

You can read the full debrief on the new Audi A8 right here, but before you do, some context. Its chief rival – the Mercedes-Benz S-Class – starts at £70,470. And for that, you get a 3.0-litre diesel with 250bhp or thereabouts. The BMW 7 Series? That’s £61,300 for the ‘entry-level’ 725d – a car with a four-cylinder, 2.0-litre diesel and 228bhp. You want a 3.0-litre 7er and you’re looking at £65k for the 730d and all of its 260bhp.

Or, y’know, you could get seven Dacia Dusters and have a fair chunk of change left over for sweets. What is life if not burdened with glorious choice?