2011 Audi A8 to Start at $78,050 … “This Audi big body is hard as hell!!” – Funk Flex

Press release after the jump…

Audi announced U.S. manufacturer’s suggested retail prices for its all-new Audi A8 flagship luxury sedan, as well two 2011 Audi R8 V8 models coming in late 2010 and the updated Audi TT quattro Coupe and Roadster coming in early 2011.

Across its 2011 model-year U.S. lineup, Audi has lowered base prices as it introduced more efficient engine packages, left prices on some models unchanged from 2010 models or raised prices modestly.

“With this 2011 pricing strategy, Audi is determined to hit the sweet spot of performance, technology and value,” said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. “The model year ahead offers great promise for the Audi brand to build on its momentum story in the U.S.”

2011 Audi A8 | Pricing and highlights
The U.S. pricing for the all-new and technology-infused 2011 Audi A8 luxury performance sedan begins with an MSRP of $78,050 (excluding $875 destination charge, taxes, title, options, and dealer charges).

The starting price for the normal wheelbase version of the Audi flagship model includes a broad range of advanced features, such as an efficient 8-speed Tiptronic® transmission and the next-generation of the Audi MMI® system with the industry exclusive MMI touch technology. The touchpad feature with handwriting recognition allows motorists to conveniently enter multimedia, navigation and communications commands. The most luxurious Audi sedan comes with the brand’s signature quattro all-wheel-drive technology and aluminum ASF® construction.

Also available on the 2011 Audi A8 is the Bang & Olufsen® Advanced Sound System, which includes 19 speakers and 1400 watts of power for a sound quality designed for the most discriminating audiophiles. The Audi A8 Bang & Olufsen system is unique because it was included in the earliest stages of the high-end sedan’s development.

The base price of the long wheelbase 2011 Audi A8L is set at $84,000 (excluding $875 destination charges, taxes, title, options, and dealer charges). The 2011 A8 models will be available at Audi dealerships across the U.S. by late November.

While the new Audi A8 provides an unprecedented degree of driving comforts and innovations, it also reflects the work that Audi engineers have invested into maximizing efficiency without sacrificing any driving performance. In fact, the 2011 Audi A8 achieves 17 mpg in the city/ 27 mpg on the highway and 21 mpg combined, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That puts the fuel economy of the 2011 Audi A8 on par with the Mercedes-Benz S400 hybrid. It’s also better than the fuel-economy numbers for the BMW 7-Series hybrid and 6-cylinder models.1

At the same time, the V8 engine in the 2011 Audi A8 produces 372 horsepower and an ample 328 lb-ft. of torque. Available quattro sport differential with mechanical torque vectoring further enhances the performance handling of this luxurious car.

Design highlights:
• Aluminum ASF® frame and aluminum body construction; this lightweight construction technique allows the A8 with standard quattro all-wheel-drive to weigh less than even the 2-wheel-drive S Class and 7 Series.
• New Singleframe® grille design.
• Xenon plus adaptive headlights and LED daytime running lights standard.
• Segment-first full LED headlights available.
• LED taillights with ‘tubular optic’ design.
• Normal and long wheelbase models available: A8L LWB is 5.1 inches longer and has 5.1 inches of increased rear legroom compared to the A8 NWB model.
• A8 exclusive yacht-styled electronic gear shifter ergonomically designed to help ease use of the new MMI® touch handwriting recognition system.

Engine / Drivetrain highlights:
• 4.2 liter V8 engine that produces 372 horsepower and 328 lb-ft. torque.
• 17 city / 27 highway / 21 mpg combined – best in segment fuel economy is the same as the Mercedes S400 hybrid and better than BMW 7 Series hybrid and 6-cylinder models.1
• Brake energy regeneration and Innovative Thermal Management system.
• The A8 is the only car in the segment to have standard quattro all-wheel-drive, and quattro sport differential with mechanical torque vectoring available.

Standard equipment highlights:
• 19″ wheels with all-season tires.
• BOSE® Surround Sound System.
• 18-way heated front comfort seats.
• New Audi Navigation plus with new menu structure and new ‘tab’ concept.
• Industry-first MMI touch with handwriting recognition
• High resolution 8″ MMI screen and 7″ Driver Information Display

Optional equipment highlights:
• LED headlights: While all A8 sedans have standard LED daytime running lights, Audi has introduced the first full-LED headlights in the luxury sedan segment. These lights project light that is close to daylight helping equate to less strain on the eyes at night and are more efficient than Xenon or halogen lights; plus creating a strong design statement on the A8.
• Driver Assistance Package: Includes the next generation of Audi’s Adaptive Cruise Control, Audi lane assist, and Audi side assist systems. The uniqueness of this new package is the way these systems are integrated to help extend the functionality of Audi pre sense to include emergency braking and passenger compartment crash preparation.
• Premium Package: 22-way comfort/climate seats include front seat ventilation and massage function.
• Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System: This second generation of advanced sound from B&O includes 19 speakers and more than 1400 watts of power, for a sound experience designed for the most demanding audiophiles.
• Rear Seat Entertainment: Business-class level rear seat entertainment with dual 10″ screens, separate MMI, media jukebox, Audi music interface & Bluetooth® headphones.

2011 R8 4.2 quattro and 2011 R8 4.2 quattro Spyder | Pricing and highlights
Following the highly acclaimed introduction of the Audi R8 5.2 quattro Spyder in August, Audi released pricing for the Audi R8 4.2 quattro Spyder. The base MSRP for the V8 version of the Audi convertible supercar is $127,700 (excluding $1,275 destination charge, taxes, title, options, and dealer charges).

Audi also released dramatic pricing news for the 2011 Audi R8 4.2 quattro. The V8 engine in the updated original Audi R8 produces 430 horsepower for the 2011 model year, 10 more horsepower than 2010 models provided. But Audi maintained the MSRP on the car at the 2010 base price of $114,200 (excluding $1,275 destination charge, taxes, title, options, and dealer charges).

Both V8 versions of the Audi R8 supercar will be available in late 2010.

Standard / Optional equipment highlights:
New standard equipment: Bluetooth® mobile phone prep with seatbelt microphone.
• New optional equipment: Titanium Sport Package for R8 Coupes; Enhanced Black Leather Package; Audi Carbon Ceramic Brakes; perforated leather wrapped multifunctional sport steering wheel.

2011 Audi TT quattro Coupe and Audi TT quattro Roadster | Pricing and highlights
The 2011 Audi TT quattro Coupe and Audi TT quattro Roadster arrive early next year in the U.S. market with a range of mid-cycle product improvements. Among the enhancements are higher engine output to 211 horsepower (+11hp) and 258 lb-ft torque (+51 lb-ft), plus Audi Valvelift System (AVS) engine technology.

The base MSRP of the 2011 Audi TT quattro coupe is set at $38,300 when it arrives in the U.S. next year, while the base MSRP of the 2011 Audi TT quattro Roadster is $41,300 (prices exclude $875 destination charge, taxes, title, options, and dealer charges).

Design highlights:
• Standard S line® bumpers, new radiator and fog lamp grille design, xenon plus headlights with LED daytime running lights, new 18-inch wheels and dual exhaust pipe configuration.
• Five new exterior colors: Volcano Red metallic; Scuba Blue metallic; Oolong Gray metallic; Dakota Gray metallic; Misano Red pearl effect.
• Four new interior colors: Titanium Gray, Magma Red, Nougat Brown.
• New optional equipment: Titanium Sport Package for R8 Coupes; Enhanced Black Leather Package; Audi Carbon Ceramic Brakes; perforated leather wrapped multifunctional sport steering wheel.

Engine/Drivetrain highlights:
• All-new 211 hp 2.0 TFSI® engine with Audi Valvelift System (AVS) resulting in more power, torque and improved fuel economy.
• As standard equipment, Audi magnetic ride feature now includes the new ‘Sport’ button program which dynamically compliments Audi magnetic ride adaptive suspension damping with adjustments of steering and exhaust sound based on driver input.

Standard / Optional equipment highlights:
• Auto dimming interior mirror and light and rain sensors as standard equipment
• Power seats are standard equipment
• Xenon plus headlights with LED daytime running lights are standard equipment
• Heated fine Nappa Leather seating surfaces and Audi parking system rear now standard equipment for Prestige models; heated seats available stand alone option (Premium Plus model)
• Optional Navigation Plus w/ 6 CD changer or Audi Music Interface (Premium Plus model)
• New optional wheels for Premium Plus and Prestige models

Complete 2011 model-year Audi U.S. pricing list
With these announcements, Audi has announced base prices for its full lineup of 2011 models on sale now or scheduled to arrive in the U.S. market by early next year. The base MSRP for many 2011 Audi models sold in the U.S. remained unchanged from 2010 model-year prices, fell significantly due to the adoption of more efficient engines or rose only slightly.

Some examples: The base price of the 2011 Audi A3 2.0T with manual transmission is unchanged from the 2010 model-year base price at $27,270. The same story is true for the base-model 2011 Audi A6, which starts at $45,200 and the 2011 Audi R8 4.2 quattro with manual transmission, which begins at $114,200 (See more details on 2011 Audi R8 4.2 quattro pricing below).

Audi is utilizing more efficient engines in the base 2011 Audi Q5 crossover and the base 2011 Audi Q7 SUV without sacrificing performance. That change has also allowed Audi to reduce prices on the base 2011 Audi Q5 2.0T quattro by 5.8% to $35,200. That compares to a base price of $37,350 for the 2010 Audi Q5 3.2 quattro. The base price of the 2011 Audi Q7 3.0T quattro fell to $45,700 from $46,900 for the 2010 Audi Q7 3.6 quattro – a decline of 2.6%.

The base price of the 2011 Audi A4 2.0T with front-wheel drive and multitronic® transmission rose 1.6%, or $500, to $31,850, while the base price of the 2011 Audi A5 2.0T quattro with manual transmission rose 1.4%, or $500, to $36,500.

Model Year 2011 Suggested Retail Prices & availability dates
(Excluding $875 destination charges,, taxes, title, options and dealer charges. Dealer sets actual price)

Model Premium Premium Plus Prestige On Sale Date
A3 2.0T FWD (Manual) $27,270 $29,270 – July 2010
A3 2.0T FWD (PZEV, Manual) $27,270 $29,270 – July 2010
A3 2.0T FWD (S tronic) $28,750 $30,750 – July 2010
A3 2.0T FWD (PZEV, S tronic) $28,750 $30,750 – July 2010
A3 2.0T quattro (S tronic) $30,850 $32,850 – July 2010
A3 2.0 TDI FWD (S tronic) $30,250 $32,250 – July 2010

A4 2.0T FWD Sedan (Multitronic) $31,950 $35,400 – July 2010
A4 2.0T quattro Sedan (Manual) $32,850 $36,250 $41,450 July 2010
A4 2.0T quattro Sedan (Tiptronic) $34,140 $37,540 $42,740 July 2010
A4 2.0T quattro Avant (Tiptronic) $35,940 $39,340 $45,040 July 2010
S4 (3.0T) quattro Sedan (Manual) $46,600 $52,900 July 2010
S4 (3.0T) quattro Sedan (S tronic) $48,000 $54,300 July 2010

A5 2.0T quattro Coupe (Manual) $36,500 $40,200 $45,200 July 2010
A5 2.0T quattro Coupe (Tiptronic) $37,790 $41,490 $46,490 July 2010
S5 (4.2) quattro Coupe (Manual) – $53,100 $59,000 July 2010
S5 (4.2) quattro Coupe (Tiptronic) – $54,300 $60,200 July 2010

A5 2.0T FWD Cabriolet (Multitronic) $42,000 $45,700 $50,700 July 2010
A5 2.0T quattro Cabriolet (Tiptronic) $44,190 $47,890 $52,890 July 2010
S5 (3.0T) quattro Cabriolet (S tronic) $58,450 $64,350 July 2010

A6 3.2 FWD Sedan (Multitronic) $45,200 $46,900 – July 2010
A6 3.0T quattro Sedan (Tiptronic) $50,200 $51,600 $53,400 July 2010
A6 3.0T quattro Avant (Tiptronic) $53,310 $54,630 $56,360 July 2010
A6 4.2 quattro Sedan (Tiptronic) – – $59,150 July 2010
S6 (5.2) quattro Sedan (Tiptronic) – – $76,100 July 2010

TT 2.0T quattro Coupe (S tronic) – $38,300 $44,400 Early 2011
TT 2.0T quattro Roadster (S tronic) – $41,300 $47,400 Early 2011
TTS (2.0T) quattro Coupe (S tronic) – $47,000 $50,300 July 2010
TTS (2.0T) quattro Roadster (S tronic) – $50,000 $53,300 July 2010

Q5 2.0T quattro (Tiptronic) $35,200 $39,400 – July 2010
Q5 3.2 quattro (Tiptronic) – $42,500 $49,700 July 2010

Q7 3.0T quattro (Tiptronic) $45,700 $51,700 – August 2010
Q7 3.0 TDI quattro (Tiptronic) $50,900 $56,900 $62,900 July 2010
Q7 3.0T S line quattro (Tiptronic) – – $58,900 August 2010

Model Base Price Wholesale Date
A8 4.2 NWB quattro (Tiptronic) $78,050 Late 2010
A8L 4.2 LWB quattro (Tiptronic) $84,000 Late 2010

R8 4.2 quattro (V8) Coupe (Manual)* $114,200 Late 2010
R8 4.2 quattro (V8) Coupe (R tronic)* $123,300 Late 2010
R8 5.2 quattro (V10) Coupe (Manual)* $147,500 August 2010
R8 5.2 quattro (V10) Coupe (R tronic)* $156,600 August 2010

R8 4.2 quattro (V8) Spyder (Manual)* $127,700 Early 2011
R8 4.2 quattro (V8) Spyder (R tronic)* $136,800 Early 2011
R8 5.2 quattro (V10) Spyder (Manual)* $161,000 August 2010
R8 5.2 quattro (V10) Spyder (R tronic)* $171,100 August 2010

1 17 city/27 highway/21 combined mpg (2011 A8 4.2-lter engine with 8-speed transmission, TRANSMISSION). EPA estimates. Comparisons based on EPA estimates, see www.fueleconomy.gov for details. Your mileage will vary.