World’s most powerful diesel car

Audi has unveiled the world’s most powerful diesel production car, in the shape of the new A8 4.2-litre V8 TDI.

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Audi has unveiled the world’s most powerful diesel production car, in the shape of the new A8 4.2-litre V8 TDI.

The 320bhp A8 quattro replaces the outgoing 4.0 TDI model, delivering an extra 50bhp and shaving almost a second off the sprint time to 60mph, which now stands at just 5.9sec.

Prices for the new 4.2 TDI remain unchanged over the outgoing model’s, with on-the-road prices of £58,605 and £61,975 for standard and long-wheelbase bodystyles respectively. Orders can be placed from June, with the first deliveries expected in August.

The engine will be accompanied by Audi’s six-speed Tiptronic automatic gearbox. In common with the rest of the A8 range, models will sport the distinctive deep V-grille and adaptive air-suspension for enhanced ride comfort.

Audi claims that its new diesel powerhouse returns 30mpg on the combined cycle, which improves economy by around 1mpg over the car it replaces. This should allow buyers to cover up to 590 miles on one tank – enough to drive from London to Inverness without refuelling.

However, carbon dioxide emissions are still high at 259g/km for the standard model and 262g/km for the long-wheelbase version. Company car drivers will have to pay tax on 35% of the car’s price – for higher-rate taxpayers this equates to £681 per month for the standard car.