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Audi's A8 L All-Aluminum Flagship

11 January 2000

Provides Ultimate Comfort And Convenience for Drivers and Passengers

    DETROIT, Jan. 11 -- The epitome of German luxury has grown.  Today, at the 
North American International Auto Show, Audi introduced the new 2000 Audi A8 
Long Wheelbase (A8 L) expected to hit showrooms in Spring 2000.

    The Audi A8 has long stood for excellence without excess and elegance without
arrogance.  The revolutionary aluminum space frame body technology helped to
place the A8 ahead of its class.  The A8 is the first and only member of the
premium luxury class to earn the dual five-star safety rating for both the
driver and front seat passenger protection under NHTSA's New Car Assessment
Program (NCAP).
    
    The new A8 L builds on the continued improvement of the 2000 A8.
Exclusive standard equipment on the A8 L includes Electronic Stability Program
(ESP) and a GPS navigation system.  Ultimate convenience for passengers is
achieved with heated "soft-optic" front and rear seats, an electric sunshade
for the rear window and manual sunshades for rear side windows.  Also
available are 18" performance tires, and forged and polished alloy wheels as
an option.

    Rear legroom is expanded to 41.1 inches in the A8 L from 38.4 in., and
rear doors are now lengthened.  The rear seat has been repositioned to
increase head and shoulder room, creating a more spacious rear cabin area.
Headroom is increased from 37.9 in. to 38.2 in. for the rear passengers.
Overall A8 L length expanded 5 in. to 203.3 in. from 198.2 in.  When
calculated according to the EPA interior volume standard, the additional
length creates 4 cubic feet more interior volume for the rear occupants.

    The A8 has been described as the "first luxury car of the 21st century"
and "simply the best car in the world."  Pursuing continuous improvement, Audi
added significant refinements to the 2000 A8, both inside and out.  The new
race-bred 4.2 liter DOHC 5-valve V8 engine produces 310 horsepower and
302 lbs. ft. of torque between 3,000 and 4,000 revolutions per minute.  The
new engine teams with a more rigid body riding on a revised aluminum
independent front and rear multi-link suspension to make driving the A8 an
exercise in performance.  Add the extra room and enhanced features of the A8 L
and driving becomes an exercise in luxury as well.

    Other convenience features include auto-dimming interior and exterior
mirrors, eight-color driver information display, a multi-function steering
wheel with audio controls.  A Homelink(R)* remote transmitter and steering
wheel telephone controls also have been added.

    Accompanying luxury, performance and convenience is safety.  Enhanced
safety features on the new A8 and A8 L include inflatable "Sideguard" curtain
airbags for occupant protection.  When combined with the standard equipment
front and rear seat mounted side airbags, the A8 provides one of the most
comprehensive supplemental restraint packages available in the industry.  A
three-point center safety belt with a concealable center headrest is new this
year for the rear passenger.

    The look of the A8 has been updated as well for model year 2000.  Exterior
changes include reshaped bumpers with additional aluminum strips; larger,
redesigned headlights; and sharper, larger accented grilles with a new rear
decklid to emphasize the dynamic character of the A8.  The changes add
refinement to the A8 and give the car a more assertive face.

    Inside, there are new seats lined with "Valcona" leather upholstery, a
revised instrument panel with electro luminescent lighting, additional
interior lighting, an upgraded radio with an in dash CD and all new interior
surfaces for a more luxurious feel.

    Audi's luxury flagship is built in Neckarsulm, Germany.

    * HOMELINK is a registered trademark of Prince Corporation, Holland,
Michigan.