When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
In my hunt for an one these incredible cars I am coming up with a variable that I can't figure out. With the 2016 - 2017 A8 L 4.0 sport cars it looks like some have a steering wheel with a perfectly round leather wrapped center while others have the typical trapezoid type center. I thought it might be indicative of the sport dynamic package but that does not seem to be consistent. Does anyone know why 10% or less seem to have that different style wheel?
I believe that the 4 spoke wheel is/can be heated (part of the cold weather package) and the 3 spoke wheel is not heated. I could easily be wrong on this though........
I believe that the 4 spoke wheel is/can be heated (part of the cold weather package) and the 3 spoke wheel is not heated. I could easily be wrong on this though........
Well that is the best explanation I have heard yet. Thanks
This sounds like something @2turbos4rings might be able to shed light on. Check out his recent comment on this thread regarding front vents where he goes into some of the timeline for certain options on the D4 including ones that determine steering wheel type: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a8-.../#post25491706
Thanks for the tag virtual I love little details like this.
Unfortunately I don’t have an answer for this right now. As far as I know on the D4 in the US only the S8 was available with 3 spoke steering wheel (round airbag) and all others, even sport A8s with all sport packages, had the 4 spoke (trapezoidal airbag). Both were available with heat and unlike pre-facelift with pre-electric steering the facelift electric steering meant that both 3 and 4 spoke wheels were available with lane assist.
my questions would be 1) are you sure that S8s aren’t popping up in your search? And 2) could you link me to one or two that you have found for sale so I can analyze? I am curious mostly about the bottom spoke on the steering wheel. On the S8 it has the badge- I want to see if this spoke is blank without badge. There is a chance a few cars had the steering wheel swapped. There are blank bottom spoke versions of this steering wheel so it may not be a definitive answer, but at least if there is a badge of any kind on the bottom spoke we know it isn’t factory.
I can say with certainty that my 2014 S8 has the 4 spoke wheel- I was lead to understand that the 3 spoke wasn't available with heating, but this is second-hand knowledge. I know of no other reason they wouldn't put the 3 spoke on the S8. My car has the cold weather package and driver assist package along with others.
For many years the sport wheel wasn’t available with heat but that changed with the D4 (and C7).
Your S8 has 4-spoke because you have lane assist. Early lane assist has haptic feedback for leaving the lane without signaling and the motor is inside one of the lower spokes on the 4-spoke wheel. No room for it on the 3-spoke.
Joey sent me one of the cars he found and it was mis-labeled as LWB. I have a feeling now that NWB 4.0T with sport package received the 3-spoke wheel. But I can’t confirm this yet.
For many years the sport wheel wasn’t available with heat but that changed with the D4 (and C7).
Your S8 has 4-spoke because you have lane assist. Early lane assist has haptic feedback for leaving the lane without signaling and the motor is inside one of the lower spokes on the 4-spoke wheel. No room for it on the 3-spoke.
Joey sent me one of the cars he found and it was mis-labeled as LWB. I have a feeling now that NWB 4.0T with sport package received the 3-spoke wheel. But I can’t confirm this yet.
FWIW: I have a 2016 S8, which I believe is based on the LWB platform. It has the 3 spoke steering wheel, heated steering wheel, and lane assist with haptic feedback.
08-25-2020, 04:01 AM
Different Steering Wheels??
I love little details like this. 