2007 Audi A8 Review

audi a8

Glitz. Glamour. Glorification. If you watch Extra! every night, this is what you think the luxury lifestyle is about. For the self-absorbed starlets of Hollywood, it is. For the rest of us, true luxury is about understatement, not ostentation. It's about appreciating the finer things in life, going about your business quietly, and conducting yourself with dignity, class and elegance. For this kind of life, the Audi A8 is a perfect conveyance. Unfortunately, luxury is also about simplicity, and the A8 is, at times, dangerously complex.

What We Drove

Audi lent us a 2007 A8, the short-wheelbase model instead of the extended A8 L version. Our Quartz Gray Metallic test sample cost $69,620 including the $720 destination charge, a fair sum for a 350-horsepower luxury sedan with all-wheel drive and a gorgeous Amaretto interior. Though expensive, we highly recommend the $6,300 Bang & Olufsen audio system, the $4,000 sport package with adaptive air suspension and 20-inch wheels (our car wore winter rubber on smaller 19-inch rims), and the $1,500 Alcantara Package. Other goodies included the $4,000 premium package, $600 for dual-zone rear seat climate control, and $550 for Sirius satellite radio for a total of $86,970.

Performance

Audi's 4.2-liter V8 is a terrific engine, delivering smooth and refined power to all four wheels at all times. Nail the throttle, and it roars with authority with a note that's pure music to the enthusiast's ears. The penalty for dipping into the A8's 350 thoroughbreds is predictably poor fuel economy – we got just 13.6 mpg in the city. On the highway at 75 mph, the A8 returned a far more impressive 24.3 mpg. The six-speed Tiptronic automatic delivers clean shifts in normal mode, cuts overdrive and holds revs longer in Sport mode, and responds quickly to manual inputs when using the separate shift gate or the small paddles on the steering wheel.

Handling

Servotronic steering is an Audi hallmark, giving these German sport sedans light, effortless steering at low speeds and firm, responsive steering on the highway. The system strikes a perfect balance and offers good road feel, to boot. The brake pedal isn't quite as pleasing, taking a moment to respond to pressure. Ride quality is programmable thanks to an adaptive air suspension with comfortable, automatic, and firm settings. Typically, pushing the A8 on back roads isn't as pleasurable as its chief competitors, the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S-Class, but in this case blame could lie with the 255/40R19 Pirelli Sotozero winter tires mounted to our test car.

Visibility

The Audi A8's main visibility bugaboo is a set of rear headrests that don't collapse or nest into the rear seatbacks. Furthermore, they don't power down when not in use. Thus, they block significant portions of the rear window. Additionally, the side mirrors are somewhat small, though they do include a defogging system that quickly clears the glass. Our test car had Audi's advanced parking system, a rear-mounted camera that shows what's behind the A8 as well as trajectory lines displaying the path the car will take. Bi-xenon adaptive headlights with high-pressure washers also improve visibility on dark, snowy nights.

Fun to Drive

If you're looking for a thrill, spend the cash it takes to park the Audi A8 4.2 in your driveway on the smaller but infinitely more exciting Audi RS4. The A8 is, after all, a luxo-cruiser first and a performance sedan second. Nevertheless, the Audi is more exciting to drive than some of the other models in this class, namely the Lexus LS and Jaguar XJ.

Front Comfort

Comfort is king in the Audi A8 4.2's excellent front seats. They offer 16-way power adjustment to ensure custom tailoring to a wide variety of body sizes and types, as well as multi-stage heating and optional cooling. Heating and cooling is hard to operate without referencing the owner's manual at least once. Other comfort features include a power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel with available heating, an optional seat massage feature, and height adjustable center armrests.

Rear Comfort

Our test Audi A8 was the regular wheelbase version, and the difference between it and the L model was most noticeable in the rear seat. Foot room is plentiful, but leg space is almost snug for a car this size. Hard seatbacks with bulging storage pockets don't help matters, especially when entering or exiting. Plus, the bottom cushion is too low and flat while the backrest is too reclined. Despite dual-zone climate control, rear seat heaters, rear and side window shades, and a large center armrest, the A8's rear seat is not particularly hospitable.

Interior Noise

At speed on the highway, there's a hint of wind noise and the steady thrum of pavement from under the tires. While neither is intrusive, the Audi A8 is not as utterly silent as a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Open the sunroof and interior noise predictably increases, but the A8 arcs through the atmosphere cleanly enough that the opening in the roof creates little turbulence in the cabin. In any case, it's easy to fully immerse oneself in the rich sound emanating from the outstanding Bang & Olufsen audio components.

Loading Cargo

The Audi A8 is equipped with a commodious 14.6 cu.-ft. cargo area, usefully shaped and complete with a power opening and closing lid. The floor of the trunk has an odd recess with a lip, making it hard to stow roll-away bags, but a low liftover height and large opening make things easier than they might otherwise be. Audi includes a full-size spare under the nicely finished compartment, and there's a pass-through to the cabin for longer items. Closing the lid is easy thanks to a button that powers the lid down and latches it shut.

Build Quality

Our Audi A8 exhibited better build quality than a recent S4 Cabriolet test car, but there were still a couple of flaws that needed addressing before the dealer could command $86,000 for the car. On the outside, the rocker panel trim on the left side did not create a flush joint with the driver's door, there was a noticeable difference in gap tolerances for the rear doors, and the greenhouse trim at the left C-pillar was loose. Inside, the wood panels covering the MMI display and the ashtray were mounted off-center, and the Alcantara-trimmed sunroof cover was sticky and difficult to pull closed.