My first experience with an Audi vehicle was in my Bosses’ Audi A8.
He had just moved up from a considerably smaller Mercedes Benz sports car, to this one right about the time my friend Juan purchased a Chrysler 300C. In the business world, it seems people become compulsive spenders when they must keep up with the Jones’.
For a self proclaimed millionaire in the mortgage business, I was shocked that my Boss would bother going for a car like this because of what I felt was a lack of “bling” quality – Why not a BMW 745li? Or a Mercedes Benz S-class 600?
To me, someone who wanted a showoff car would surely pick something that is recognized for its exclusivity and richness. However, when I asked him about facets of the Audi A8 he replied with “it’s the best car I’ve ever owned” and “I wouldn’t trade this for anything”. It was due to these comments that I absolutely had to test drive it for myself. I had to find out what exactly was so great about an Audi.


STYLING

Basically, when compared side by side, the Audi and the BMW 745li are almost the exact same car. The Audi is 204 inches long – about an inch longer than the 745li; approximately the same height as the 745li (58 inches) and has approximately the same width – 75 inches wide. In fact, as I would soon find out, the Audi seemed like a stylized clone of the 745li in almost everyway – a direct reaction by Audi to BMW’s new technologically advanced supercar.

The exterior of the car is quite bland. With the exception of the huge Audi grill in the front of the vehicle, the car looks very plain to me and almost featureless like something designed in the 80’s by Ford. Perhaps the featurelessness was a good thing about the design, due to the fact that the BMW 7 series received tremendous negative criticism, slurs such as ”Bangle Butt” and was basically forced by an un-accepting society to alter the model less than 2 years after its release into the current 750i redesign Audi obviously felt that they would make a copy, but, play it as safe as possible.

To me, there is simply nothing bold about the Audi A8 with the exception of its huge grill and air dam. The forward lighting fixtures are O.K. but nothing that would grab the attention of onlooking females like the rhombic diamonds of the typical Cadillac Sedan or the hood ornament of Benz’s S550. The rear lighting fixtures also look boring - couldn't an attempt have been made to create an L.E.D. lighting with some pizzaz?
This is the type of car you buy when you want luxury, performance and none of the attention.
Its something you'd see the FEDS driving - like a typical Crown Victoria.


INTERIOR

The BMW 7 series introduction of I-DRIVE which was a Windows CE based automotive device convergence system designed to place the A/C, radio, Navigation system and all other features electronic into the driver’s palm in the form of a single almighty German control knob. In addition to I-Drive, BMW introduced the possibilities of creating driver’s seats with various adjustable points as well as including other neat little tech gimmicks such as the Heads Up Display Infra Red Night sensors displayed in the Navigation LCD; and a totally redesigned, totally unintuitive driver experience, i.e. starting the car with a button.
Unfortunately, the seat control system was poorly designed and I-Drive would go down in history as probably the worst user interface in recorded history.
Though it was a genuine attempt by BMW to recreate the driving experience it was considered poorly executed. However, poorly executed does not necessarily mean that it wouldn’t be copied. Basically, Mercedes Benz popped up with their own I-Drive called "COMAND" and now Audi too has fallen in line with their own I-Drive concept and a very similar cockpit design.

The easiest way for me to describe the Audi’s interior is to liken it to that of a typical jumbo jet. The interior is a collaboration of hard plastics, soft plastics, wood panels and pull out compartments which feel as if they’ve been designed to be used over and over again by hundreds if not thousands of occupants.
Not necessarily a luxury feeling, but, more of a generic shopping experience to me. Its all reminiscent of my past air travel on Boeing 747’s due to the cheap feel of this plastic and its uninviting, utilitarian tan coloring.
This is most obvious when you take a look at the cieling console for the moonroof, Onstar and lighting buttons. With its emergency button, brighly colored icons and its drab color, I started to wonder where the button was to call the stewardess. There are also lots of *pop out* and *slide out* features in the A8. There are side panel compartments that swivel outwards to accept trinkets, paperwork, etc. In the ceilings there are vanity mirrors for both the front and rear occupants as well as adequate lighting for the entire cabin.
A8's interior is so plain its a bore. Totally unlike 745’s and the S550’s upscale interior materials.



The Audi A8 has more front row seat space for both driver and passenger’s leg length and hip size than the BMW 7 series. Unfortunately, it is not that much more. I had to tilt and slide the seat back considerably just to be able to get into it. Once I was in however, I was able to adjust the chair to get a good view of the road. Mind you, I am a pretty tall guy. A person around 6” or less won’t have too much of a problem getting in and out but, there is still a lack of space here compared to the S550 which is about the same length.
Fortunately AUDI didn’t completely copy the 7 –Series by placing seat adjustments on a bulky armrest. Instead, Audi left these controls on the side of the chairs base in the traditional location. Perhaps in the future Audi should copy the S550’s placement of seat adjustments on the door itself as I found this easier to manipulate.
Audi A8’s are available with optional massage chairs in a $1500 package that includes massage and cooling to remove the warm feelings you get during long rides. I found the system to be quite comfortable but not as nice as that in the S550.

The second row is enjoyable for people who are shorter than 6” tall. So long as there isn’t a tall person sitting in the front seats, there is a reasonable amount of leg space here. Rear passengers should be very comfortable since the Audi comes standard with rear window *pull up* sunshades and a decent floor centerstack adjustable A/C. There are packages available, upwards of $2000, for power lumbars and heating/cooling in the 2nd row just in case you are a host that cares deeply for your Audi’s guests.



OPERATING THE AUDI


Audi A8 L similar to the BMW 7 comes with a keyless entry transmitter which is fast becoming the standard on luxury cars. As you walk up to the car, it recognizes you immediately and unlocks the doors for you. You hop in the car and just like the 745li you must squash the brake pedal and press the ubiquitous engine start button .
After having driven a 745li I recognized this ultra-modern layout and was able to get the car started with no trouble. Start the car and the Audi’s retractable LCD screen slides out of the dashboard’s center frame and pops up for your view similar to that same device on Alpine’s first Navigation computer/ head unit. The car lights up with a brilliant red color scheme that glows brightly in the dark as if you were in an X-wing maneuvering for an attack on the Death Star. The placement of the mock shift stick as well as the button laden center console reminds me so much of the inside of a leer jet’s cockpit.

While I can appreciate the color scheme, the all red, crystaline dashboard and LCD screen - is a little too stylized. Reminds me of the display panels littering command and control on Deep Space Nine. For some, especially older drivers, it would probably be a turn off.

Yes I continuously accuse AUDI of copycatting the 7 series, but, I must say that this is one copycat that is done as close to right as could be.
The center console in the A8 is nowhere near as confusing as the I-drive in the 745li. Audi’s control knob for the navigation system is reffered to as M.M.I. - Multi Media Interface . MMI includes a spin knob and 4 quadrant buttons which are identical to quadrant options on the LCD screen. This makes selecting options faster and easier for those who prefer to use the buttons than the swivel of their wrist.
Perhaps the best thing of all is that this form of I-drive does not take precedence over the entire vehicle’s control systems. It is mostly for navigation computer options and quick tuning of the radio or LCD screen options.

There are easy to push, easy to recognize buttons specifically to send the computer system directly to CD PLAYER, RADIO, NAVIGATION or CAR INFORMATION. The layout is very intuitive and most importantly, easy to memorize. I’d go so far as to say it is a half hearted attempt at the I-drive, yet, that attempt is not so bad because it is easier to use without causing the driver to become so enthralled in computer programming that he forgets that he is driving over 60 MPH behind vehicles that can and will make panic stops.

The steering wheel in the A8 is a nice leather wrapped wheel but, as I mentioned before it was totally unexciting and very uninviting from what I’d expect out of a car this expensive. The steering wheel fortunately featured power telescoping so getting into a comfortable driver’s position is not a problem. Also note that for serious luxury drivers, who find it necessary to mix woods and plastic, Audi offers a Birch, Walnut, or Sycamore wood wheel (and matching wood insets) starting at $700 which rises when you start changing the wood pattern insets – there are also available $12,000 exclusive interior packages.
I mention the steering wheel because I am a very technologically inclined driver who likes to use the steering wheel to control everything I can so I never have to take my eyes off the road. Audi’s wheel offers basics like cruise control and radio control but its not as involved as the wheel in a typical Cadillac or the S550.

Options worth mentioning are the available $700 power-sunshade sunroof which uses electrochromatic sensors to dim the entire glass panel in much the same way power rear view mirrors do.
There is even an available $1500 refridgerator for the pass-thru between the 2nd row and the trunk which I remember was being marketed as a wine cooler.
No "open bottle" laws here I suppose !

A $2000 Adaptive Cruise control is also available which can be set to allow the car to accelerate and decelerate based on the distances of surrounding cars detected via sensors.

Don't let these prices scare you though, because fully loaded Audi A8 L's can be found on EBAY new or used for well below $70,000. In fact, top of the line A8's can be found in prices far below their regular retail new and used on the internet nowadays.



DRIVING the A8 L


The Audi A8 L comes with a 4.2 Liter V8 that produces 335 Horsepower.
The 6 speed automatic here can be used in “Manu-Matic” mode by dropping the Mock stick shift into Drive and then nudging into “sport mode”. I found it easier to just drive the car in “Drive” mode and let the car’s electronics do all the rest for me.
The Audi A8 L’s acceleration is decent but the car in this form simply doesn’t have enough horsepower to move its mass like a luxury sports car should.
The BMW 750li features a more powerful 360 HP engine and similar weight but the 750li accelerates considerably faster giving the illusion that it is lighter than it truly is.
Benz’s S550 weighs about 5000 pounds with driver and fuel but it has 382 Horses which allows it to mask its heft and feel like its as powerful as a light sports car.
I would go so far as to say that the next generation of these vehicles should have no less than 400 HP while keeping the mass about the same.

The BMW 750li also beats the Audi A8 L by having a far more maneuverable 50 front / 50 rear mass distribution. The Audi A8 L is front heavy (56%F / 44%R) and it certainly feels it. Even the S550 which I felt drove like a boat manages a more even weight distribution (51F/ 49R). The Audi’s handling is disappointing mostly because I found the steering to be a bit on the light side. Around 50 MPH, steering tightens up but even then, it feels a little too un-involving.
A8 “L” also leans a little too much in turns at 65 MPH, unlike the 7-series which has better leveling technology and the S550 which has chairs with inflating seat pads to bolster your comfort, supporting you in turns and features a similarly superior leveling technology.
Even worse was the car’s reaction to bumps in the road and imperfect pavement.
Hitting a small pothole felt like hitting a pothole. There just wasn’t enough wheel isolation in it for me. The S550, handled this pavement so much better that I definitely feel the A8 needs more refinement.

I think what really disappointed me most of all in the Audi A8 was when I tried to back the car into a raised driveway and the car couldn’t seem to make it up with a decent mash on the pedal. The engine purred but the car seemed unable to make this small trip. I had to put more lead to the pedal to back into this driveway – watching as the RPM needles rose steadily – as if A8 L was struggling?.
Furthermore, it was during this situation that I noticed the A8’s rearview side mirrors are too small as I had trouble guiding the car into the client’s driveway without getting too close to obstacles.
Even worse was the fact that Audi L8’s ultrasonic parking sensors are not adequate at telling you exactly how close you are to the next object. As I was backing into the driveway, I kissed a metal pole with the tail light fixture of my Boss’s expensive ride. Even worse, he was right there behind me to see it and I didn’t realize the impact until it happened. Fortunately there was no damage. This system definitely needs work.


OVERALL My first experience in an Audi will probably be my last. I was not impressed by the car at all by either the exterior or the interior. At first I was attracted to the aircraft like control systems but the lack of power, boring interior materials and components and the poor driving characteristics were a definite turn off. After having experienced the S-Class 550, I certainly know which of the 3 German Luxury cars would be my Choice if I were car shopping right now.

Some owners might disagree with me, but, I suggest you test drive the S550, the 750Li and the Audi A8 L before buying. The Audi A8 L is a 745li clone that barely measures up and does not break any new ground.

Audi's true masterpiece is the Audi A8 W12 which features dual engines linked together at the camshaft - offering the driver considerably more horsepower. Unfortunately, 85% of America can't afford this $120,000 vehicle or the horrible gas mileage it naturally inherits. Even at the Luxury supercar level, the A8 W12 is still considered surpassed by both the 760li and the S600.
It appears to me Audi simply lost this round altogether.




GERMAN LUXURY


BMW 745/ 750 http://www.epinions.com/content_252534754948


MERCEDES BENZ S550 http://www.epinions.com/content_252095073924