Audi A8/S8 2007
January 1, 2007
The Stateside sales performance of Audi’s flagship super sedan just hasn’t kept pace with its remarkable success in Europe, perhaps due to brand blindness on the part of prospective American buyers. It’s too bad, because as Audi’s exclusive band of customers knows, the aluminum-bodied A8 offers a refreshing alternative to the big cars from Mercedes, BMW, and Lexus. There is much to choose from, too, with the range encompassing a standard-wheelbase car with a 4.2-liter V-8 engine and all-wheel drive through a long-wheelbase option, a 6-liter W-12-powered option, and—at the top of the heap—an S8 model complete with a 5.2-liter V-10 engine borrowed from a Lamborghini Gallardo. Audi claims a 5.0-second zero-to-60 mph time for this hot rod limo, yet early drives have shown that there is plenty of refinement and comfort to spare for those dignified rides to the business lunch. As with all A8 derivatives, equipment levels are high, and the interior decor is rich.
PRICE: $69,620 (A8 Quattro); $73,620 (A8L); $121,770 (A8L W-12); $100,000 est. (S8)
ENGINE: 4.2-liter V-8; 6.0-liter W-12; 5.2-liter V-10
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed Tiptronic automatic (all models)
POWER: 350 hp at 6,500 rpm; 444 hp at 6,200 rpm; 444 hp at 7,000 rpm
TORQUE: 325 ft lbs at 3,500 rpm; 428 ft lbs at 4,000 rpm; 398 ft lbs at 3,500 rpm
CURB WEIGHT: 4,399-4,729 pounds
0-60 MPH: 5.9 seconds (A8/A8 L); 5.0 seconds (A8 L W-12); 4.9 seconds (S8)
TOP SPEED: 130 mph (A8); 155 mph (S8)
PROS: Transparent all-wheel-drive elegance
CONS: Too understated for weak egos
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