Audi’s aluminum A8 is a handsome beast. There’s nothing retro or classic about it – the rounded shape is bang up to date. Despite its soft styling it still looks strong, as a big car should without being overly aggressive. The rear end is square, but the kicked-up flanks look perfect.
Despite being quite light, the 2.8-litre version is certainly no hot rod, with just 174bhp and 185lb ft of torque on offer. The 3.7-litre versions obviously improve substantially on these figures, but add seven and a half grand to the asking price at the same time. The 2.8-litre takes 11 lazy seconds to reach 60mph and the in-gear times are sluggish, too. In the engine’s defence it feels smooth and strong, if not quick-revving. The automatic gearbox is partly to blame. It has no ‘sport’ mode, and while it swaps ratios smoothly, it often refuses to kick down.
The A8 is fine around town and on the motorway, but once the speeds start climbing on twisty A-roads, it becomes bouncy. Show the A8 a tight bend and its nose starts to run wide in a fairly predictable fashion. Be aware of that and it can be cornered rapidly, but takes a lot of getting used to, because the steering feels vague and light.
The Audi’s cabin is well designed and solid. The plastics are of high quality, and there’s lots of woodwork. The front seats are firm and comfortable although they lack side support, and there’s plenty of room both front and rear. You can’t fault the rear seat for comfort, but not everyone will appreciate the steep angle backwards. Stowage is good throughout the cabin and the boot is huge.
by (27%):
by (73%):
29.04.2005 00:34
Not too bad, but I think your review could benefit from a bit more objectivity and more detail. Well done anyway though
28.03.2004 13:27
Yous should give your readers some more detailed information. cu albertas
29.10.2002 19:42
Not bad intro, but info on what the car has to offer would have resulted in a higher rating (eg comfort, ride, equipment, insurance costs etc.). If you ever redo this op, please let me know and I'll reread it and review my rating :)