2006/2004 Audi A8L

 2006 Audi A8 L Quattro AT6
I recently drove the 2006 A8 L. The following review is from 2004, the first year for the second generation A8. The 2006 model is essentially the same as the 04 model. Changes for 06 include the following:

First of all, there is now a standard wheelbase model available. Wheelbase and overall length are 5 inches shorter. Front legroom is the same but the rear legroom drops from 42.3" to 37.6" and passenger volume is down to 100.3 cubic feet from the 106.8 cubic feet found on the ‘L’ version. The standard wheelbase car is about 110 lbs lighter at 4,288 lbs. Fuel economy is listed at 17/24 for both models. Power is up by 5 to 335 hp while torque remains the same at 317 ft. lbs at 3,500 RPM. Speaking of power, the W12 engine is now available producing 450 hp and 428 pound feet of torque. For 2006, the standard wheel base A8 starts at $68,139, the ‘L’ begins at $72,090 and the W12 car has a base price of $118,190.

The 2006 A8 L I drove ended up with a price tag of $83,610. Options included the $4,000 ‘Premium’ package with electric rear sunshade, power trunk, heated seats, back-up warning alert and ‘advanced key’. The latter refers to the keyless entry and start system not available in 2004. One other new option is adaptive cruise control. It’s a $2,100 option and it works by maintaining the distance between you and the car in front of you. For example, if there is a slower car in your lane the system will slow you down to match their speed and maintain a constant space between vehicles. When you pull out to pass adaptive cruise resumes your faster speed allowing you to pass. I grew to appreciate this feature. I’d say go for it. Other options included 19" wheels and all season tires ($1,900) and XM radio at $550.

My recent drive with the A8 L covered over 1,000 miles. I stand by what I said in 2004. The Audi A8 may well be the best Luxury car on the market and that includes German rivals Mercedes Benz and BMW. I can tell you right now that I prefer the A8 over the 7-series in both exterior and interior styling. Audi has defined interior styling for the entire industry in recent years and its way ahead of BMW. The 7 series is a great car but i-Drive ruins it for me. In my 2004 report I complained of the Multi-Media Interface but it’s a huge improvement over i-Drive. Let’s not forget the A8 Ls huge backseat. Driver comfort is exceptional as well. You can’t beat this car for long drives. Outstanding audio system too. Handling and ride are above reproach. OK, I’ll stop gushing.

Tom Collins The Auto Answerman
KEZW Radio/Denver
10/13/05

 2004 Audi A8L

Vehicle Type: AWD Luxury Sedan
Base Price: $69,190

Pros:
Performance
Ride
Handling
AWD
Comfort
Safety

Cons:
Multi-Media Interface

Overview

Audi’s flagship gets a redesign and new styling for ’04. Upgrades include a new 6-speed Tiptronic transmission, more power and a stiffer aluminum body structure. Competitors include the Mercedes S-Class, Lexus LS 430 and the BMW 7 Series. The A8L is priced under its chief rivals.

Driveline

The 40-valve DOHC 4.2- liter V8 has been massaged to an impressive 330 HP up 20 ponies from the previous model. 317 ft. lbs of torque and 6 speeds means the engine never feels labored. The 3,924 lb car rockets to 60 MPH in just 6.3 seconds. A 6.0- liter W-12 is coming. Mountain driving is a breeze in the A8 and the Tiptronic transmission adds a sporty flavor. In researching this review I read that Canadian A8’s have an optional Steering wheel mounted paddle shift feature however I saw no mention of this on the Audi website. The AWD is seamless.

Suspension

Audi claims the new adaptive suspension provides the ride of a luxury car with the handling of a sports car. There are 4 settings, dynamic, automatic, comfort and lift for driving on rough roads. The car lowers itself for better handling and lower wind resistance over 75 MPH. The air suspension even senses when you are cornering and automatically stiffens the suspension and holds the transmission in gear longer increasing power. 17” wheels are standard with 18” and 19” optional. The A8 is truly a driver’s luxury car. Mission accomplished Audi. Much of the credit goes to Audi’s new aluminum alloy space frame. It’s 60% stiffer than before with 20% fewer parts. The car is also 700 pounds lighter than previous A8s.
Comfort and Convenience

Where to begin? The list of what this car doesn’t have would be a lot shorter. Both front seats are power with 16 different adjustments with the drivers seat having 4-position memory. The interior is Premium leather with genuine wood inlays in the instrument panel, console and doors. The steering wheel is power telescoping and tilt. You’ll also find a fully automatic dual-zone climate control. The A8L has a 6 disc CD changer located in the glove box, feeding a Bose 12 speaker sound system with surround sound with an AudioPilot noise compensation feature to maintain audio volume. You’ll also find a global positioning navigation system. All of these features, and about 80 others, are run through Audi’s Multi Media Interface. Call me old fashioned, but I could do without it. Yes, I know it’s probably necessary to run the navigation system but why must the audio system be operated through this thing? Like the BMW I-drive, you’ve got a console- mounted knob to contend with as you select your radio stations. In its defense, it’s much simpler than the BMW system but still distracts from the pleasure of driving the car in my opinion. The cabin is whisper quiet under all but full throttle and the seats are exceptionally comfortable even in the rear where you’ll find limo-like legroom. Our test drive up to Aspen was an absolute pleasure. The A8L is a model of comfort.

Safety and Security

Here again, the list of standard features is impressive. The car has a total of 10 airbags protecting front and rear passengers, including protection for head, chest and even knees. Rear side airbags are included. The front driver and passenger air bags are dual-stage and dual-threshold next generation units. Of course, it’s got ABS and even a first-aid kit in the rear center armrest. There’s even an emergency triangle under the trunk lid. Those will children will be able to secure their LATCH child safety seats. The Immoblizer anti-theft alarm system is standard on all A8L models. Audi Advantage provides 24- hour roadside assistance for 4 years with no-charge scheduled maintenance See dealer for details. The warranty is for 4 years or 50,000 miles whichever comes first.

Conclusion

The A8L is one of the world’s finest luxury cars. Slow sales have kept this car out of the limelight most likely due to its previous rather bland styling. The new look should help sales along with all the other refinements for ’04. The upcoming W-12 engine will be revolutionary and should help this car get the attention it deserves. I can’t wait to drive it.

Tom Collins
6/10/03