New Car Profile of the 2004 Audi A8 Series Full-Size Luxury Sedan
Description: Full-Size Luxury Sedan
Base MSRP Range: $62,200-$72,500
Invoice Price Range: $55,703-$64,870
The full-size flagship sedan from Audi has been recast with a stretched wheelbase and a unitized space frame structure composed of lightweight aluminum, then fitted with sophisticated mechanical systems and extravagant luxuries. And it's absolutely gorgeous. Theme for the exterior is understated elegance where subtle shapes and soft edgework come out of the less-is-more school of car design. The body stretches to a considerable length yet linear dimensions are disguised by the raked-back windshield and rear tapered roof pillars supporting a gracefully arched canopy spanning the passenger compartment. Forward and back decks are then abbreviated with a blunt prow and tail, leaving scant space for overhangs projecting beyond fore and aft edges of the massive wheels in multi-spoke patterns cast from aluminum.
Up front, the curving nose looks clean and organized with a narrow horizontal grille centered between elongated clusters of composite lenses shielding bi-xenon high intensity discharge (HID) headlamps. Open any door and slip into a supportive seat that fits like a custom-built lounge chair. Cabin layout is familiar with two broad buckets in front and a bench in back with indentions for two but room for three. The stretched wheelbase -- fully ten feet long -- adds up to more than sufficient legroom for passengers in the rear quarters. The A8L driver is surrounded with an ultimate assortment of electronic car controls, with most set on the steering wheel or driver's door, or operated from a handy joystick mounted at the front end of the center console's padded armrest. The joystick, rotating and clickable like a computer mouse, links to a video screen that pops up front on the dashboard to access car controls such as the variable suspension settings, as well as climate, navigation, audio and telecommunications equipment.
Audi dubs this stick the MMI -- Multimedia Interface. The A8L comes with Audi's quattro AWD equipment. Speed-sensitive power rack and pinion steering feels precise and quick, and for braking, there's a big disc at each wheel coupled to a computerized anti-lock brake system (ABS) as well as electronic brake force distribution (EBD), and an electronic stabilization program (ESP) to prevent wheels from skidding laterally. Powertrain consists of an aluminum 4.2-liter V8 with dual cams and all torque translated through a ZF six-speed electronic automatic transmission outfitted with Tiptronic manual shift mode. It runs up to 330 hp. A8L provides a comprehensive list of standard gear, including leather and wood trim in the cabin. Still, there are options, such as a convenience package plus stand-alone options -- a sunroof, front and rear Parktronic guidance, and different wheel and tire packages to 19 inches.
