2007 Audi A8 Review (continued)
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Summary

The Audi A8 is fast, roomy, luxurious and exceptionally comfortable. It rides like a luxury car, yet it's taut and handles like a sports sedan. Loaded with innovation, the A8 is a thinking person's luxury car, more progressive, less traditional than a BMW or Mercedes. It's elegant but not arrogant, indulgent without being excessive. It's priced a little lower than comparable sedans from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, yet gives up almost nothing to either. V8, V10, or W12? In Germany, where the autobahn beckons with no speed limit, that would be an easier choice, assuming money is no object. In our land, the advantage of the W12 or the sporty S8 is more image than reality. The price premium for the W12 seems like a lot for image, but it is a wonderful 12-cylinder sedan with all-wheel drive and we think it's a good choice. We'll pass on the S8 due to its overly sensitive throttle, however.

NewCarTestDrive.com editors Mitch McCullough and J.P. Vettraino contributed to this report.

(Source: New Cars Test Drive)

Model Line Overview

Model Lineup:	Audi A8 4.2 ($68,900); A8 L 4.2 ($72,900); S8 5.2 ($92,000); A8 L W12 ($119,350)
Engines:	6.0-liter dohc 48-valve W12
Transmissions:	6-speed automatic Tiptronic
Saftey Equipment (standard):	dual front airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, inflatable Sideguard full-cabin curtain airbags, front knee airbags for driver and front passenger, front safety belts with automatic pretensioning and force limiter, three rear three-point safety belts, ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, all-wheel drive, electronic stability control
Saftey Equipment (optional):	adaptive cruise control; rearview camera for parking
Basic Warranty:	4 years/50,000 miles with free scheduled maintenance
Assembled In:	Ingolstadt, Germany

Specifications As Tested

Model Tested (MSRP):	Audi A8 L W12 ($119,350)
Standard Equipment:	fully automatic four-zone climate control with Rest function (heater can operate with vehicle shut off), dual sun sensors and smog sensor with activated charcoal filter, Valcona leather upholstery on seats, armrests, door panels, center consoles and lower dashboard, Alcantara headliner and rear shelf, heated 16-way power front seats with ventilation and massage, four-position memory (for seat adjustments, climate control settings), heated power-adjustable rear seats with electric lumbar adjustment, full rear center console, power seatbelt height adjustment, power glass sunroof with pre-select function and pinch protection, power windows (with power retention, one-touch down/up for all four windows), power side and rear sunshades, Advanced Key touch-and-go entry and starting, Soft Touch power door closer and trunk closer, heated power tilt/telescope steering wheel with multi-function MMI controls, 12-speaker AM/FM Bose Surround Sound system with noise-cancellation technology and 6-disc CD changer, Bluetooth phone prep and voice control, LED low-beam headlights, cruise control, automatic day/night rearview mirror, heated power side mirrors; Advanced Parking System with rear-view camera; rear-seat entertainment system with 6-DVD changer and displays in the front-seat headrests
Options As Tested (MSRP):	solar sunroof ($790)
Destination Charge:	720
Gas Guzzler Tax:	1700
Price As Tested (MSRP):	122560
Layout:	all-wheel drive
Horsepower (hp @ rpm):	450 @ 6200
Torque (lb.-ft. @ rpm):	428 @ 4000-4700
Transmission:	6-speed automatic Tiptronic
EPA fuel economy, city/hwy:	15/21
Wheelbase:	121.0
Length/width/height:	204.4/74.6/57.3
Track, f/r:	63.7/63.2
Turning circle:	41.7
Seating capacity:	4
Head/hip/leg room, f:	37.4/NA/41.3
Head/hip/leg room, m:
Head/hip/leg room, r:	38.3/NA/42.3
Cargo volume:	14.6
Payload:
Towing capacity:
Suspension, f:	independent, strut type with adaptive air springs
Suspension, r:	independent, strut type with adaptive air springs
Ground clearance:	4.7
Curb weight:	4729
Tires:	255/40VR19
Brakes, f/r:	vented disc/vented disc with ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, ESP
Fuel capacity:	23.8