2005 Audi A8 Review: Model Lineup

New to the United States this model year, the A8 4.2 is known within Audi as the "normal wheelbase" car. It has all the power, technology and convenience features of the A8 L 4.2, which was introduced here in June 2003. The difference? The A8 4.2's wheelbase, and overall length, are 5.1 inches shorter than that of the A8 L (L stands for long wheelbase). Inside the car, those 5.1 inches translates entirely into a reduction in rear-seat legroom. Choose the A8 over the A8 L if squeezing into tight parking spots is more important than a vast rear seat, remembering that the standard A8's rear accommodations are still quite expansive by typical sedan standards.

The 2005 A8 4.2 models are powered by a 330-horsepower 4.2-liter four-cam V8 with Audi's five-valve-per-cylinder technology. A six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic manual shift control is the only transmission offered, feeding power to Audi's standard quattro fulltime all-wheel-drive system.

The A8 4.2s come loaded with all the luxury features you'd expect at this price point. The air-conditioning system, for example, uses temperature, moisture, and infrared sensors to detect and demist the windows before they can even think about fogging. Similar to that of the BMW 7 Series and Jaguar XJ series, the A8's parking brake is electromechanical, which in other words means a switch. Advanced Key and Soft Close doors are standard features.