The A8 is quiet underway. The cabin is well insulated (the W12 features double-pane side glass), and conversation is easy at any speed, even in the nosiest ambient conditions. There's no wind noise in this car and the ventilation system was acoustically tuned to make the climate control as quiet as possible, even when the fan is at full blast.
The standard audio system uses Bose noise compensation technology just like those fancy headphones you see people wearing on an airplane. It works terrifically well. Essentially, a microphone samples the sound and sends out sound waves to cancel out undesirable noise. The 12-speaker stereo sounds fantastic, with crisp bass and clear highs. An equalizer matched to the car's equipment and trim specification takes into account changes to interior acoustics caused by the choice of upholstery. A four-way diversity antenna aids AM/FM reception, and a list of all radio stations that can be received in a given region appears at the touch of an MMI button, though we frequently turned it the wrong way. The six-disc CD changer is in the glove box, and we found this inconvenient; ejecting a CD was a chore that distracted our attention from the road. We'd prefer a single in-dash CD player to this. Sirius satellite radio is standard, offering cross-country access to CNN, ESPN and other news and entertainment programming. Turn the system on and the silk-dome tweeters automatically extend from the instrument panel into their ideal positions. Expect people to ask what they do.
OnStar telematics comes standard, offering operators who can give directions around the clock and provide myriad other types of information and services. Those operators will send help to your location should an airbag deploy. They can pinpoint the location of the car if it's stolen or unlock the doors remotely if you've locked the keys inside.
The rear seats in the A8 are designed to be comfortable for the 85th percentile in height, and even tall passengers aren't likely to complain. Rear passengers have lots of controls available to them, including optional power lumbar support and optional rear-seat dual climate control. There's also a fold-down center armrest with a pass-through to the trunk.
The A8 L's rear seats are much more spacious, with acres of legroom. In the A8 L W12, a full console with more elaborate climate and seat-adjustment switches splits the rear seats. A rear-seat entertainment system with dual screens in the back of the front headrests comes standard in the W12, and it also includes a six-DVD changer, remote control, one set of headphones, and two AV and two headphone jacks in the center console. This rear console eliminates space for one passenger, but it pumps up the club-room ambience. (A three-place bench can be specified instead.) The A8 L falls short of the long-wheelbase 7 Series in rear-seat head and leg room, but not by much. The A8 L rear doors are long, allowing easy access to the rear seat.
The trunk is big and deep. The trunk is the same size on the A8 and A8 L. At 14.6 cubic feet it is significantly smaller than the cavernous luggage compartments of the BMW 7 Series (18.0 cubic feet) and Mercedes-Benz S-Class (19.7). Still, the Audi provides sufficient room for at least two tournament-grade golf bags or a couple of weeks' worth of groceries. The trunk houses a full-size spare tire.
We found the coat hooks inadequate for picking up a big load of dry cleaning, however.
The effort of operating an A8 is reduced by technology. An available Soft Close feature automatically sucks the side doors shut from a partially latched position. Audi's optional Advanced Key eliminates the labor of turning the ignitio?AudiA8�Interior?? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ????????? ?? ?????? ???????? ??? ????? ?? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ?? ?? ????? ???? ? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ????? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ? ??????? ?????????? ????????? ??? ???? ??????????? ???? ??? ? ??????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ??? ????? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ???????? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???????? ??? ??? ?? ??? ??????? ??????? ??? ???????? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ?? ??? ??? ?????????????????????�?????????????A?The Audi A8 is a big luxury sedan designed to challenge the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. In beats them in some areas and in others it offers an individualistic alternative. It many respects, the Audi A8 raised the bar for performance.
Three versions are available. The standard A8 boasts instant throttle response from its powerful 4.2-liter V8 and six-speed automatic transmission, while quattro all-wheel drive and an adaptable air suspension provide an excellent balance between handling and ride quality. The A8 offers a supreme sense of control with Gibraltar-like stability, benefits of its lightweight, Aluminum Space Frame that bonds the car into one cohesive unit.
The cabin is elegant and comfortable, and tops the class in finish quality. Audi's Multi-Media Interface, or MMI, integrates controls for various features and electronic systems into a big knob. It's a little easier to learn than BMW's iDrive, but it isn't easy.There is a learning curve and sometimes we find ourselves having to work harder to perform simple functions and wonder whether this is progress or burdensome technology.
The A8 L rides on a stretched wheelbase that provides more room and comfort for rear-seat passengers and uses the same engine as the A8.
The A8 L W12 upgrades to a 12-cylinder engine and a whopping 450 horsepower. It's the only 12-cylinder sedan from Germany's big three luxury brands with all-wheel drive.
The Audi S8 is powered by a 5.2-liter V10 and comes with a firmer suspension, faster steering, and bigger brakes. The S8 is distinguished by special trim and equipment inside and out. The S8 is perfect for triple digit speeds on wide-open highways and would be an excellent choice for a cross-country race. It's also a good selection for getting away from enemy agents, for those in that line of work, particularly in bad weather. For driving through the neighborhood or in stop-and-go traffic, however, we found it suffers from an overly sensitive throttle that makes smooth takeoffs a bit too challenging.
For 2009, changes to the A8 are minimal and in the category of repackaging some features and options.?AudiA8�Lineup???? ? ? ???? ?? ?? ????????? ?? ???? ??????????? ??? ?? ??? ??? ? ? ?? ??n key or even having to pull it out of your pocket, briefcase or purse, allowing the doors to be opened and the A8 to start with a button as long as the coded key fob is within a certain proximity. We're not sure intelligent keys are a feature we have to have and often find them more trouble than they are worth. However, our car had the standard key and we had trouble finding the ignition switch one night as it was not illuminated. Next Page