2007 Audi A8 Review Summary & Specs
Base Sedan
Power and sophistication.
Summary & Specs
reviewed by
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.
Specs
| Vehicle Category |
Luxury Cars |
| Editor |
New Car Test Drive |
| 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 (standard) |
6.0-liter dohc 48-valve W12 |
| Transmissions (standard) |
6-speed automatic Tiptronic |
| Engines (optional) |
350-horsepower 4.2-liter dohc 40-valve V8; 450-hp 5.2-liter dohc 40-valve V10; 450-hp 6.0-liter dohc 48-valve W12 |
| Transmissions (optional) |
6-speed automatic Tiptronic |
| Safety 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 |
| Safety Equipment (optional) |
adaptive cruise control; rearview camera for parking |
| Basic Warranty |
4 years/50,000 miles with free scheduled maintenance |
| Assembled In |
Ingolstadt, Germany |
| Manufacturer Phone |
1-800-822-2834 |
| Manufacturer URL |
www.audiusa.com |
| Base Price MSRP |
$68,900 |
Specs 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 |
| Layout |
all-wheel drive |
| Price as Tested |
$122,560 |
| Horse Power |
450 @ 6200 |
| Torque |
428 @ 4000-4700 |
| Fuel Economy |
15/21 |
| Wheelbase |
121.0 |
| Length/Width/Height |
204.4/74.6/57.3 |
| Track Front/Rear |
|
| Turning Radius |
41.7 |
| Seating Capacity |
4 |
| Front Head/Hip/Leg room |
37.4/NA/41.3 |
| Middle Head/Hip/Leg room |
|
| Rear Head/Hip/Leg room |
38.3/NA/42.3 |
| Trunk Volume |
14.6 |
| Payload |
|
| Towing Capacity |
|
| Front Suspension |
independent, strut type with adaptive air springs |
| Rear Suspension |
independent, strut type with adaptive air springs |
| Ground Clearance |
4.7 |
| Curb Weight |
4729 |
| Stock Tires |
255/40VR19 |
| Brakes Front/Rear |
vented disc/vented disc with ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, ESP |
| Fuel Capacity |
23.8 |