Audi A8 L 2004 Review

They have to pamper their owner's ego, and make an instant impact at anything from the golf club to the Logies.

That's just the way it is when somebody puts down more than $200,000 for a car that does the same basic transport task as a $13,990 Toyota Echo.

On luxury alone, the latest Audi A8L is close to the best, and does a brilliant job on value.

But, and it's a big one, no Audi has the instant impact of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class or a BMW 7-Series.

This is one of the reasons Audi has created the A8L, which puts an extra 130mm into the length of its luxury flagship.

It makes the L impossible to miss, and gives it the something extra to create an entrance.

But it costs, and an A8L comes in close to $50,000 beyond the starter car in the A8 line-up. The "shortie" 3.7-litre A8 quattro is $173,900, and the 4.2-litre A8L costs $221,800.

The A8L is a new member of the Audi family, but it's not as new as the mid-sized A6 and coming A4.

They are proof Audi is serious about challenging Benz and BMW at every level.

Creating the L was easy for Audi, which already had its A8 complete with a 4.2-litre V8 engine and signature quattro all-wheel-drive.

It put an extra 130mm into the body, and left it in the back seat.

Audi included plenty of luxury items: a Bose concert-hall sound system, leather trim, an MME computer control centre and electric windows and seats.

It's all inside the A8's aluminium body, and powered by an engine with 246kW – enough for a 0-100km/h sprint in 6.4 seconds.

It's great value, and should put the A8 on more shopping lists.

ON THE ROAD

WE TRIED something different with the A8L, collecting the car in Sydney and using it on the long round trip to Bathurst and back for the Bob Jane T-Marts 1000.

The route was chosen to taste the car in the city and on a range of highways, with a little more time for relaxation than our regular one-week run on home territory.

The car turned heads among the V8 Supercar crowd, who are more focused on Falcons and Commodores.

The first impression is always vital and the A8L made a hit with its big body, superb final finishing and the gear in the cabin.

You really get a buzz when you find so many toys and trinkets.

The A8L is fairly sprightly, provided you push the pedal down and are prepared to pay for premium unleaded gulped at a rate about 17 litres/100km.

It has a nice gruff engine note, a six-speed automatic that encourages you to take manual control – with change paddles on the steering column – and sure-footed quattro grip in corners.

There is a lot of space in the back, and it's great to stretch out and enjoy the comfort, but Audi's focus is on driving enjoyment.

But it's not perfect, as we discovered on some twisty roads. The front suspension allows the wheels to crash and bang through bumps and the A8L can be upset by corrugations. Its weight and the tuning of the adjustable suspension isn't always perfect for Australia.

All the switches in the cabin make it a fantastic play room for adults, and all you need for a perfect back-seat journey is a DVD system.

The Bathurst trip was over in a flash, or so it felt, which is always the measure of a class car.

Once again we come back to the reason why people buy cars such as the A8L. They might rate them on quality and equipment and value and performance, but they really buy with their hearts.

The A8L is a winner, but still doesn't have a silver star on the bonnet.

THE BOTTOM LINE
AN IMPRESSIVE luxury express that still doesn't have the following of a Benz.