29 Jun 05
4.2-litre V8 turbodiesel develops 479lb ft of torque
The 4.2 V8 TDI will prove difficult to drive sedately. Its 479lb ft of torque is available from just 1,600rpm and doesn't peter out until around 3,500rpm. Plant the throttle and all that grunt is accompanied by a wonderful growl. And the quattro four-wheel drive, driven through a slick-shifting six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission, exploits this colossal power without so much as a chirp from the tyres.
Remarkably, all that performance doesn't tarnish the big diesel's refinement. Unless you're pushing it hard - which is entirely unnecessary in everyday driving - there's little noise from the engine, while vibration is also well suppressed. On the move wind and road noise are virtually non-existent, the A8's hushed refinement far bettering its BMW, Mercedes and Jaguar rivals.
Bang & Olufsen stereo now on the options list
The ride quality isn't quite as impressive though. Audi's adaptive air suspension might give you the choice of 'Dynamic', 'Comfort' or 'Sport' settings, but none ever feels fully resolved. In all settings the suspension can't react quickly enough to bumps in the road, sending occasional thumps through the interior. Selecting comfort results in a floaty feel, while 'Sport' adds harshness without noticeably increasing control.
The ride and handling balance leaves the A8 sitting frustratingly somewhere between a Jaguar XJ's smooth-riding comfort and a BMW 7-Series' fine control. It's not helped by the A8's lack of steering feel. Typically, it's rather vague, the weighting well considered but devoid of the feel that more enthusiastic drivers demand.
