26 Apr 04
This doesn't detract from the fact that the 3.0 is - compared to the other A8 models - really just a workhorse. The V6 engine (220bhp, 221lb ft) does have to work hard to pull this large car along, especially in long-wheelbase form, and though it's by no means slow, it is no high-performance machine either, and certainly not an inspiring drive. It feels slower than the official performance figures suggest - 0-60mph in 7.9 seconds (8.1 in the LWB), top speed of 150 mph. The clever multitronic transmission is adept, however, and using the sequential-shift option can urge the car along a bit more. The main drawback, though, of the 3.0 is that it is front-wheel drive: even if you really can't tell at legal road speeds which axle is being propelled, somehow this just does not feel right in a car of this class. The A8 3.0 feels like more of a generic VW Group product than an Audi A8 in its own right (think stretched A6, Passat, Phaeton 3.2 V6, even the excellent Skoda Superb...).
Best spend an extra grand or so, then, and opt for the 3.0 TDI quattro, (from £47,380, standard wheelbase only). Not only does it come with the trademark Audi four-wheel-drive system, it has the all-new direct-injection 233bhp V6 diesel unit and a much more muscular 332lb ft of torque, even if fuel consumption is hardly better (32.8mpg, compared to the petrol model's 29.1mpg). This advanced engine is lightweight, features state-of-the-art injection and control system technology, and will ultimately feature in a number of models in the Audi and VW Group line-ups. It comes with Audi's proven six-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox rather than the multitronic CVT, but that's no bad thing at all, with dynamic stability programme and sports mode.
The diesel is quiet, smooth and strong - its maximum torque kicks in at just 3200rpm for instant responses and then mid-range punch, making it an ideal motorway cruiser - and a far more rewarding drive than the 3.0 petrol. Again, it's not a supercar saloon (try the monster 450bhp 6.0 W12, from £72,000, for that effect), but it is laid-back rather than laboured, with progress always feeling effortless. The chauffeur's job just got more pleasant - and those that prefer to drive themselves have a decent alternative to a flashier 730d or S320 CDI, too.
