GR8-LIFE

If I order the 3.0, I would prefer the NWB

There are a variety of options that for me personally, I must have. For example, full LED's and Convenience pkg is a must for me - and a couple of othesr. But I am not certain about the Comfort Package. I personally dont need massaging seats and dont care about ventilation. I have ventilation in my Lexus and it really doesnt make too much of a diff. The wood on the back (of this pkg) is a nice touch but what is this 22-way multi contour seat? I mean what kind of front seat do you get without this pkg?

BigGrasshopper

For what it's worth, the Audi's massaging seats were just named the best in the industry by a car mag. I'll try to find and post the link.

I use those seats every day and it's a treat.

And much cheaper than oriental massage...

Speednet

I agree, comfort package with massaging seats and ventilation is an absolute must. The A8's seats are the best I have ever used in any car, bar none.

When I first went A8 shopping, I also was initially going to buy the NWB, because I thought the handling would be better, etc. But after driving both models (NWB and LWB) I found for a number of reasons that the LWB was a much better deal and much better car.

If you plan to ever have people drive in the back seat, there is no comparison as far as legroom is concerned. The LWB has limo-like legroom, while in the NWB, most adult passengers will be brushing their legs on the front seat.

Purely from an aesthetics point of view, I much prefer the piano black inlays around the dash over the brushed aluminum. Even if you special order a NWB from the factory, it is impossible to get the piano black inlays for that model. I asked. You can only get the brushed aluminum.

If you decide to go with the LWB, which I recommend, definitely order the upgraded 22-way seats, and also order the dynamic handling package, with the sports differential and dynamic steering. It will take away any concerns you may have had about a longer wheelbase.

GR8-LIFE

The LWB is out of the question for numerous personal reasons. In terms of value, It would seem the LWB has a bit more value but if you do the math (and I have ) you will see that the extra pkges purchased with NWB to match the LWB seem to come out the same. The big diff until now was that ugly 3 spoke steering wheel that the NWB had and you had to order a costly driver assist pkg just to get the nice 4 spoke wheel. but as derfa8l pointed out when I had asked, the 4 spoke is now the standard (Thank goodness!)

AUDI also finally allows a special order code where the customer can get the decor of a NWB like the LWB without getting into the the very expensive AUDI Exclusive program. It is a small extra fee but worth it IMO if one absolulutely must have the NWB instead of the "L". IN 2011 and '12, it seemed the NWB was the redheaded stepchild and even the same interior color (Velvet beige for example) had a different Interior cabin color variant in the NWB. The special order Code for the NWB eliminates this. Its not on the order guide but I know it exists. I cant help but think that AUDI NWB customers have conveyed thier feedback about why the NWB cant have the same colors as the LWB (I have complained a few times about it and stated I have not purchased an A8 because of these differences).

Reagarding all the extra performance options, I will not be using it. Having driven the NWB and LWB many times, while also having driven the new 3.0 model yesterday, The A8 NWB 3.0 in the standard quatro is very stable in its own right (much more than my LS460) and will be fine for me.

For performance, thats what I have my S4 for and that has the sports diff. I have never been into high performance in a Big sedan but thats just my own driving habit. If I was, I would probably opt for the S8. I also had the chance to buy a pre-owned 2008 S65 AMG with 28K mies for only $78K. The S65 AMG IS by far best big performance sedan I have ever driven. The thing is a monster! But again, big sedans and nega high performance is not my thing

jetinder

Well, you definitely know what you're looking for. Which is a good thing.

As I spend a lot of time in the car, I can't really imagine being without the comfort sports seats ... cooling and massage.

Sometimes I might do 8 hours of driving in a day for 3 or 4 days in a row, the seats don't miss a beat and you feel fresh as a spring morning when you get out. "Knocking" massage with a cooling level of 3 is my preferred setting.

As the UK isn't the warmest of climates, the cooling has a chance to make a difference, so I can't say what it is like in the real heat.

IMHO all the pre-sense stuff is a must too, takes a lot of monotony out of long drives and adds to the safety too (on several occassions in my case).

Good luck with the car.

JCW-25

[QUOTE=mark_nimda;24296448]

AUDI also finally allows a special order code where the customer can get the decor of a NWB like the LWB without getting into the the very expensive AUDI Exclusive program. It is a small extra fee but worth it IMO if one absolulutely must have the NWB instead of the "L". IN 2011 and '12, it seemed the NWB was the redheaded stepchild and even the same interior color (Velvet beige for example) had a different Interior cabin color variant in the NWB. The special order Code for the NWB eliminates this. Its not on the order guide but I know it exists. [\QUOTE]
Does the special order code apply to options available on the V8, but not on the 3.0, for example the full leather option? The salesman told me that if an item is not listed on the order guide, then it isn't available.

MichiganA8L

The massage seats are fantastic. They greatly reduce road trip fatigue and are an option I would definitely order on any future A8. I'm happy you didn't opt for the S65! Isn't that tied to a 5 speed trans? I know it's brutally fast, but the A8 interior is so much nicer.

Good luck with the purchase.

GR8-LIFE

The S65 AMG is a TQ monster and the Braks were very impressive. The white one I drove at carmax I believe was an 08 with 38K or 40K miles, something like that. It had the sweet Prestigious Designo white leather interior (a very expensive option) with a Glossy Black steering wheel and glossy black dash inlays. I think carmax dropped it down from $85K to $81K in 6 weeks until someone grabbed it or it went to auction. The Beast Thing just wasnt moving.

The AMG S Class sedans are big boats and gas guzzlers but they do perfrm well for big cars. And I do admit the car was tough to walk away from but i dont drive big sedans like that so i walked away from it. I guess A small Part of me said it would be cool to have an S65 AMG, the top of the line AMG sedan, but a much larger part of me said NFW. They pre-owns really dont seem to move well, even though they were $200K cars and are now dirt cheap relatively speaking

yes, the A8 interior has much more style. Its not even close. But it surprises me in a way because AMG back in 2004 was light years ahead of any other interior when it came to design and bells and whistles. So I expected alot more out of a 2008 AMG interior when it was not much different than the S550. Its like AMG just faded out on interior design and quickly became antiquated while AUDI came from nowhere and continues to innovate on interior design. I do wish the A8 grille was made out of tougher materials though. It wont take much to crack that puppy.