kwilkins

My Audi dealer was kind enough to let me take a D4 out for the day, I just came back from spending 5 hours with the Audi and will hate to return it tomorrow. My most singular explanation of the car is WOW, this is my next car.

I love cars (but keep each for about 5 years) and always test drive and research many before I make a purchase. This time has been quite the odyssey, I've been looking, researching, and test driving for the last 4 months. Here are the cars I've test driven:

Lincoln MKT EcoBoost
Lincoln MKX
Lexus RX450H
Merc E350
Merc E550
Infiniti M35
BMW Gran Turismo 550i
BMW Gran Turismo 535i
BMW 550i
BMW X5 M
Audi A7
Audi A8

If I'm starting to sound a bit odd, it get's worse. A number of the cars I drove 2, 3, and even 4 times.

So this post doesn't turn into a novel, the A8 is the most complete car (for me) and I'm eager to place my order for the 2012 model.

I can't wait.

derfA8L

Congrats! But out of curiosity---the A8 is the only "D" class car on your test drive list. Why didn't you compare the Merc S-class and/or BMW 7-series along with the A8? Nothing on your list could ever come close to the A8 IMO.

Anyway, yes the D4 is a terrific drive, and yes, you made a very good decision. Your dealer should have the 2012 A8 and A8L order guides very soon; the 2012 A8 W12 guide is already out.

kwilkins

I did not consider the BMW 7 because of the reviews I've read stating the ride was not that sporty. I'm not that impressed with the BMW interiors, yes they are high quality but the aesthetic does not appeal to me. If I went with a BMW it would have been the 550i xdrive, it's a very sporty car and super fun to drive.

As for the S class I think Audi has it beat hands down in technology, driving dynamics, and price. Also, for political reasons at work it would be awkward to show up in the parking lot with an S class. One of the things I really like about the A8 is the conservative exterior. Many reviews knocked the A8 for this, but there are some of us that prefer "understated" for various reasons.

Does anyone know if the 2012 A8 will have a Heads Up Display option?

aqua70

You know this is all subjective from the appearance to the statistical numbers of a given vehicle. To make a long story short, I have a BMW, Jaguar, land Rover, Mercedes, Lexus and Infiniti dealers all but 3 mins away from me. A buddy of mine is a sales guy at the Mercedes dealer. Frequentley letting me take out and test drive the latest. I do the same with all the BMW and Jaquar and Infiniti aswell. Simply put, they are all without a doubt fine vehicles, drive well, and well crafted, but at the end of the day the only ones that put a smile on my face and impress the heck out of me are the Audi's. More specifically in the S and RS range. So this is only my 2 cents but as someone who frequently gets to drive them all, I do remain loyal to the brand!
Cheers.

derfA8L

Be careful about ordering it if it's made available---I think you will first want to see how the system's design impacts the passenger cabin esthetics. See the below link to a current discussion thread on the A7 forum...

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho....php?t=2804251

kwilkins

I drove the A7 and it's true the housing of the HUD looks a bit awkward on the dash. The HUD itself was exultant and really improved the driving experience. You constantly know how fast you are going and it displays excellent turn and distance information from the nav system. You literally never need to take your eyes off the road with the HUD.

For me the trade off of the appearance for the functionality was easy one. The A7 is such a beautiful car I don't think many people would be bothered by the HUD housing, especially after owning the car for a while.

BigGrasshopper

KW, I understand about the 'political' reasons for not driving a Merc. For whatever reason (maybe because A8s are a bit rarer), but they don't have the same status or 'bling' factor as Merc. However, that is a selling point to me -- the Audi is a sleeper, but in my opinion it is superior to the existing S class.

As to the BMW 750i, that is what I currently own (I previously had a D3 A8). I've owned all manner of BMWs, including an M5. I simply do not understand the comment that the BMW 750 is not sporty - I think that is flat wrong. The BMW does suffer from significant turbo lag, which is inexcusable for a car of this class and cost. I imagine the new BMW 550i will also have the same issue. I have learned to work around it, but it is one of several reasons why I'm likely getting back in to an A8. The 750 interior is comfortable, and the seats are best in class, but in terms of overall luxury, the A8 is tops.

My concern with the 2012 A8 is that if that engine is going to be twin turbo, that it will have nasty lag. I sure hope not.

kwilkins

What leads you to believe the 2012 A8 will have a twin turbo?

derfA8L

The rumor--and circumstantial evidence from several sources--is that the 2012 S8 will come with the twin turbo 4.0 litre V8, while the A8/A8L will get the same engine, but with a single turbo configuration. We've seen hp estimates of from 400-hp up to 415-hp with the single turbo engine. The issue may not necessarily be IF the A8 gets the new turbocharged engine, but WHEN---it could be introduced in October as a 2012, but then again might not show up here in North America until later on in 2012 as a 2013. No one knows just yet, but there could be some announcement shortly at the NY Auto Show. The 2012 Order Guides usually come out in late April/May, so we should have more specifics at that point.

But yes, expect some turbo lag if Audi does move to turbocharging.

kwilkins

It sounds like we should know something soon. My dealer told me there will not be a new engine in the 2012 A8. He has a contact in Audi corporate he checked with. He has been both wrong and right in other things he's told me, so I guess the credibility of his information is suspect, probably like the rest of the rumors people are hearing.

The expected turbo lag (if the A8 gets a turbo) is disappointing. As I wrote in my OP I test drove a number of different cars recently, some of them had turbos. Surprisingly the car that had the least turbo lag was the Lincoln MKT, they call their engine Ecoboost, I'm sure for marketing purposes. However; there was absolutely no turbo lag, the instant you step on the accelerator you had power, the car felt like a giant go-cart. Even the ferocious BMW X5 M had a touch of turbo lag before it took off.

I'm not suggesting the MKT is an equal car to the A8 or others on my list, and it is certainly less powerful than many of them. When it comes to turbo lag though it beat them all.