angrypengu

I have been waiting for this!!!!!!!


I'm so annoyed he didn't test the Advanced sound system!!!

Just finishing it now. I expected better from him. Then again most people don't deep dive into every system on the car every minute of the day....

Great review nonetheless.

derfA8L

Thanks very much for sharing. My impressions after seeing this review:

Thought the review was, overall, positive--albeit a bit contradictory at the end. He admits to "gushing" over the A8L and couldn't stop driving it, but found the V6 "gutless" even though he felt the engine was fine at highway speeds. Perhaps the exceptional ride and comfort won him over in the end over his feeling of a lack of off-the-line grunt. I'd have to agree that the MMI touchscreens may be too distracting--something I'm a bit concerned about when I finally get mine, but we'll see how that works out (perhaps my wife will enjoy being more of a co-pilot). Based on his mostly favorable review of the standard B&O sound system, I'll have to re-test it this week before placing my order on Friday. While I did test the standard system with my iPhone music and found it a bit lacking, to be honest, I mostly listen to the satellite radio (Sirius XM WaterColors, classical and jazz) which did sound fine to me on the standard system the first time I tested it out...So perhaps I really don't need the "Advanced" system and can shave over $5k off the guestimated MSRP "as spec'd" price I'm looking at. Tomorrow afternoon's project, I guess :-)

MorganMay

Angry, thank you, thank you for posting this! Silver exterior, grey interior......this is my A8L on order if you add the V8 and upgraded audio system. Playing this every day for the next six weeks will help keep my antici.....pation under control.

I have never heard of this Savage Geese fellow but he certainly has zeroed in on the exact number one reason for buying this car: it makes you feel so good in a serene and pampered way. As you have mentioned before, it will take away virtually all need for aggressive driving. If anything, I expect I will be taking the long way to my destination just so I am able to spend more time in the car.

derfA8L

Pretty sure the interior was Sarder Brown, which can look gray-ish under certain lighting conditions. Think your Merino Gray interior will look much nicer :-)

angrypengu

Thanks for sharing your feedback! Hearing is incredibly subjective and I'll start with this. I really respect that reviewer. The amount of in depth/detail that he gets into with cars and such is a class of its own. The thing about the B&O system is that it takes a long time to form an opinion. I remember clearly that I couldn't justify the $5K difference after listening to both systems extensively when the D5 came out. Looking back, I am glad I spent the $5K. Let's leave the differences with the aesthetics aside. The odd 'triangle' in jazz music, or the odd drumroll in classical music - the depth and full body of the sound in the Advanced system is there. There are times when I'm not expecting a certain sound and then it resonates/coarses through my body sending a shiver down my spine. I've never had that in any sound system in my life. Can I say objectively today that it would also occur with the base system? I don't know, and I don't know if what I feel today has something to do with association bias or the placebo effect, but I maintain that I would forego the exterior lighting package before foregoing the Advanced 3D sound system.

I wanted to address your point today that the music you listen to today may be influencing your decision to buy or not buy the system. This sticks with me because I too was in this boat. I know this may be hard to believe but it is 100% the case. My taste for music drastically changed once I got the D5. Today, 95% of my music falls into the lofi genre. Think of this like lounge + jazz (without the saxophones) music. I listen to it on Spotify exclusively on max quality setting (much to the detriment of my employer who pays my phone bill ) and it's serene. So I would simply state that there is a chance that your taste in music may change which may cause some regret.

Both systems are great, but in my humble opinion and with all of the respect in the world, audiophiles should stick to the Advanced 3D sound system. I'd be kicking myself today if I didn't buy it, and I don't even really think I fit the definition of a true audiophile - simply, perhaps, I am an audio lover, that's about all the street credentials I have

--

Going back to the review, now that I'm on the PC. A few things resonated with me and it made me think of the C8 thread.

1) This engine is stupid hot, especially in the summer. In the middle of summer these days, when I park my car, the hood gets opened, I burn my fingers and take off the cover, and put a fan to cool off that turbo. It's probably unnecessary, but the entire D5 is unnecessary in my opinion! You can literally feel the heat hit your face when you take off that cover, and if you don't, you may be concerned that the fan runs forever as someone mentioned in the C8 thread. Those fans take up some serious amperage from the 12V battery, so using a battery tender every so often is helpful. There is a temperature sensor in the hot V configuration that is measured to keep things from melting. SG wasn't kidding around here. It's hot and if you idle a lot like me around town on a hot summer day, you might as well throw a few burgers onto there and cook them once you get home. It's a different degree of hot than anyone's used to! I can only imagine the heat cycles that the plastic in the engine bay must deal with. I'm sure my neighbors look at me funny when I park my D5 everytime b/c I open the hood all the time but at least 2 of them dropped what they were holding and gawked when I first brought her home....

2) I disagree with SG's comments about 4 wheel steering. I think he is way off base with 4 wheel steering being unnecessary. This function, as it is here in Canada, is standard, and it really should be in the US as well. I parked my D5 next to a LWB W221 (older model) S class today. I literally laughed out loud - it made the S class look like a E/C class.

3) The transmission it not buttery smooth. It's 99% smooth, but it gets caught up with the coasting disconnect when the tranny secretly shifts into neutral to save fuel. Most people won't notice this though.

4) Re: the screens. I work in tech, but I hate the latest and greatest "things". I was fairly upset when I first saw the D5's interior and worried about the UI. I was wrong, and I'm surprised SG found it overwhelming. It was, for me, that case maybe for a few days, but now I'm bored of the UI, frankly, and that's a good thing. I consider myself a technology laggard (I know...ironic) so am very curious how you find the D5's UI once you get yours!

5) Re: The engine. I know, I'm saying nothing new now, but I still disagree with his assessments of the engine. It's torquey around town because of the BSG, and I'm "happy" (not thrilled) with it on the highway. I think it's a case of managing expectations. I don't expect a 2.5 ton flagship car to be a bullet car, but that's me. I'm not used to a V8 flagship, so maybe that's why there are differing opinions on this!

6) The electronics - I don't honestly think this car's electronics is that much cause for concern, especially for anyone who's owned a D4. The only real system that's net new is the 48V system, which is now making its way to all Audi and VW sedans (yes, including the Passat, or was it the Jetta, I don't remember). The P0 mild hybrid architecture will be the standard, and if it "goes" on a Passat/Jetta, the depth of owners of those vehicles' pockets is clearly a lot shallower than on a D5's owner. (I'm saying this respectfully and with no ill intent here). If those parts go, they are parts that are mass produced. I expect the 48V battery to drop in price as volume increases, but what else has been introduced? A BSG with a belt that has no replacement interval at all, and a DC DC converter and the latter is not even complicated.

--

So all in all I ran to my Xbox to watch this review on Youtube. He got 90% of the facts right and while he didn't really tell me anything I didn't know, his review certainly resonated with me. I suspect the vast majority of the miles on my car have been unnecessary, but it is a hell of a game changer of a car and maybe the last thing I'll disagree with him is the number of notches of stress it takes off my day. I go from maybe a 10 to a 2. This has not been achievable in the S, the 7 or the LS, and they don't even come close. I would have expected this to wear off, but now as I'm approaching the 3 month anniversary of owning the D5, the feeling is still alive and well - even if I have to haul ice packs every day to cool off the 48V battery (completely unnecessary - probably, but since I don't have kids....well.)

derfA8L

Angry- I hear you on the B&O Advanced. I'll do another (and admittedly better test) tomorrow. At the end of the day, it could all come down to what the estimated lease payment comes out to---With the B&O Advanced added to my option list, the car is "guestimated" to MSRP at a bit over $125k and it's a company lease, so at some point I have to at least play at being corporately responsible. I know you put the sound system ahead of the Lighting package, but I'm not there (it's purely subjective from a visual perspective). I'd like to drop the Night Vision, but a significant portion of my driving occurs in "deer country" and the system has saved me (and a deer) more than once. I also have taken your thoughts on the Driver Assistance package seriously, but I just can't give up the ACC feature. Hopefully Audi will find a way to solve the sign recognition intrusion problem that is clearly a safety issue beyond just being an annoyance.

Yeah, the mid-engine placement of the turbo(s) does generate a ton of heat, but---my current D4 does have the same general set-up, but with twin turbos and IT'S A REAL HOTHOUSE!!! However, the temp sensor fan doesn't really run forever---perhaps a max of 8-minutes, and the oil cooling set-up seems to work well. I'm on my 5th Summer season with the twin-turbo V8 and the engine shows no ill-effects from the extreme heat generated by the engine. You probably don't really need to entertain your neighbors by opening the car's hood, but if you're more comfortable doing so, then go with it :-)

Again, thank you for all your considered thoughts---And since you started off your D5 journey somewhat skeptical, where you are now is really a jolt of positive reinforcement for me to stick with the A8L in its new platform.

derf

angrypengu

I find it interesting re: performance how different people have different views.

This review does NOT deserve its own thread as it managed to **** me off as it contained too much incorrect information. That said, his response made me giggle.

24:13 is what I'm referring to:


That said, this review is an attestation that children should not review cars and that Youtube is not always that fantastic. Bring on Motorweek anyday!

I need to start my own D5 Youtube channel before all of the hairs on my head turn grey.

MorganMay

Lighting and my desire to see gray blinded me to the sarder brown interior.

gk1

True, angry is giving the A8 a bad rep to his neighbors. They are probably like "oh boy that Audi is a real piece of garbage...broken every single day with the hood up." LOL
My neighbor asked "What's wrong with your car?" just while I was charging the battery with the car parked in the garage one time. Ha.
Just poking a little fun angry...most drivers never want to open the hood...ever. Glad you're not one of them.