- sedan 75,850
- 11,495 high price
- Stafford, VA
-
- autoshopper.com
- sedan 75,850 black automatic
2005 audi a8 review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. New 12-cylinder w12. W stands for wow. introductionfor the past decade, audi has invested heavily in technology intended to establish itself once-and-for-all on equal terms with german heavyweights bmw and mercedes-benz. The company's flagship sedan, the 2005 audi a8, suggests audi has not only matched its primary rivals in most areas, but surpassed them in some. the a8 is audi's largest, most sophisticated sedan: comfortable, fast and very smooth. Yet those qualities are the baseline for full-size cars in this price range. The a8 is the newest of germany's big three luxury sedans, and it raises the performance bar in many respects. It's more refined that the mercedes s-class, and more handsome to many than bmw's 7 series. Nor is audi resting on the a8's achievements. All new for model year 2004, the a8 nonetheless adds features for 2005. The line has been expanded with two new variants, including the ultra-luxurious, 12-cylinder a8 l 6. 0. a8's redesign a year ago was thorough. Its wheelbase was stretched to provide even more room and comfort for rear-seat passengers, which can be crucial in this type of executive-class transport. Its 4. 2-liter v8 engine was revised to generate more power, and matched to a six-speed tiptronic automatic that allows better fuel mileage than the previous five-speed automatic. This drivetrain delivers instant response to the driver's demand for acceleration, while quattro all-wheel drive and an adaptable air suspension provide a seemingly ideal balance between handling and ride quality. Audi's unique aluminum space frame, a lightweight, highly rigid structure that bonds the car into one cohesive unit, augments the supreme sense of control with gibraltar-like stability. The a8's cabin is elegant and comfortable, and tops the class in finish quality. Audi's multi-media interface, which comprises the company's attempt to integrate controls for various features and electronic systems, is easier to learn than bmw's controversial idrive. for 2005, audi has launched a shorter-wheelbase a8 in the united states. Audi also launches the elite a8 l 6. 0, with its unique look, unusual w-configured 12-cylinder engine and a whopping 440 horsepower. It's the only 12-cylinder sedan from germany's big three luxury brands with all-wheel drive. The a8 also has a significant price edge on the rear-drive mercedes s430 72,600) or s500 81,000) and the all-wheel-drive s430 4matic 75,500). The advantage holds with the 12-cylinder models as well. lineupthe 2005 audi a8 is available in three variants: the a8 4. 2 quattro 66,590); the a8 l 4. 2 quattro 69,900); and the a8 l 6. 0 quattro. new to the united states this model year, the a8 4. 2 is known within audi as the 'normal wheelbase' car. It has all the power, technology and convenience features of the a8 l 4. 2, which was introduced here in june 2003. The a8 4. 2's wheelbase, and overall length, are 5. 1 inches shorter than that of the a8 l (l stands for long wheelbase). Inside the car, those 5. 1 inches translates entirely into a reduction in rear-seat legroom. The air-conditioning system, for example, uses temperature, moisture, and infrared sensors to detect and demist the windows before they can even think about fogging. Similar to that of the bmw 7 series and jaguar xj series, the a8's parking brake is electromechanical, which in other words means a switch. option packages for both the a8 and a8 l include a cold weather package 1,100) with heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel and a ski sack; and a convenience package 2,000) with advanced key, electric rear sunshade, manual side sunshades, and power trunk open/close. New standalone options for 2005 include: adaptive cruise control 2,100); choice of xm or sirius satellite radio 550 plus installation); and three-spoke multifunction wood steering wheel 480). Additional options: solar sunroof panel 650); front and rear parktronic park-assist 700); power door-close assist 450); and front seat massage and ventilation 1,500). These include power sunshades for the rear windows, heated power-adjustable rear seats, and leather upholstery on the door panels, console and dashboard. The rear center console can be deleted in favor of a three-place bench seat. walkaroundelegant. That's how we'd describe the a8 in a word, but elegant in a forceful fashion that's not at all prissy. The a8's distinct wedge shape features a short front overhang, a low hood-line and a high, powerful tail. The shoulder line rises to the rear, creating the impression of a crouched beast ready to spring. The front end of the a8 4. 2 sports audi's traditional dual horizontal grilles with flush-fitted headlamps. Projector-beam fog lights sit below the well-integrated front bumper. nearly 17 feet in length, the a8 l is longer than the mercedes s-class and long-wheelbase bmw 7 series models. Its wheelbase stretches 121. 1 inches (116 inches on the standard a8), essentially identical to its european competitors and substantially longer than that of the cadillac deville. The audi is slightly wider than the mercedes and comparable to the bmw. Its rear doors are long, allowing easy access to the rear seat. all the doors open extra wide, making it easier to get in and out. The optional 18- and 19-inch wheels and tires more aggressively fill the wheel wells and provide a surprisingly smooth ride in spite of their short sidewalls. The 12-cylinder a8 l 6. 0 gets the 19-inch wheel/tire package standard (20-inch wheels are optional). the 6. 0 features a tall, vertical grille the company calls 'the new formal idiom of audi design.' the new grille connects audi's familiar horizontally split grilles over the front bumper, emphasized with a chrome surround and chrome horizontal slats. It's similar in design to the grille on the all-new 2005 audi a6. The 4. 2 models feature audi's traditional split grille. the a8 l is the first car with led headlights. Its low beams consist of five light-emitting diodes developed jointly with a california-based company. Audi says these lights draw considerably less current than halogen or xenon bulbs to deliver an equal amount of light. Less current draw means that the alternator, which generates a car's electricity, doesn't have to work as hard, and therefore robs less power from the engine. The a8 l 6. 0 is the first car with daytime running lights that have virtually no impact on fuel economy, and full low-beam operation requires far less alternator draw than conventional lights. the rear of the a8 models feature taillights that fit flush with the clean rear design. Still, an a8 l 4. 2 weighs more than a bmw 745li and more than an all-wheel-drive mercedes s430 4matic, both of which have more conventional steel-inte. Cruise Control✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Alloy Wheels
11,495 Stafford, VAStafford, VA at autoshopper.com