I had the A8L in Germany. It was amazing. Build quality is superb, car is the best long distance cruiser I ever had. Active susp. really does the job. Beautiful. The only other car, I would seriously consider would be an E55 AMG.

 

I like the big Audi's. Best interior imo. Haven't driven the A8 though. The 740iL is pretty nice too.

 

I was just in the market and test drove the A8L and the A8(short-wheelbase) extensively. I really wanted to buy this car as I loved the looks of outside and in. In the end it wasn't sporty enough for me. I will say that the shorter A8 drove better and i don't think too many people need the L's extra room. They are dealing like mad on A8L's if you can find leftover 04's, like 10K+ off MSRP. Use www.autotrader.com and you will find dealers that have them. The shorter car is an 05 only and will not be as good a deal as the L.

 

One of the best four door cars out there. It looks classy, drives superbly, and it's totally reliable. I could drive this car all day long without feeling the least bit tired. I haven't tried the long wheel base model, but, unless I want to be driven in it, I'd take the short wheel base car.

 

Get a Maserati Quatroporte and be original not to mention having a car that is way more fun to drive.

 

thanks for the advice guys, the particular car i'm looking at has under 15 000 miles, extended warranty and we save 37 000$ after taxes, it's black on black. And about the sportiness of the car, my dad doesn't care. He doesn't drive fast at all, and the quattroporte's reliability hasn't been really seen yet.

We're doing the paperwork soon.

i can't wait.

 

Awesome car. Those who say get a merc or BMW really dont know what they're talking about. If you want status then fine, get the merc or BMW but if you want an awesome sedan loaded with great features that all around out performs the rest of it's competition, you'll be smart and get the A8...MHO of course!

In terms of power, there's plenty. Dont try to compare it to an E55 or M5...b/c it's a completely different car. However, my buddy ran with his friend's CT from 60 to 120 and they were dead even. They did the 3-2-1 honk and both floored it....dead even. Power to weight ratio is much better with the A8L (Significantly lighter than the CT). For the non-believers, that's just what I was told...

If you want to try your CT with my A8L....i'd be more than happy to compare performance.

 

I agree 100%, that is why I have a 745i sport for the winter. If you can deal with the looks, which I have grown to like, it is light years ahead of the Audi in driving dynamics. As far as the main critisism.....I-drive...... I have NEVER found it to be difficult and actually prefer it to other systems. If you drive both the A8 and 745 back to back, there is no comparison if driving dynamics is a key factor. Also, in the spring the 745 will be changed to 750 with much more power. Good luck

Lou

 

I love the A8. Although it isn't as sporty looking as an AMG S-Class, the A8 is probably the nicest luxo sedan on the market today. I've never driven one, but I have sat in several. They have very luxurious interiors - much more so than MB or BMW.

EVERY review I've read is very complementary about the A8. The biggest complaint in any review is that the handling is a bit mushier than the BMW/MB. Of course, this makes for a much more supple ride, so it's just a trade off.

I definitely wouldn't buy a new one because of depreciation, but I would take a used model in a heartbeat.

Good Luck

 

i love the a8,and i think it's a great family car...my wife drives one!!!

 

The A8 is a nice car but it is no BMW in driving feel. It looks better inside and out, but the steering is way overboosted, the transmission gearing is off and it needs a bit more power. I ended up with the 545 b/c I couldn't come to terms with the looks of the 745(sorry Lou) and the Audi just wasn't sporting enough for me. Since your dad doesn't care about the sporting side, it sounds like he will be very happy with the car.

 

I would take it. Very reliable car IMO. Interior is very clean and there are less A8's around then the 7 series or S-Class.

 

The A8, 7 and S class are different cars and should remain so . They should remain faithful to their brand images developed over the years . Away from these boards, many non-AMG S-class buyers don't want sporty handling like the 7 series . A doctor may want a relatively anonymous to the masses A8L with it's crisp understated looks so he can park in front of his office instead of having an " expensive car earned off my back " S-class keyed by a grumpy co-pay paying HMO patient, etc. The baroque 7 seems to be everywhere in image- aware SoCal with bling wheels .The market should satisfy all .

 

Would absolutely love to see a nicely modded A8 on the streets. Lowered on 22" HREs, ABT body kit. Very rare.

 

A "ghetto" A8 . Isn't that what S-classes are for ?