|
Audi, the German auto maker which, after years of effort,
has successfully rebuilt its tarnished North American reputation,
has taken yet another step forward with the recent facelift
of its A8L (Long Wheelbase) Quattro. A midsize four-door with
full-time four-wheel drive, the A8L is designed to compete
against the great road cars of Europe. As a result, Audi's
engineers have produced the world's first aluminum-bodied,
"spaceframe" sedan, a design that keeps it to a svelte 4,156
pounds. It's a technical triumph and a solidly built automobile.
Inside, the wood-faced electroluminescent instrument panel
features an abundance of analog gauges. Standard features
include dual front and side second-generation airbags (side
airbags also protect occupants of the roomy rear bench), five-mile-per-hour
bumpers, sunroof, four-wheel disc antilock brakes, an antislip
system, eight-way power "Valcona" leather seats (supposedly
a special high grade, and they're heated) and speed-sensitive,
rack-and-pinion steering. The trunk is large, contains a cargo
net along with a full-size spare and is nicely shaped and
finished. Note: Xenon beam headlights are a $500 option and
worth every penny! Rounding out the test vehicle's interior
extras is a standard Audi/Bose AM/FM/CD/tape player. It is
adequate, and even the antenna (incorporated in the windshield)
has reasonable fringe pulling power. Also, the standard dual-zone
CFC-free automatic air conditioning and heater work well.
up
to next column |
The heart of this all-wheel drive vehicle is a 320 horsepower,
5-valve per cylinder 4.2 liter V8 with variable intake manifold.
Audi claims a 0-60 time of 6.8 seconds for this fuel-injected
vehicle: I observed 7.9. The ultra-quiet powerplant is coupled
to a smooth, manually shiftable, but slow to "kick down,"
Tiptronic five-speed automatic transmission. Using premium
unleaded, mileage was noted at 17 city and 24 highway, which
is exactly its EPA rating. These objective figures are merely
average for the class. As a high-end luxury/performance car,
the A8 competes with marquees famed for their exceptional
ride and handling. Here, its four-wheel independent suspension
carries itself well. The A8L supplies a comfortable, extremely
well-controlled ride coupled with excellent handling. Body
lean is minimal for a family car and the wide mud-and-snow
radials do a surprisingly decent job. However, the turning
circle, at just over 40 feet, is sub-par for the class. Overall
the A8 Long Wheelbase Quattro ranks near the world's best.
Though its objective performance is merely average, it's a
technological tour de force and an absolute pleasure to drive..
Zane Binder
King Weekly Features Syndicate
back
to Auto Review Main
|
