In addition to the paddle shifters, a more traditional shift lever sits atop a raised centre console that also houses Audi's new Multi Media Interface (MMI) control interface. MMI is accessed via an aluminium dial to control navigation, the stereo, and various car settings. Like BMW's much-chastised iDrive, if you can surf the Web, you can use MMI.
So the A8 4.2 is in a highly competitive class. It's got all the gadgets, and is comfy to sit in. But as a so-called "BMW Battler", what's it like to drive?
The A8 may be 160 kilograms heftier than the compact Audi S4 sedan, but that doesn't prevent this engine from moving the biggest Audi with authority. The first few gears are tight, which means acceleration comes
swiftly, whether you change gears for yourself via the console shifter, the steering wheel paddles, or simply use the Sport automatic setting. Of course, Lexus fans would disagree, but if you're smitten with the NASCAR sounds this vee-eight makes when stuffed into the two-sizes-smaller S4, you might be disappointed with the church-like silence in the A8.
Shifts from the six-speed tranny are hardly noticeable under a light right foot. In full-auto mode, when you do crack the whip, there's a slight hesitation. Switch to the Sport-auto setting, or flick the paddle shifters, and prompter shifts are delivered.
The paddles shifters are ergonomically similar to those found in the excellent Direct Shift Gear Audi TT 3.2: When holding the steering wheel at three and nine, simply pull back using your index fingers. It's not such an act of contortion as the buttons found on the 750i that require thought and practice.
At 5.18 metres long, and 1,945 kilograms in weight, the A8 4.2 is no TT Coupe. But the A8's adjustable air suspension does a good job making the car drive smaller than it is. You can set and forget the suspension in "automatic" mode, "comfort" for those particularly potholed sections of highway, or "dynamic" if you want to entertain yourself or your passengers.
With the "dynamic" setup, a day of backcountry blasts through the Caledon region, north of Toronto, proved the A8 4.2 to be surprisingly more agile and ultimately more confident in the corners than either an LS 430 or an XJ8. The variable rate steering is light enough to keep efforts
low while still providing the kind of accuracy control needed to keep this big car between the lines.
Some of this confidence gained while driving the Audi can be attributed to the all-wheel-drive quattro system bailing you out of the tighter corners--a bonus neither BMW, Lexus or Jaguar feature. The downside is that all that action at the front wheels limits steering feel, something a rear-drive 750i has in spades. However, the Audi trumps the BMW when it came to overall ride quality. Combined with the quieter engine, like the Lexus, the A8 4.2 is more the strong silent type.
And, of course, (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) if you really want a driver's car, Audi has tidier models with the 4.2 eight to satisfy those carnal needs.
But if you need the space, the extra traction afforded by quattro, or the simply the status of owning the flagship, Audi's second-generation A8, achieves what the first iteration didn't: It's on the list.
- John LeBlanc is an automotive critic and Publisher of www.straight-six.com
So the A8 4.2 is in a highly competitive class. It's got all the gadgets, and is comfy to sit in. But as a so-called "BMW Battler", what's it like to drive?
The A8 may be 160 kilograms heftier than the compact Audi S4 sedan, but that doesn't prevent this engine from moving the biggest Audi with authority. The first few gears are tight, which means acceleration comes
 |
| (Photo: John LeBlanc, straight-six.com) |
Shifts from the six-speed tranny are hardly noticeable under a light right foot. In full-auto mode, when you do crack the whip, there's a slight hesitation. Switch to the Sport-auto setting, or flick the paddle shifters, and prompter shifts are delivered.
The paddles shifters are ergonomically similar to those found in the excellent Direct Shift Gear Audi TT 3.2: When holding the steering wheel at three and nine, simply pull back using your index fingers. It's not such an act of contortion as the buttons found on the 750i that require thought and practice.
At 5.18 metres long, and 1,945 kilograms in weight, the A8 4.2 is no TT Coupe. But the A8's adjustable air suspension does a good job making the car drive smaller than it is. You can set and forget the suspension in "automatic" mode, "comfort" for those particularly potholed sections of highway, or "dynamic" if you want to entertain yourself or your passengers.
With the "dynamic" setup, a day of backcountry blasts through the Caledon region, north of Toronto, proved the A8 4.2 to be surprisingly more agile and ultimately more confident in the corners than either an LS 430 or an XJ8. The variable rate steering is light enough to keep efforts
 |
| (Photo: John LeBlanc, straight-six.com) |
Some of this confidence gained while driving the Audi can be attributed to the all-wheel-drive quattro system bailing you out of the tighter corners--a bonus neither BMW, Lexus or Jaguar feature. The downside is that all that action at the front wheels limits steering feel, something a rear-drive 750i has in spades. However, the Audi trumps the BMW when it came to overall ride quality. Combined with the quieter engine, like the Lexus, the A8 4.2 is more the strong silent type.
And, of course, (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) if you really want a driver's car, Audi has tidier models with the 4.2 eight to satisfy those carnal needs.
But if you need the space, the extra traction afforded by quattro, or the simply the status of owning the flagship, Audi's second-generation A8, achieves what the first iteration didn't: It's on the list.
- John LeBlanc is an automotive critic and Publisher of www.straight-six.com