If {you're not|you are not} enamored by the {looks|appears|appears to be like|seems|seems to be} of this {latest|newest} flagship, {you're not|you are not} alone. Audi has gotten {back|again} to its Germanic roots of {offering|providing} one sausage in three sizes, so {less|much less} obsessive {types|sorts|varieties} {may|could|might} have {a hard|a tough} time telling an A4 from an A8 from 50 yards out. I've {always|all the time|at all times} been partial to the D3 chassis (2002-2009), which blended stately elegance with an understated air of superiority. It {never|by no means} {looked|appeared|regarded|seemed} menacing, {but it|but it surely|however it|nevertheless it} {certainly|actually|definitely} {came|got here} {across|throughout} as imposing. Not so with the D4. Viewed head-on, the aforementioned grille {needs|wants} a survey crew to estimate its wingspan, {while|whereas} the angular {bank|financial institution} of LEDs make the A8 {look like|appear like|appear to be|seem like} Droopy Dog with electroluminescent eyeliner. In profile, Audi's designers {simply|merely} embiggened the A4's roofline by 30 {percent|%|p.c} in Photoshop, did {the same|the identical} to the rear and {called|known as|referred to as} it a day. {We can't|We will not|We won't} blame them, {because|as a result of} the sheer {size|dimension|measurement} of this {latest|newest} A8 - a staggering 202.2 inches stem-to-stern with a wheelbase of 117.{8|Eight} inches - {is enough to|is sufficient to} separate it from {the rest of|the remainder of} the luxo-pleebs.
{But if|But when} the exterior {is too|is just too|is simply too} pedestrian {for your|in your|on your|to your} tastes, {once|as soon as} situated {in the|within the} 22-{way|approach|manner|means|method} adjustable {sports|sports activities} seat, any and all reservations are laid firmly to {rest|relaxation}. {This is|That is} {how you|the way you} do a {luxury|luxurious} {interior|inside}, and {considering|contemplating} the {four|4} rings embedded on the chunky steering wheel, {we've|we have} come to {expect|anticipate|count on} nothing {less|much less}. The driver's gauge cluster is {standard|commonplace|customary|normal} fare, {particularly|notably|significantly} when {compared to|in comparison with} the "Virtual Instruments" on the Jaguar XJ, {but|however} what it lacks in gee-whiz, it makes up for in {clarity|readability} and {functionality|performance}. Nestled between the tach and speedo is Audi's seven-inch central {information|data|info} {display|show}, a {screen|display|display screen} that {keeps|retains} {everything|all the pieces|all the things|every little thing|every part|every thing|the whole lot} from navigation {instructions|directions} to infotainment {information|data|info} {directly|immediately|instantly|straight} in {front|entrance} of the driver. The {optional|elective|non-compulsory|non-obligatory|optionally available} Night Vision Assistant with Thermal-Imaging Infrared Camera mounted {in the|within the} {front|entrance} bumper can keep {track|monitor|observe} of pedestrians and animals crossing the A8's path, alerting the driver with {a quick|a fast} tone and {visual|visible} warning. Trick, {but|however} nothing we {haven't|have not} seen in {the latest|the most recent|the newest} Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
But what {truly|actually|really} impresses - and {where|the place} this Audi stands apart - is with {the first|the primary} {application|software|utility} of its MMI Touch interface. {But the|However the} crew from Ingolstadt hasn't stopped there. 80k-and-change tester ({it's not|it is not|it isn't} coming to the U.S. It's {pretty|fairly}, {but|however} with the topographical and {satellite|satellite tv for pc} imagery in use by BMW and {other|different} manufacturers, it {doesn't|does not|would not} look as visually polished as even {the most|essentially the most|probably the most} {standard|commonplace|customary|normal} graphical sat-navs. Nineteen {speakers|audio system}, 19 channels and 1,{400|four hundred} watts of B&O-patented aural majesty are at one's disposal. Throughout my week with the {car|automobile|automotive}, the system ably {provides|gives|offers|supplies} {more than|greater than} {a few|a couple of|a number of|just a few} "driveway moments" {where|the place} I sat parked, blasting the Kleptones' {latest|newest} {while|whereas} reveling in dynamic highs and forceful bass. And my neighbors {were|had been|have been} no worse for the {wear|put on} - with the {doors|doorways} shut and the {windows|home windows} sealed, not an ounce of {perfectly|completely} matched mid-80s mashups oozes {outside|exterior|outdoors} the cabin. There's {certainly|actually|definitely} {more than|greater than} {enough|sufficient} to impress {inside the|contained in the} A8, {but|however} Audi is billing {the standard|the usual} wheelbase sedan as its driver's {car|automobile|automotive}, leaving the "prestige, sportiness and {comfort|consolation}" to the elongated and plush-packed A8L.
So how's it go? As if I {didn't|did not} already {give up|hand over|quit|surrender} {enough|sufficient} {in the|within the} opener, {it's|it is} magnificent. {The combination|The mix|The mixture} of the lightweight aluminum {space|area|house}-{frame|body} chassis and the 372 horsepower, 4.2-liter direct injection V8 means the A8 is on par with its {peers|friends}, {but the|however the} addition of Audi's rear-biased Quattro all-wheel-drive {puts|places} it into new territory. While the engine's output is {far from|removed from} world-beating, the 328 pound-{feet|ft|toes} of torque {available|accessible|obtainable|out there} from 3,500 rpm onwards is {more than|greater than} {enough|sufficient} to effortlessly merge with freeway {traffic|site visitors|visitors} and blow into triple digits {without|with out} {thinking|considering|pondering} twice. But what impressed {more than|greater than} {anything|something} is the utter chuckability {of what is|of what's} - by all outward appearances - a ponderous, {massive|huge|large} slab of aluminum and steel. Forget {about the|concerning the|in regards to the} official 0-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds. It {simply|merely} {isn't|is not} {a factor|an element}. Instead, Audi's chassis and powertrain boffins have {focused|centered|targeted} on making this {big|huge|large|massive} boy dance. No. No I'm not, my vocabulary-challenged {friend|buddy|good friend|pal}. And neither is Audi. For lack of {a better|a greater} phrase, they've put {old|outdated|previous} {luxury|luxurious} on {notice|discover} and infused some very welcome "sport" into its flagship.
