2008 Audi A8L

Audi A8L 4.2 (W12 model pictured) has a sumptuous interior with stretch-out legroom even for six-footers.

Operating this car at night is a visual treat. Interior lighting is furnished by an array of sources, all individually adjustable for intensity, many also for duration. LED lighting in the overhead console bathes the center console in soft light and directs it onto the door trims, handy when you're groping for a Big Gulp or door handle in the dead of night. More lights in the headliner, footwells and at the door handles gently fade-in and fade-out upon entry or exit. The instrument cluster has electro-luminescent backlighting with automatic brightness control. Unlike many automated systems, this one generally keeps the cluster lighting level spot-on.

It's quiet inside. Subtle aerodynamic tweaks, double-pane side glass and lots of sound deadening keep the interior exceptionally hushed, even at triple-digit speeds. That helps to highlight the optional Bang & Olufsen sound system upgrade ($6,300) with its 14 speakers and 1000 watts. Sound quality is exceptional and it's fun to watch as a pair of acoustic lenses rises silently from a pair of upper IP-mounted speakers at each power-up.

Adding the Sport package ($4,000) to the Audi A8L means you get a four-corner, adaptive air suspension with three settings. Selecting Comfort mode notably relaxes shock valving, to the point where owners of '56 Buick Roadmasters will feel completely at home. Plenty of body roll and very limp suspension control. Auto mode lets the car call the shots and will probably satisfy the typical owner. Dynamic mode noticeably increases damper firmness and roll resistance, at a small penalty in ride comfort. When in Sport mode, the latter setting is further tweaked for some extra control of body movement.

The Sport package also adds attractive 7 twin-spoke, 20-inch alloys wearing 275/35 summer performance tires. Despite the short sidewalls there's no hint of harshness save for a few thumps when meeting potholes.

The payoff is very high lateral grip. For most drivers, shrieking tires in a fast curve means they're well past their level of talent and approaching liftoff velocity. At this point the Audi A8L stability control system takes matters into hand and sorts it all out.

The standard 4.2-liter alloy V-8 generates 350 hp at 6800 rpm and 325 lb-ft maximum torque at 3500 rpm. That's sufficient to motivate the A8L's 4,409 pound pounds with a modest amount of enthusiasm and it never seems short of breath during long passing maneuvers. Very long final gearing means three-gear, full-throttle kickdowns are common when pressing on. Column-mounted paddle shifters augment the console shifter's sport mode manumatic feature, not that most owners will probably use them.

The A8L isn't that type of car. True, it can be hustled at high speeds over twisting mountain roads but it's not really happy in that role. Steering effort rises with speed but there's hardly a hint to what the front contact patches are doing. Continual mid-corner steering corrections are needed to maintain a chosen trajectory. Body roll increases and adjustments or not, the air suspension clearly would prefer lower speeds and less drama.

For buyers who care more about straight-line performance, an easy horsepower infusion is available. The optional 6.0-liter W12 powerplant kicks out an additional 100 hp and 103 lb-ft of torque, bringing the totals to 450 hp @ 6200 rpm and 428 lb-ft at 4000-4700 rpm.

Those shopping for a more potent Audi A8 should look instead at the Audi S8. It's propelled by a Lamborghini-derived 5.2-liter V-10 with 450 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque and has performance-oriented suspension tuning.

The A8L 4.2-liter sedan is a sophisticated, long-legged cruiser, well tailored for covering vast expanses of territory while cossetting up to five in sybaritic comfort. Quattro all-wheel-drive gives it confident, all-weather capability and the efficient V-8 returns surprising fuel economy: 23.8 mpg at an 85 mph cruise, 25.7 mpg at 70 mph. The latter number and the 23.8-gallon tank provide an outstanding 600-plus mile cruising range.

With a base price of $74,690 ($98,665 as tested) nobody will buy an Audi A8L for its stellar fuel economy alone, but it's still a nice benefit when shelling out some serious bucks for a luxo-cruiser.