Audi A8 2005 Review

The group of Audis were lined up on the side of the road on the way to the Blue Mountains and in that instant it became clear just how few people would ever consider spending $325,000 on a car.

As he drove past in his old Holden, the driver yelled out the window: "Go home you rich *&#$!!" and made me realise just what a special car we were actually driving.

With a pricetag this high it is not surprising Audi says the W12 will be a niche model.

The company expects to sell just 10 a year.

The W12 was released this week with the rest of the A8 range which includes a 3.7-litre V8 ($169,950), a 4.2-litre V8 ($202,000) and a 4.2-litre V8 long wheelbase ($217,100). The whole range will go on sale next month.

Like the new HSVs, the W12 hides a 6.0-litre engine under the bonnet. It features two six-cylinder engines side by side (two Vs, hence the name W12) but has 12 cylinders instead of eight.

Put your right foot down and the refined W12 exhaust note resonates through the cabin. It is not as raw as a V8 and does not sound as racy but there is no denying this car has some serious mumbo. The engine has 331kW of power and 580Nm of torque, which takes the W12 to 100km/h in 5.4 seconds, to 200km/h in 17.4 seconds and hits its regulated speed of 250km/h in 30 seconds. All on 13.9 litres of fuel per 100km.

There are no big spoiler kits or wings on the A8 range — that is not what it is all about.

It is a luxury limousine, albeit a sporty one.

The range, though, does sport the new single frame grille — a feature that makes the car instantly recognisable.

As we approached the tollgates in the W12, it was clear the two toll collectors had seen us coming. Stopping to place the money inside the basket, we overheard the pair remarking on the car, in particular the wheels.

"Look at the wheels," one said to the other. "Yeah, it must be new," the other remarked, as they looked the car up and down from one end to the other.

The interior of the W12 is stylish and elegant and all occupants are treated to what feels like comfy leather lounge chairs an abundance of switches you can adjust. It has that classic Audi sweet-leather smell, too.

It has a long list of features over the long-wheelbase 4.2-litre A8, which Audi claims justifies the hefty $107,900 premium.

While the dash and console have a raft of buttons, they are not cluttered — and reveal the host of hidden technologies that abound in such a car.

The W12 makes you feel like royalty — you would want to have practised your version of the Queen's wave, and can't help but pose.

Or, just distract yourself in the back seat — a home away from home which is all controlled by that most important piece of equipment — the remote control.

Everything in the car is controlled by the remote: from the airconditioning, massaging and heated seats and rear sunblinds to the multi-media interface, which includes a 17.5cm colour display.

There is also an upmarket esky. The Audi coolbox can accommodate two one-litre bottles, two glasses and has LED lighting.

There are even rear vanity mirrors.

An inbuilt cordless phone nestles under the front armrest. Incoming calls can be taken from the rear seat via a handset.

The surround-sound system brings the choir into the car and the amp, 13 speakers and two surround loudspeakers, produces a sound that only starts to distort at a volume the ears can't tolerate anyway.

The W12 is like having a personal chauffeur who opens and close the doors for you. The key, while still in your pocket or bag, remotely operates the central locking.

Audi claims the W12 is the first car in the world with LED daytime driving lights and it also has rear lights with LED technology.

The W12 also has adaptive lights that turn into corners via the steering wheel movement. There are eight airbags and every safety system imaginable.

All the A8s cruised along Bells Line of Road as the group powered towards Katoomba.

There is no waiting for a supercharger or turbo to kick in when accelerating. Power is instantaneous and starts at low revs.

The six-speed automatic gearbox (standard on all variants) is a dream to use, with a sport mode for aggressive automatic shifts, a full-automatic mode and the option to change gears manually using a shifter.

The manual mode gave a little more of a kick and felt more controlled when cornering.

While the 4.2-litre V8 is the most popular model, the 3.7-litre V8 has plenty of power and an even growlier exhaust note and gets most of the 4.2-litre luxuries anyway.

Boot room is substantial and a welcome full-size spare lies under the mat.