As is befitting a car of this stature, the Audi A8L is powered by one of the best V8 engines on the market. The 335-horsepower, 4.2-liter aluminum motor produces gobs of power across a wide rev range, making athletic bursts of acceleration a simple matter of applying a liberal dose of your right foot. The big car claims to do the 0-to-60 freeway on-ramp sprint in just a hair over six seconds, which is no small feat for a 4,400-pound sedan. Top speed is electronically limited to 130 miles per hour, a speed it’s easy to believe that this autobahn-bred engine could do all day long without breaking a sweat. Even its EPA fuel economy estimates of 18 city and 24 highway are quite respectable, although filling the 23-gallon tank with pricey premium-grade fuel is bound to be a sobering experience.
The V8’s considerable thrust is routed through a silky smooth six-speed automatic transmission. Though there’s no manual gearbox available, the sophisticated automatic does adapt its shift patterns to fit your driving style. The transmission’s push button-activated Sport mode will also hold a given gear longer to wring maximum power out of the motor before it upshifts. If that isn’t satisfying enough, the Tiptronic transmission will allow you to run up and down through the gears manually via a firm tug on the gear shift lever or a tap of the optional steering wheel-mounted shift buttons. From the transmission, power is fed to all four wheels via Audi’s standard quattro all wheel-drive system. The system automatically senses slip at any wheel and can route power front to back or side to side to the tires with the best grip on slick surfaces.
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