2010 Audi A8 Review

Called "a thinking man's luxury sedan", the 2010 Audi A8 remains an unmatched champion of power, technology and safety. It's a modern enhancement of traditional vehicle recipes used dominantly by manufacturers like BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The A8 features a madly-powerful 4.2L DOHC V8 engine with direct fuel injection that delivers 350 horsepower at 3500 RPM. It grounds its 325 lb-ft of torqued power by sending it through a 6-speed Tiptronic transmission equipped with quattro AWD technologies.

Base retail pricing for the Audi A8 2010 ranges from $76,000 up to $79,900. The Acura RL, BMW 750, Mercedes Benz S-Class and the Lexus LS 460 are all competitors. The A8 features standard seating for five and stock safety systems including 4-wheel antilock braking, dual-pane security glass, blind spot alerts, lane departure alerts, adaptive cruise control, electronic stability control and 10 separate airbags. The NHTSA has not issued frontal crash test safety ratings yet.

Other features of interest for the 2010 A8 Audi include:

• Valcona full leather ventilated front seats with massage;
• 12-speaker 125W Bose premium audio system;
• 8-channel DSP power amplifier;
• 4-way automatic climate control;
• ASF (Audi Space Frame) manufacturing standards;
• Voice/MMI/steering wheel-controlled navigation system;
• Electronically controlled adaptive air suspension system;

On the inside of the highly technological, well-appointed cabin space, the A8 2010 Audi treats both front and rear passengers exceptionally well. 41.3 inches of legroom in the front is trumped by 42.3 inches in the rear on L trims. Base trims feature 41.4 inches of frontal legroom, but only 37.6 in the rear. In the trunk, you'll find 14.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity.

Optimal levels of ride comfort, immediately responsive handling and loads of acceleration all grace the Audi A8. It's available in two trims: Base and L. The L trim is so named because it features an extended wheelbase of 121.0 inches (up from the standard length of 115.9 inches). The exterior length is 199.3 inches and the A8 sits just 3.7 inches off the ground. It features a 4431-pound curb weight that adds balance and stability in all driving situations. New for this year, the W12 trim has been discontinued, but it's running lights become standard features on all A8 models.

The 2010 Audi A8 is a masterful blend of luxury, performance and safety. It's a futuristic view of what the entire automotive industry strives to achieve.