Furniture consists of suede or leather covering anything you'd care to touch, and front seats are adjustable in more ways than most will know what to do with. Get too comfortable, and the lane-departure warning system vibrates the steering wheel if you fail to keep it between the lines.

As expected, there were no issues with storage capacity or passenger volume, albeit the odd comment about feeling distant from those sharing the ride. Outboard rear-seat occupants get enough room to stretch, as well as 2 door-mounted storage compartments, a sunshade, reading lamp, vanity mirror, document pocket and ashtray.

What's this button for?
Be sure to slot a few days aside to give the owner's manual a read, as the spread of buttons, gadgets and warning lights can border on intimidating. The list includes front and rear parking radar, blind-spot monitoring, a voice-commanded phone and navigation interface, and a 2-page list of customizable vehicle settings. The air suspension lifts, lowers, tightens and loosens the suspension to the driver's tastes, and even the parking brake engages at the press of a button.

4.2 litres of silk for the long haul
The tester saw Audi's 4.2-litre V8 engine bolted between its front wheels. Fitted with Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI), the unit boasts respectable mileage and performance. The V8 is characterized by gobs of off-the-line thrust that'll plant occupants to seatbacks as things get rolling in first gear.

The tester saw Audi's 4.2-litre V8 engine bolted between its front wheels.

 
The engine is silent but deadly. It ratchets the speedometer upwards at a deceptively quick rate when called upon--and if 350 ponies don't cut it in your circle, a six-litre W12 engine can be specified for a hundred more. There's standard quattro all-wheel drive on board too, so there's no issue making it to that last-minute shareholders meeting in an ice storm.

The engine and gearbox work almost imperceptibly when operated gently, though things snap to life with firm shifts and a gentle howl when opened up.

The highway ride can be set from plush and heavy to firm and pseudo-involving, and steering perfectly communicates the A8L's weight at speed. Cornering headlamps flood the road ahead, enabling safe high-speed travels under cover of darkness.

Penetrating exterior noise is kept in check, though I recall a quieter ride in the S-Class and Lexus LS. Regardless of a few decibels in either direction, A8L lets owners float along in their own luxurious universe while passengers read, relax or sleep like babies.

A 90-litre fuel tank and respectable highway mileage ensures an appreciable cruising range, and a full-sized spare means your trip won't end in a helicopter ride back to the castle if you get a flat.

The stuff dreams are made of?
To most of us, a four-season executive express amounts to something like a Chrysler 300 AWD or Subaru Legacy. Machines like these serve the masses well, though the A8L proves a worthy and admirably understated upgrade should your economic situation change for the significant better.

It's always nice to dream, right?


Photo Credit : Justin Pritchard, Audi