Audi A8 4.2 TDI

Step one.
Stationary on an empty country road.
Step two.
Gently select S on the console gear lever.
Step three.
Floor the throttle.
The bonnet instantly lifts skywards, as 283 kilowatts and an 850 nm tidal wave of torque slams you back in the seat with ferocious G force.
In 4.7 seconds you've reached 100 kilometres an hour.
A true "oh my God" moment.

The thundering acceleration from  Audi's brilliant A8 TDI,4.2 litre turbo diesel V8 is such a rush, you'll want to seek out places to repeat this procedure over and over again. It's simply jaw dropping and I guarantee you will have a grin a mile wide! I never tired of it during my week with the car.

Endowed with all of Audi's Le Mans race winning diesel technology, the diesel in the A8 is a tour de force ,enabling the 2.1 tonne A 8 to achieve its staggering performance in virtual silence.
Just a subdued meaty V8 burble from the tailpipes tells you there's something very special going on under the bonnet.. 

Remember this is a luxury limousine with every conceivable gadget, safety and convenience feature in Audi's arsenal.
My previous experience with such gigantic torque was with the original VW Touareg five litre V10 twin turbo diesel.
Audi has built in the same grunt with a smaller engine.
Not only does it go like a scalded cat, it will return an average of 7.4 litres per 100 kilometres.(If you have a gentle right foot. Good luck with that, once you've tasted the V8's torque avalanche.) The diesel also has idle stop /start technology.
On the highway at 100 kilometres an hour in eighth (top) gear, the big V8 is turning over at just 1100 rpm.

The speedo reads to 300kph. The engine is redlined at 4200 rpm.
The fully adjustable air suspension goes from Dynamic, for more instant revs and stiffer suspension, through to a cossetting Comfort, that seems to glide over most road surfaces.
In corners the Quattro AWD system gives the A8 tenacious grip, aided by 20 inch wheels and 40 series tyres.

You feel the weight of the car through the speed sensitive electronic steering, but it sits flat and unflustered, letting the torque do its job.
Of course you can't have a car like this without some exotic fruit to go with it.
This up-specced test car had a few options, such as a $14,500 Bang and Olufsen 16 speaker audio system linked to one of the best digital radios I have heard..(including tiny circular tweeters that rise from the dashtop,)

Dynamic Steering that helps keep you in your lane,$3,500) Infra red night vision screen,($5,960) and soft Alcantara headlining.($4,050) taking the base car from 249K to 277K..
Not bad however in this stratospheric market segment where competitors often charge extra for similar high end options.

The list of standard kit is exceptional and will satisfy most buyers.
It includes,heated and ventilated front seats with massage function, self parking, a sunroof,digital television, multiple camera views when reversing, a heads up speed display on the windscreen, blind spot warnings in exterior mirrors,indicators that don't just flash, they "travel" sequentially in a line along their LED lens,( similar to some American cars of the 60s and 70s,) three choices of colour for the ambient lighting features in the cabin, headlights that spread when stationary behind another car at night, so as not to dazzle the other driver,( the headlights will also flick to one side from high beam, when an oncoming car is detected.)

The bright Xenon beams are hidden behind unique reflectors and are  a work of art in themselves.
There's plenty of head and leg room in the cabin, and rear seat passengers can set their own climate with a remote console of their own built into the central armrest.

The front door armrests have a flip up lid revealing a concealed flock lined cubby for odds and ends.
You can program your destination on the Sat-nav with the MMI dial, or if you wish, you can write the address with your finger on a console touchpad. Neat,

So....If you want to make a real automotive statement, then the Audi A8 could be the one for you.
It's big, bold and brash and even though the A8's been around a while, the shape is still classy.
The upgraded A8 4.2 TDI has a presence and stunning performance you won't be able to ignore.
Peter Sellen