Test drive Audi A8 D3 2003 - 2005 Sedan
Wizard of reincarnation
As a good actor, this car knows how to play a variety of roles. MUZ service does not tolerate fuss
The Big Black A8 was waiting for me with a working engine. I settled down in a convenient chair, noting the way that I was able to immediately deal with the cumulative scattering of the buttons at the end of the pillow. With a light buzzing, the electric drive almost instantly allowed me to fit me a leather royal throne for himself. Electronic assistants took care of the right position of the steering column and mirrors. He turned on the gear, slightly touched the gas and started quite sharply. And the next second after the start, he saw that the person who issued me the car was running after the car for some reason. Through the thickness of excellent sound insulation, I did not immediately hear that he, in fact, was screaming. And he did not believe his eyes. There was no key in the ignition lock! He remained in the hands of my breathless acquaintance.
Those times, just what Audi just seemed to me so simple and understandable, I knew that the new eight was stuffed with all kinds of electronic gizmos, but this could not be assumed.
Attempt at writing Many of the technologies used today in the A8 were first demonstrated at the conceptual station wagon, shown in 2001 in Frankfurt. Machines are similar not only by elements of the finish and interior design. The avantissimo (in the photo) was equipped with an adaptive air suspension, a magnificent multimedia interface with an on -board computer, headlights illuminating the road towards rotation, as well as wheels with the PAX system, not afraid of punctures.
Present a fingerprint
Keylel-go, which allows you to use a car without a ignition key is one of these systems. I am jamming the motor, I touch the start button on the central console, and in response to silence. Only on the electronic board of the dashboard appeared an inscription that my fingerprint was not recognized.
I had to climb into the instructions. As expected, to make the car now remember his hand, or rather, the owner’s finger is quite simple. A minute of traveling along an understandable menu, pressing one or two button in a certain sequence, and a complete understanding was found with A8.
The secret of simplicity of communication with the electronic brain A8 MMI system, or multi-media interface. Central joystick, several buttons with understandable iconograms, around it a 7-inch monitor. From the first seconds it became clear that despite the external similarity with the Ai-Drive BMW, the eight electronics are much more friendly. This is perhaps the most convenient thing of all the auto computers that I had to see.
A8 engine will start only if the car recognizes you by fingerprint
Banking office in a spacious cockpit This is where you fully understand the meaning of the phrase at hand. Moreover, despite the abundance of opportunities, the transfer of which is worthy of a separate article, the search for the most commonly used in the road of service functions does not cause any difficulties.
With climatic, thanks to individual handles located near the central joystick, you can control without taking your eyes off the road. Find the right radio station for a second or two. You can change the rigidity of the suspension instantly. You need to use the built -in phone or the Internet is also easily. And I liked such a mobile office also because it was made not only with excellent care, but also in a sports style.
True, in pursuit of the driver’s comfort, it seems, slightly less than accepted in the upper class, paid attention to the rear passengers. I crossed there, I found that the places here are slightly smaller than that of competitors. No, it is by no means close here. Even a couple of overall high gentlemen will not feel infringed. I just expected even more.
Having played with the electric drives of the front seats, I was sure that there was the same from behind. It wasn't there. The gallery is served by excellent climatic, you can closed with the sun from the sun and the views of others, adjust the lumbar emphasis. Very comfortably. But a grumbler already woke up in me, counting on comfort, as in a S-class, the BMW seven and Lexus-LS430. There you can change the angle of inclination and length of the rear chair pillow, push the seat of the right passenger forward, use the built -in massage or ventilation system. By the way, all this is easy to order even on Volkswagen-Faton. Alas, I did not find such joys of life either in my car or in the list of A8 options. Although, maybe in vain I regret. Indeed, in Wolfsburg, everyone is more persistent to understand the audi in the group of brands of the concern should be cars for the driver. Is this really true for the representative of the representative class? Now I’ll go quickly, I’ll find out everything myself. 
In the rear armrest, not only a pair of cup holders, but also a first -aid kit is hidden
Lovers of skiing should order a car with a hatch and a special cover in the back of the rear sofa for 373 euros
Even if you place a CD changer in a glove box, there will still be a lot of space
Sabwofer Bowz in the rear shelf provides deep basses
Clothing hooks move out of the ceiling upholstery with the appropriate car class with dignity
Wearing a key with an immobilizer in your pocket, you can put or remove the car with a light touch of this button on the door handle
The armrest has a branded phone Audi
Using this focus of buttons, you can adjust the seat in all conceivable planes, put forward a headrest, install a belt height
Quickly, even faster
Where does something come from? The just driving sedan is now more like a soaring liner. 60, 100, 140 The strip of road is already becoming already, the trees outside the window merge into a gray-green mass. But how much the speed is conceived! I could only determine by the speedometer that I was already going so fast. It seems that for a 335-horsepower eight a five-meter sedan is a fluff. I put a gas pedal to the floor, and the car rushes forward, as if just started off, and does not accelerate from 120130 km/h.
Manage the MMI branded system (its joystick is located behind the gearbox) exquisite pleasure
In the morning, while he rolled along the tight streets, he clearly felt that I was driving a large, wide car. Here I would not be worn out by the bumper, here you would not scratch your side. And now, having accelerated well, he found himself behind the wheel of a much smaller car. A8 has turned if not a brisk sports car, then at least a very nimble medium -sized car. And all because there is a large supply of power under the hood. I am sure that I will have time to join the dense stream of the left row, not at the same time preventing other participants in the movement.
The steering wheel is slightly to the right, and Audi obediently goes to another strip. I shift the car from a turn into a turn again the German looks an excellent student. It is a pity, there is no snow and you can’t pass that turn with a fan without risk for tires. After all, A8, thanks to the excellent system of all -wheel drive, is able to play the role of a real -line rally. I remember that at the German racing training ground I personally convinced this.
You can switch automatic transmission transfers not only with a lever on the central console, but also with special keys on the steering knitting needles
In a word, this actor plays almost perfectly. There are only some features. If you have happened to you from the heart to grasp the 12-cylinder BMW or Mercedes Benz, then you will understand what I mean. Compared to them, the 335-horsepower A8 engine after 200 220 km/h has less elasticity. But honestly, do you often travel along our roads at such speed? If so, we are mercy by the end of the year under the hood of the eight will appear 420-horsepower W12. Thanks to a more light competitor than that of any other competitor, the body will be that lighter.
Professional recipe for all occasions
However, the dynamics of dynamics, but with an increase in speed on uneven asphalt, so much a very comfortable car no longer has time to swallow all the bumps. Do not study the possibility of adaptive air suspension, so I would go with American imposition and would go in a cruiser swinging on the waves.
In fact, pneumatics are now working in comfort mode. I press the button with the icon of the car next to the MMI joystick. How quickly how to do not praise the convenience of using the system again? I choose a dynamic icon. Click, and the soft tread of a well -fed cat turned into an elastic run of a predator. Now even the most demanding driver is unlikely to present any significant claims for the control of the car.
But that's not all. To drive up to the place of shooting, A8 was supposed to climb a low curb. With a clearance of 10 cm, the task would be insoluble. Again I manipulate a joystick. The car throws the stern a little, then the nose. The suspension is high, and A8 with 145-mm under the crankcase plays the curb.
Suspension modes Audi air suspension provides not only different levels of stiffness and supports constant road clearance regardless of loading, but can also change it in the range from 95 to 145 mm. Four modes.
The high 145 mm is useful for painless overcoming the curb or movement along a broken road. It lasts up to 100 km/h, returning to normal (120 mm) level. Comfortable 120 mm by reducing the stiffness of shock absorbers, the car will gently overcome the irregularities of the road. Automatic 120 mm and dynamic 100 mm with sports settings of shock absorbers. In the last two modes, if within 30 C the speed exceeds 120 km/h, the machine squats up to 95 mm. At the same time, if a speed of less than 70 km/h remains for about 2 minutes, the suspension returns to the previous level.
Modest Apollo While Audi poses to the photographer, once again I carefully examine it from all sides. Even now, she manages to show amazing reincarnation abilities. You look at the car when other cars stand nearby, and it seems a giant. More than five meters in length, athletic lines of the body with short overhangs and a falling roof, wide shoulders, muscular arches, large a shadow of doubt, in front of you is a strong and powerful beast.
But here he is in proud loneliness near the majestic building, and recognizing a representative of a high estate in it is already more difficult. This is an athlete, very similar to both A4 and A6. There is neither an excess of chromium, nor overweight. But there is a rare combination of lightness and solidity, modern techno and unlucking conservatism.
All life is a game Well, today's requirements for the representative of the representative class have been determined for a long time. Solidity, safety, the highest comfort and the level of equipment, an outstanding dynamics of A8 has all this. As, however, with his competitors. Audi trump cards begin to appear in price. A8-4.2 is not cheap, it costs at least 97 thousand euros, but still it turns out to be more affordable more modestly equipped in the Mercedes-S500-4Matic (from 102 thousand euros), BMW-745i \u200b\u200b(115 thousand euros). That's just regarding the image of the main and determining factor in this class of Audi in the role of catching up. The car has only a year from year to year in all possible ways to prove that it is at least no worse.
So far, everything turns out fine. There are profitable nuances in A8, which no one has. This is a magnificent four -wheel drive, and the easiest and most durable body, and better handling. That is why Audi is best suited to those who at least from time to time like to drive a representative limousine. For me, only at the site of the A8 driver you can learn to savor the process of managing a large sedan on any road, in any weather. And it is in A8 that it is most convenient to manipulate the abundance of service functions, turning the car into a variety of characters.
This nameplate is a reminder that the A8 body is built according to the unique technology of audi-screm
Poem for a beautiful life
The most affordable A8-4.2 costs 96,110 euros. An on-board computer with a 7-inch monitor, ESP, pillows and safety curtains, 2-zone climate, stereo with 9 speakers and CD players, bixenon headlights, leather finish, front seats electric drive, steering column, mirrors and other attributes of a representative of a representative There is already a class here.
You think that an eight is enough a 3.7-liter 280-horsepower engine, you can safely order a car in the basic configuration for 79,830 euros. True, such a car is equipped more modest (there is no xenon, parking sensors, heating the front and posterior chairs upholstered with fabric). But if not constrained in the means, Audi offers a huge set of additional options. To list them, several magazine stripes will not be enough. Here are some of them: an improved stereo system with a digital processor and CD-changer (1651 euros), the Keylem-GOU system (1748), the servo drive of the trunk lid (603), a hatch with solar batteries (1989), navigation system and TV tuner (2531 +1266), adaptive headlights (1387), 4-zone climate control (747), built-in phone (905).
Finally, those who need more space on the back sofa can be paid to the cost of a 4.2-liter model of 4684 euros and order an elongated modification of the eight.
PER
Great adaptability for long -term movement at high speed, excellent sound insulation, large power supply, all -wheel drive, energy -intensive comfortable suspension with the ability to adjust the clearance, high equipment with security systems, convenient multimedia system with a large monitor
AGAINST
Not the best visibility back, not the most spacious rear row of seats and a modest amount of their adjustments by the standards of the representative class, the high price of the options
Audi A8 4.2
common data
Body (number of places/doors)
Sedan (5/5)
Equipped mass, kg
1780
Complete mass, kg
2380
Length x width x height, mm
5051x1894x1444
Base, mm
2944
Track, mm
1629/1615
Road clearance, mm
95-145
Radius of turning, m
6.05
Luggage compartment volume, l
500
Speed, km/h
250 (limitedly)
Acceleration time 0-100 km/h, with
6.3
Fuel consumption, l/100 km
17.5/8.7
Fuel supply, l
90 (AI-95-98)
Engine
Location
Front transversely
Design
gasoline, V-shaped, 8-cylinder
Diam. cylinder/piston stroke, mm
84.5/93.0
Working volume, SMZ
4172
Compression ratio
11.0: 1
Power, L.S. (kW) at rpm
335 (246)/6500
Torque, kgsm (nm) at rpm
43.8 (430)/3500
Chassis
Transmission
constant full, self -locking differential torsen
Transmission
Automatic, 6-speed
Suspension:
independent, adaptive, pneumatic with unacceptable electronic adjustment of the rigidity of shock absorbers, reptile stabilizers
front
four -leaf
behind
on double transverse levers
Steering
rhealenic type with hydraulic power steering
Brakes
disk, ventilated
Tires
235/55 ZR17
Alexey Sergeev, photo Maxim Goncharov
Source: Magazine "Limousine" [08/03]
