The Audi A8 replaces the old Audi V8, discontinued in 1994. It is the top-end of Audi's luxury sedan class, which includes the A4 and A6, offering full-size comfort, but the handling and maneuverability of a much smaller car, thanks to some technological innovations.

Audi is known for elegantly-appointed interiors, with loads of standard features that make the word "options" obsolete. Over its history, the A8 only continued to add on, offering leather seats, 16-way adjustable front seats, front and rear lumbar support, a solar sunroof, rear window shades, front and rear climate control, heated seats and steering wheel, and massaging seats. Again, these are all standard. Audi figures we spend so much time in our cars, they must satisfy a variety of needs -- from the roominess and cargo space of families, to the sophisticated quiet luxury of business clients, to the personal quest for driving excitement. The Audi A8 offers all of these in a classically styled, understated package.

Some of the A8's innovations contribute to its precise, yet powerful performance. The A8 was the first U.S. car to feature an aluminum body, engine, and suspension. The Audi Space Frame technology greatly reduced the weight of this full-size sedan, thereby increasing fuel economy and engine performance on the highway. It handled more nimbly than comparably-sized cars, but the aluminum gave it more rigidity for tighter control on the road. Audi's continued quattro technology remains unbeaten, even by SUVs, in the way it attacks snow and ice. An adaptive air suspension system, introduced recently, allows the driver to adjust the suspension to specific road conditions for maximum balance and performance.

Audi has always suffered from a poor customer service reputation and costly maintenance records. But overall, drivers feel the A8 far surpasses its German brethren in terms of quality build and interior comfort, and the AWD is one of the best out there. The A8's understated exterior often causes it to be overlooked, but its technical advances and creature comforts seem to strike the right balance of form and function without overwhelming its passengers.