A car company's flagship model is usually a very special thing. And when that company is known for advanced technology and competes in the luxury market, like Audi does, that's doubly true. In contrast to most of the cars on our roads, Audi's flagship A8 is packed to the gunwales with technology: advanced driver assists and active safety systems made possible thanks to networked steering, suspension, engine, and driveline, aided by a host of sensors and cameras around the vehicle.
Most of the tech in the car will eventually trickle down into lesser models, but until that happens, you'll need relatively deep pockets to experience the best Audi has to offer. We spent some time with a pair of Audi's latest A8s (one diesel, one gasoline) and the faster, more expensive S8 on some of Colorado's finer highways and byways recently, and we think they might be the ultimate Ars car.
Do all auto-addicts have their own gateway cars? In my case, it was the early 1990s, and it was the super sedans that did it. I wasn't wowed by the mid-engined exotic or muscle car; no, it was the technology and gadget-laden uberbarges. Cars like Mercedes-Benz's 600S or BMW's 750i were often seen competing in car magazines of the time for the title of world's best car. These were four-seaters with big engines and the ability to cruise for hours at 155 mph—in Germany, of course.
Read 31 remaining paragraphs | Comments
