Review: 2008 Audi A8 L W12

(Credit: James Martin/CNET Networks)

The 2008 Audi A8 L W12 rests in a premier echelon of cars that combines extreme luxury with exceptional driving performance; these cars make it difficult to decide whether you'd rather be reclining in the back seat while a chauffeur drives, or up there where the action is, with your hands on the wheel. The back seats tempt with a DVD-entertainment system, power adjustment, and a refrigerator. The driver's seat offers control over the 6-liter 12-cylinder engine and superb all-wheel-drive handling for such a large car. All seats get treated to stellar sound from the Bang & Olufsen audio system.

But there are a few clouds over Audi's rolling oasis. An engine this size is thirsty and limits the car's range. And while the car features some new and impressive tech from Audi, the navigation system is the same as in the company's lesser models, still DVD-based, while many companies are going to hard-drive-based systems. When faced with such stiff competition as the Mercedes-Benz S63 and the Lexus LS 600h, you need to be perfect on all fronts.

Read the 2008 Audi A8 L W12 review.