Autozeitung:Audi A8 4.2 FSI quattro, BMW 750i xDrive, Mercedes S 500 4MATIC

[footie]

I honest felt the same the first time I saw one in a photo and even continued this opinion the first time I saw one in the fresh, but this is about the sixth or seventh time and now I rate it the most beautiful of all. Even the rear looks great now, but it's tge inside that seals the deal, it's here that the XJ has allcomers licked.

With regards to the possibility of awd, I haven't heard anything though that's not to say it isn't possible. But from personal experience of my XF I would dislike another winter without proper winter tyres and would prefer awd if an option.

 

[Merc1]

I am trying to keep an open mind about the XJ, but unless it looks vastly different IRL, I would have to agree.

I thought I would like it too, but I've seen it several times now IRL and it looks no better. The only hope for the car is in SWB form and in Black. The LWB version has an awful rear overhang and in a lighter colors it is downright ugly as hell.


M

 

[Yperion]

I havent seen the new A8 yet but in the photos it doesn't look as elegant as the previous generation...

PS, For some strange reason i believe that the S class looks a lot like a Lexus...maybe it's just me...

 

[darkop]

OK,
we can safely leave Indian automakers out of this quotation since this is actually the German Car Forum!

 

[footie]

OK,
we can safely leave Indian automakers out of this quotation since this is actually the German Car Forum!

I only wanted to rely my recent experience of the new XJ, only because it's a car in this sector and hasn't as yet been tested against the new A8.

P.S.
I agree it's a German Car Forum and not just a BMW one as some here believe is the case.

 

[klier]

Don't be a twat. If you knew anything you would know that they are already in dealer's showrooms all over the UK, likewise the Aston Martin Rapide.

Yes but I don't know anything. You only do!

 

[footie]

Yes but I don't know anything. You only do!

No I don't know everything but I know when I have driven something and frankly don't need nor deserve to be questioned if it actually happened, such comments are childish to say the least. I am simply offering an opinion based on that experience and if you don't agree with my findings then disagree, either way I am sure others might welcome this input.

 

[braaf]

You are correct, people do value your input. but unfortunately your input seems to bash BMW around every corner and that is why you get the responses you get. You reep wat you sow.

 

[Sunny]

No I don't know everything but I know when I have driven something and frankly don't need nor deserve to be questioned if it actually happened, such comments are childish to say the least. I am simply offering an opinion based on that experience and if you don't agree with my findings then disagree, either way I am sure others might welcome this input.

No they are not childish. Childish is when you pop in half the threads and claim you have owned or driven every other car under the sun with out anything to back it up. There are lot of people here with nice cars and you can easily tell who they are, cause they usually post pics or write reviews, not suddenly pull 'hey I owned the car' card when it comes to prop some silly argument. It is normal to be cynical about crap like that. Too many 14 year olds nerd raging on the internet.

 

[footie]

You are correct, people do value your input. but unfortunately your input seems to bash BMW around every corner and that is why you get the responses you get. You reep wat you sow.

This is my last comment on this subject. Please post highlights of my bashing BMW that is different than than what others have equally done, because I have looked and I don't see how anyone can make that claim.

I favour awd and thus I prefer Audi because of this fact, this does not mean I dislike other brands, quite the opposite in fact.

 

[chonkoa]

Footie, reading some review somewhere is not the same as actually driving a car, you realise this right?

And don't start about the six different versions you have driven of the 5er already, please

You did not....

 

[darkop]

This is my last comment on this subject. Please post highlights of my bashing BMW that is different than than what others have equally done, because I have looked and I don't see how anyone can make that claim.

I favour awd and thus I prefer Audi because of this fact, this does not mean I dislike other brands, quite the opposite in fact.

Footie,
just curious, and it would help others understand (it's not that I don't), but - since you owned a M3, a RWD ''jewel'', what made you change your heart towards AWD and Audi (a S4 incoming, right?)?
Thanks!

 

[rollo]

An opinion from one of the more moderate bimmer "fans" in defense of footie here.

I have read many more harsh comments from the BMW ranconfile over in the Audi threads, particularly regarding the RS5, then vice-versa. Frankly, I find blind brand enthusiasm nauseating, and the BMW "crew" tend to be the worst offenders IMHO.

So lets get of footie's back. BMW, Audi and MB are all great brands with some really great cars in their portfolio's.

Also, if Autozeitung prefers the A8 over the 750i and S500 in AWD guise, get over it. I presume those rankings will change in other reviews, and if they don't, that's fine with me too.

 

[Sunny]

An opinion from one of the more moderate bimmer "fans" in defense of footie here.

I have read many more harsh comments from the BMW ranconfile over in the Audi threads, particularly regarding the RS5, then vice-versa. Frankly, I find blind brand enthusiasm nauseating, and the BMW "crew" tend to be the worst offenders IMHO.

So lets get of footie's back. BMW, Audi and MB are all great brands with some really great cars in their portfolio's.

Also, if Autozeitung prefers the A8 over the 750i and S500 in AWD guise, get over it. I presume those rankings will change in other reviews, and if they don't, that's fine with me too.

My issue with Footie is not he prefers Audis, nothing wrong with that. Heck, I myself would take a R8 over any BMW. And in this test, A8 won it fair and square, no contest, it is the better car and the results bear that. But in his jest to promote everything Audi, he asserts wishful thinking as facts backed by incredulous claims of having owned or driven the cars (like having driven the new 5 in every possible wheel sizes) and having "insider information". All of which smacks of a 14 year old living in the basement of a his parent's home. Of course he could back it up and the I would gladly shut up. But I somehow doubt hat will happen.

 

[klier]

My issue with Footie is not he prefers Audis, nothing wrong with that. Heck, I myself would take a R8 over any BMW.

Audi doesn't have anything as spectacular and beautiful as an M3 GTS, but to each his own

 

[footie]

Footie,
just curious, and it would help others understand (it's not that I don't), but - since you owned a M3, a RWD ''jewel'', what made you change your heart towards AWD and Audi (a S4 incoming, right?)?
Thanks!

The M3 was a jewel and the finest rwd car of it's price and practicality I have ever owned (note the high praise here), but I found the engine (though a masterpiece) required to be worked very hard indeed to get the best out of it. For some that will be the thrill but I found after a few months to be a chore and this coupled with the lag proved to be tiresome and a certain incident happened regarding the lag that sealed it's fate with me. When I was in the mood I can think of few cars more rewarding to drive but I think my high fueled early lifestyle has left me not longer seeking this type of driving experience.

I swapped the M3 for a Jag XF Portfolio, some might see this as a strange choice but I seen it as a smart move. For one i require only one optional extra (rear camera) as everything else was standard and as the world was in melt down I felt I would lose less from a luxury diesel with no extras than a big capacity v8 sports coupe with lots of extras. The real surprise was how much enjoyment I got from the XF, it's ride and refinement was much welcome and it did prove to be a smart move as I lost very little, but this unexpectedly hard winter showed how much I preferred awd.

So as the RS4 is not available at the moment and the RS5 not suitable for the whole family it left me with one reasonable option, the S4 which I only prefer in Avant form. I'm not saying it's a replacement or rival for the M3 but it's a highly accomplish machine in it's own right and on most give or take roads could prove to be nearly as quick, but thanks god from my point of view takes less effort to achieve these same results.

Hope this helps explain where I am coming from.

 

[rollo]

Audi doesn't have anything as spectacular and beautiful as an M3 GTS, but to each his own

R8V10 or maybe the newly disclosed R8GT, that looks like it's in the M3 GTS "ballpark"!

 

[braaf]

An opinion from one of the more moderate bimmer "fans" in defense of footie here.

I have read many more harsh comments from the BMW ranconfile over in the Audi threads, particularly regarding the RS5, then vice-versa. Frankly, I find blind brand enthusiasm nauseating, and the BMW "crew" tend to be the worst offenders IMHO.

So lets get of footie's back. BMW, Audi and MB are all great brands with some really great cars in their portfolio's.

Also, if Autozeitung prefers the A8 over the 750i and S500 in AWD guise, get over it. I presume those rankings will change in other reviews, and if they don't, that's fine with me too.

I'm with Sunny on this one. It's not so much this test but that he makes the most ridiculous claims ever. WRT this test, I also concede victory to the A8 as its cabin alone won it this contest. The rest of the car I'm not so sure about.

 

[footie]

My issue with Footie is not he prefers Audis, nothing wrong with that. Heck, I myself would take a R8 over any BMW. And in this test, A8 won it fair and square, no contest, it is the better car and the results bear that. But in his jest to promote everything Audi, he asserts wishful thinking as facts backed by incredulous claims of having owned or driven the cars (like having driven the new 5 in every possible wheel sizes) and having "insider information". All of which smacks of a 14 year old living in the basement of a his parent's home. Of course he could back it up and the I would gladly shut up. But I somehow doubt hat will happen.

I doubt any proof I could provide would ever convince you, so why bother. If you think I'm 14 (my son's age) then so be it. As for the driving the 5 series, may I suggest asking others that have driven it with any of these combinations if my comments are inaccurate, then you might relies that I do know what I am talking about.

 

[rollo]

I'm with Sunny on this one.

Why am I not surprised?

I do agree that the interior of the A8 is very special, and I also like the styling although I have yet to see it IRL. Different strokes, for different folks I suppose.