2005 Audi A8 SWB W12 - quintessential Q car?
Discussion
I trust PH will soon be celebrating the 20th anniversary of Audi's 'top athlete' erstwhile halo car?
https://www.autointell.com/News-2004/Feb-2004/Feb-...
Don't confuse it with its longer A8L limo cousin with its softer suspension and long-legged gearing. Only about 1,400 of these amazingly agile quattro sports saloons were produced around 2004/5 as a stopgap between the 'Ronin' V8 D2 and the V10 D3 S8. Ferdinand Piech allegedly preferred it to the VW Phaeton. I think fewer than 70 RHD versions were sold in the UK - and ignored by the motoring press. At the time, apart from the Ferrari 612, it had few competitors. Apart from mechanically similar Bentleys, no other 12 cylinder sports saloons, e.g. the weighty BMW 760i and pricy MB S600, had four wheel drive. The costly Aston Martin's relatively primitive engines with their dodgy oil supply and badly placed cats didn't even have variable valve timing. The sub 400hp 8 cyclinder Maserati Quattroporte V had an iffy gearbox till 2007 and the Jaguar XJR just wasn't quite in the same league. None were as sleek (Cd <30) as the A8's ageless aluminium body, including subframes.
I bought mine over ten years ago as a retirement 'forever car' and obtained its descriptive W12 AYE vanity plate from the DVLA for a minimal sum. Such big old complex cars are always a gamble but it's easy enough to look after and things like tyres and brake pads are no more expensive than similar sized cars. So far the biggest bill has been £500 for a seized rear EPB caliper, noticed when trying to replace the rear pads. The pre-March 2006 ones also benefit from a low VED. They hardly ever come up for sale - although there's an overpriced highmiler that's been on a well known site for some time now if PH would like to feature it on 'shed of the week'.
https://www.autointell.com/News-2004/Feb-2004/Feb-...
Don't confuse it with its longer A8L limo cousin with its softer suspension and long-legged gearing. Only about 1,400 of these amazingly agile quattro sports saloons were produced around 2004/5 as a stopgap between the 'Ronin' V8 D2 and the V10 D3 S8. Ferdinand Piech allegedly preferred it to the VW Phaeton. I think fewer than 70 RHD versions were sold in the UK - and ignored by the motoring press. At the time, apart from the Ferrari 612, it had few competitors. Apart from mechanically similar Bentleys, no other 12 cylinder sports saloons, e.g. the weighty BMW 760i and pricy MB S600, had four wheel drive. The costly Aston Martin's relatively primitive engines with their dodgy oil supply and badly placed cats didn't even have variable valve timing. The sub 400hp 8 cyclinder Maserati Quattroporte V had an iffy gearbox till 2007 and the Jaguar XJR just wasn't quite in the same league. None were as sleek (Cd <30) as the A8's ageless aluminium body, including subframes.
I bought mine over ten years ago as a retirement 'forever car' and obtained its descriptive W12 AYE vanity plate from the DVLA for a minimal sum. Such big old complex cars are always a gamble but it's easy enough to look after and things like tyres and brake pads are no more expensive than similar sized cars. So far the biggest bill has been £500 for a seized rear EPB caliper, noticed when trying to replace the rear pads. The pre-March 2006 ones also benefit from a low VED. They hardly ever come up for sale - although there's an overpriced highmiler that's been on a well known site for some time now if PH would like to feature it on 'shed of the week'.
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