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2004 Audi A8 L
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Vehicle History
The original Audi A8 was introduced in 1984. It was the world's first full-size luxury car to be built with an all-aluminum body. Audi's "Space Frame," as the all-aluminum body was called, proved that weight does not always equate with strength. At the time the concept of an all-aluminum bodied passenger car (let alone a full-size luxury car) was a bold one. The prevailing wisdom was that aluminum was not as durable as steel. The Audi A8 proved that wrong and has been a technology leader in the segment ever since.
Engineers at Audi saw tremendous advantages with the aluminum Space Frame concept. The most important being a tremendous weight savings, as much as 40% when compared the same structure made of steel. The weight savings dramatically improved performance and fuel economy. It enabled Audi to use saved weight for the implementation of other technologies, such as the fantastic Quattro all-wheel drive system.
Along with the weight savings, the Space Frame reduced the number of parts in the car by 17%. Fewer parts mean fewer joints which in-turn increases chassis stiffness for a better ride and greater vehicle longevity.
The new A8L is also sixty percent stiffer than its predecessor.
Changes Over the Previous Model
The 2004 Audi A8L is an all-new car built from the ground up with the exception of the engine, which is the same 4.2-liter offered in the 2003 Audi A8 and A6.
Currently A8s are only available in the "L" version, which stands for "long wheelbase." According to Len Hunt, Executive Vice President of Audi of America, "Most of the A8s sold in the states were L's. Audi has been able to bring it in at a price point where a customer can have an A8L for the price of a short wheelbase BMW 7-Series or Mercedes-Benz S Class. That makes it a great value."
Vehicle Exterior
The new exterior design brings the in to the new Audi design family. The outgoing A8 was developed before the other cars Audi currently manufactures and hence it looked data and didn't match the other vehicles in the lineup. Now the family resemblance, especially between the A6 and the A8, is clear. The new A8L is much less boxy with a long, flowing arched roofline that sweeps from the base of the windshield, up the A pillar and then down the swept back C pillar, almost disappearing into the trunk. This gives the car the look of a large four-door coupe. Lovely!
There is a short overhang ahead of the front wheels which, combined with the large tires and wide stance, gives the car a solid and more performance-oriented look that its predecessor. The exposed twin tailpipes reiterate that this is a serious performance car preferred by its owner for its sportiness. It isn't just a mobile office.
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