Motorweek 1997 Audi A8 Road Test

[@Scouter98]

The underdog. I believe it has what it takes to become a classic vehicle in the near future. Prices are at rock bottom at the moment so its the right time to get one.

[@Tennesseestorm76]

I see an older lady driving one of these in the town I work in. It is a a gold color and looks like brand new. Typically I see her with 4 other older women as her passengers... probably heading to lunch or a game of bridge. :)

[@Ferraridude13]

I know that woman, she’s not so innocent. I know for a fact, but can’t prove, that she and her 4 cronies murdered my cousin over a gambling debt, and crammed his body into that massive trunk.

[@jonathannauck7453]

@@Ferraridude13 if you’re referring to those old broads in the gold A8, my cousin lives in that town and says they are BAD NEWS! Playing jazz music into the wee hours of the morning (probably smoking “reefers”) and I have it on good authority that one of them sold poisoned milk to the local elementary school. Real nasty business. She does keep a clean car though.

[@henryaduma6014]

@@jonathannauck7453 never met 2 people unite on a youtube comment section about a neighbour they both dislike. Its a small world.

[@marioiacolucci]

​@@henryaduma6014yep small world 🌎

[@AaronSmith-kr5yf]

Always felt Audi was a good decade ahead of the curve in offering AWD on all their cars. If the electrical system and mechanical bits were even half as good as the paint/interior/insanely tight build quality of the aluminum body, this would have been a total game changer like the 1990 Lexus LS400. Sad to say these were Cinderilla's carriage, they turned into a pumpkin in short order.

[@craftedheim]

the a6 of this generation was good. still have mine with 150k miles and minimal work other than t belt and oil changes etc. love it and still use as a daily, I love the feel of it.

[@SubieandFriends]

Ummm…I don’t mean to 💩 on your parade, but it’s Subaru that was 10 years ahead of the awd game, since they always offered awd when others didn’t since the 80’s…..then when others followed by offering awd on some of their vehicles, Subaru hit back by making awd standard on every single vehicle they sold for the last 22+years (with the exception of the Subaru BRZ, which is a small and light weight sport coupe that is best served in rwd)

[@AaronSmith-kr5yf]

@@SubieandFriends Audi started offering AWD on their vehicles in the early 1980's as well. Plus they turned rally racing upside down with the first AWD car in the same time period, at the time everybody else was running front or mid engine, RWD cars.

[@SubieandFriends]

@@AaronSmith-kr5yf yes indeed Audi performed amazing with that Quattro and turbocharged 5 cylinder engines, they indeed were the champs in rally racing and were the ones that everybody tried to beat, however that changed in the early 90s when Subaru started to compete in rally racing with their new Subaru Legacy sedan and then with their 22B Impreza wrx sedan!! But yea Audi and Subaru have the best AWD system’s in the world!!!

[@yourcommondriver9681]

@@SubieandFriends Audi did not compete in the 90s rally. Group B was banned. Audi turned to IMSA and GTO. Then dtm and le mans

[@jeffpittel6926]

So quiet and smooth, you have to look at the tach to see if it's even running.

[@damilolaakanni]

The shifter looks like the ones used in the B5 Passat, maybe they're exactly the same unit.

[@CarHunterFast]

Do you have the S8 review? from this model?

[@CarHunterFast]

This a4 B5 wheels is funny in the A8! lol.....

[@mikechudzik1325]

D2 a8 just looks like a massive b5

[@fernandorocha901]

Very nice and beautiful this Audi A4 . The car is solid

[@Reefer-Rampage69]

Thanks for posting

[@zillsburyy1]

more reliable than mercedes, porsche and bmw

[@DrCharlesMontague]

What a superb automobile. It’s too bad nearly all went to shit because of inept second and third owners who did not do the maintenance. I had an acquaintance who owned a 1997 A8 4.2 years ago, was SUCH a snob about it (when I mentioned I was looking at two-year-old A4’s-which I eventually bought one-he wanted to shun that idea), then I found out he reached the timing belt interval and had someone replace the timing belt *only* and then he sold the car in a big hurry because he could not pay to play that A8 game!

[@MandusahRamirez]

I was today years old when I found out The Audi A8 used to be FWD based😳

[@sethsantiago304]

You mean Awd?

[@MandusahRamirez]

@@sethsantiago304 I meant FWD based which mean the front wheels spin 1st. AWD was Optional…

[@sethsantiago304]

@@MandusahRamirez I'm appalled too

[@pascutia]

It’s been that way for a long time :/

[@MandusahRamirez]

@@pascutia A8 has been RWD based since the early 2000’s now

[@ys_a1659]

The first A8 looked like how the S-Class W140 had to look like if Mercedes would have been brave enough.

[@fernandorocha8459]

The first Audi A8 is first car with aluminium body

[@Mabeylater293]

Was it reliable?

[@Scouter98]

Apart from the regular audi stuff like oil leaks and transmissions going out, actually yeah. One frequent issue was the complex split fuel tank where the thing somehow failed and you have to keep it above half full or the thing stops pumping fuel to the engine, afaik not many people bother to fix it. Compared to its competitors like the S and 7er this thing didnt rust as its all aluminum. Not an issue if you live in south cali but in the rust belt awd performance and rust resistance are key factors.

[@Mabeylater293]

@@Scouter98 I think I’ll stick with Lexus. Loved my Ls600hL before i sold it for an EV hummer.

[@emmettuhlir3272]

@@Scouter98 what causes it to stop pumping after half a tank? i had this issue and it was fixed after replacing my carbon canister