So I test drove the new A8L on a race track!
05-31-2003, 03:36 PM
#1
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
So I test drove the new A8L on a race track!
Was really fun, drove it at high speed on the racetrack and again on a very low speed very short autocross course in the infield.
My impressions?
Love the car, the interior is awesome, they are changing the carpet type, it's more like the heavy weave found in Mercedes. At first, I don't like it at much, but I'm sure it's awesome quality.
The dash, the MMI (which I played with in the car) was so cool, took my seconds to figure out how to use the softkeys. However, it's not easy to figure out how to change the radio station. At least not for the preset ones. But I'm sure it's not hard.
I drove it on the small autocross track, went around great. It had the 18" five spoke wheels on that one with some type of Pirelli's on it. Doesn't seem any faster than my car, it does seem to have a shorter gear ratio too. Actually, I'm getting to like my tall gearing.
Drove it twice, very hard, corners gret, feels a lot like my car in the handling department which is a compliment.
Then I drove it from the pit road at the Chicagoland motor speedway, down into the pit lane exit road, up the back stretch, through cones (slamon) and back up to speed, through turn 3 and 4 (180 turn) and onto the front stretch, let it wind out to the wall full throttle, then brake hard at the entrance to the racetrack turn 1 and reenter the pit exit road so you are kinda on a road course, go around again, then bring it in.
It didn't seem any faster than my car, if it was, not really noticable. The handling was very much like my car, this one had the multi spoke 19" wheels with Pirelli Pzero Rossos on it.
I cranked it up as good as I could, it was very predictable in the high speed corner, especially if you're smooth with it. Softer than my car, but otherwise seemed not to be screaming at it's limits.
I have to go to dinner, have some pictures, will post tomorrow. The car is awesome.
Would I change my car for it? Not now for a long shot. It's a LONG version which looks great on the body style (meaning it doesn't look that long) but I want a regular wheelbase.
Does it outperform my car? Not now with the way my car is set up.
Are there any mods available for it now? Probably not many.
Is it beautiful? Yes!
Is the MMI and interior flawless and just so awesome? ABSOLUTELY
Is the front end drop dead gougeous? Dude! It Rocks!
I will be looking for a standard length A8 or S8 down the road when they come off lease.
I envy those who get them, you'll never regret it!
pw
My impressions?
Love the car, the interior is awesome, they are changing the carpet type, it's more like the heavy weave found in Mercedes. At first, I don't like it at much, but I'm sure it's awesome quality.
The dash, the MMI (which I played with in the car) was so cool, took my seconds to figure out how to use the softkeys. However, it's not easy to figure out how to change the radio station. At least not for the preset ones. But I'm sure it's not hard.
I drove it on the small autocross track, went around great. It had the 18" five spoke wheels on that one with some type of Pirelli's on it. Doesn't seem any faster than my car, it does seem to have a shorter gear ratio too. Actually, I'm getting to like my tall gearing.
Drove it twice, very hard, corners gret, feels a lot like my car in the handling department which is a compliment.
Then I drove it from the pit road at the Chicagoland motor speedway, down into the pit lane exit road, up the back stretch, through cones (slamon) and back up to speed, through turn 3 and 4 (180 turn) and onto the front stretch, let it wind out to the wall full throttle, then brake hard at the entrance to the racetrack turn 1 and reenter the pit exit road so you are kinda on a road course, go around again, then bring it in.
It didn't seem any faster than my car, if it was, not really noticable. The handling was very much like my car, this one had the multi spoke 19" wheels with Pirelli Pzero Rossos on it.
I cranked it up as good as I could, it was very predictable in the high speed corner, especially if you're smooth with it. Softer than my car, but otherwise seemed not to be screaming at it's limits.
I have to go to dinner, have some pictures, will post tomorrow. The car is awesome.
Would I change my car for it? Not now for a long shot. It's a LONG version which looks great on the body style (meaning it doesn't look that long) but I want a regular wheelbase.
Does it outperform my car? Not now with the way my car is set up.
Are there any mods available for it now? Probably not many.
Is it beautiful? Yes!
Is the MMI and interior flawless and just so awesome? ABSOLUTELY
Is the front end drop dead gougeous? Dude! It Rocks!
I will be looking for a standard length A8 or S8 down the road when they come off lease.
I envy those who get them, you'll never regret it!
pw
06-01-2003, 06:42 AM
#4
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Pictures of A8L
Here's some pictures. This is the A8L for people to drive on the small autocross track on the infield, you can see it set up behind the car. This car had the 18" wheels. I like them. Too bad they aren't a little more like my forged A6 wheels with a highly polished finish, they would look perfect!
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae4.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae3.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae5.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae6.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae7.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae11.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae12.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae13.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae14.JPG">
The front of the motor is very short with no timing belt or TB covers up there, I wasn't aware that there was a serpentine belt, I thought all the components were going to be gear driven from the back, while they hang off the left side of the motor.
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae15.JPG">
Here's the CD changer in the glove box.
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae18.JPG">
Here's another A8 that was just sitting there with the "BLING BLING" 20" wheels on it. Defintely don't like them. But that's my opinion.
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae10.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae9.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae8.JPG">
Two close ups, notice where the wheel is already bent at the top, in the picture where the flash was used, you can see the Pirelli Pzero Rosso already has a bubble on the sidewall from when the wheel was bent. (Just to the left of the "P" in P zero).
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae16.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae17.JPG">
I had battery problems with my camera, wish I had pictures of the A8L we took on the track, it had the multispoke 19" wheels with Pzero Rossos on it. They look really nice. However, I wouldn't be surprised if you went through a few wheels or tires on a road full of pot holes. Those tires COULD NOT be used for winter. I would get a set of 18" wheels/tires for winter.
That car was black and looked great with the wheels!
I would get either the 19" or 18" five spoke wheels. If the 18" wheels were highly polished, that's what I would go with to prevent having to replace them when they bend going over potholes.
pw
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae4.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae3.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae5.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae6.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae7.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae11.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae12.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae13.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae14.JPG">
The front of the motor is very short with no timing belt or TB covers up there, I wasn't aware that there was a serpentine belt, I thought all the components were going to be gear driven from the back, while they hang off the left side of the motor.
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae15.JPG">
Here's the CD changer in the glove box.
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae18.JPG">
Here's another A8 that was just sitting there with the "BLING BLING" 20" wheels on it. Defintely don't like them. But that's my opinion.
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae10.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae9.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae8.JPG">
Two close ups, notice where the wheel is already bent at the top, in the picture where the flash was used, you can see the Pirelli Pzero Rosso already has a bubble on the sidewall from when the wheel was bent. (Just to the left of the "P" in P zero).
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae16.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae17.JPG">
I had battery problems with my camera, wish I had pictures of the A8L we took on the track, it had the multispoke 19" wheels with Pzero Rossos on it. They look really nice. However, I wouldn't be surprised if you went through a few wheels or tires on a road full of pot holes. Those tires COULD NOT be used for winter. I would get a set of 18" wheels/tires for winter.
That car was black and looked great with the wheels!
I would get either the 19" or 18" five spoke wheels. If the 18" wheels were highly polished, that's what I would go with to prevent having to replace them when they bend going over potholes.
pw
06-01-2003, 07:09 AM
#5
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
I know why it feels different in the power department, has six speed tranny
It defintely had shorter gears than my A8, which has very tall gears. Then I thought about it, it has a six speed tranny. Therefore it would have a shorter first gear.
In some ways, I think the five speed is well suited for our cars, do you really need a six speed with all the torque of the motor?
Not saying I wouldn't take it if somebody gave it to me.
The curb weight of my 97 A8 is 3902 pounds (from a 97 brochure). I read in a road and track that the 2003 A8L curb weight is 4400 pounds? Is that correct? The new car is 500 lbs heavier than a regular wheel base 97 4.2 (12.8% increase) and it has 30 more HP (10% increase).
Therefore, if the weight numbers I have above are correct (which I do not know if they are), the 97 A8 has a better power-to-weight ratio by a small amount.
Unless the gearing on the 2004 makes it accelerate faster, it will pretty much be dead even with the 97.
Thoughts?
pw
In some ways, I think the five speed is well suited for our cars, do you really need a six speed with all the torque of the motor?
Not saying I wouldn't take it if somebody gave it to me.
The curb weight of my 97 A8 is 3902 pounds (from a 97 brochure). I read in a road and track that the 2003 A8L curb weight is 4400 pounds? Is that correct? The new car is 500 lbs heavier than a regular wheel base 97 4.2 (12.8% increase) and it has 30 more HP (10% increase).
Therefore, if the weight numbers I have above are correct (which I do not know if they are), the 97 A8 has a better power-to-weight ratio by a small amount.
Unless the gearing on the 2004 makes it accelerate faster, it will pretty much be dead even with the 97.
Thoughts?
pw
06-01-2003, 07:21 AM
#6
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Problem with the front brakes?
The pads are leaving a very large unswept area at the perimeter of the rotor ... doesn't look good. And my gosh, those seem to be massive calipers!
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae17.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae16.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae17.JPG">
<img src="http://www.audipages.com/images/audievent/ae16.JPG">
06-01-2003, 07:22 AM
#7
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
No, this car was not being driven
And it rained like hell the night before. I thought the same thing, but then I figured it out. That picture was for you, it does has a very large brake assembly, but with those castings how much unsprung weight is that?
I'm sure once it was driven away the pads would wipe the rotor clean of the rust from the rain.
pw
I'm sure once it was driven away the pads would wipe the rotor clean of the rust from the rain.
pw
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06-01-2003, 07:48 AM
#8
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Those look like sliding calipers up front ...
If so, they've got to be the largest sliding calipers I've ever seen, and they do look VERY heavy. I thought that the early literature said the '04 A8 would have an 8-pot fixed caliper up front ??
