[Garp]

Originally Posted by speeder

His is a 3.0 TDI. Europe gets a much better selection of powerplants than we do.

Thank You Sir.
240 HP, 0-60MPH in 7,6 secs, topspeed of 151 MPH and 32 MPG. I rest my case.

That's a whole different ball game, yet the A8 will accelerate to 60mph in 7.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 151mph. Contrast that with the Mercedes S280 (9.5 seconds/144mph), the BMW 730i (7.9s/145mph) and the Jaguar XJ6 (7.9s/145mph). To be fair to these cars, they can all be found for considerably less than the Audi's £50,995 asking price but it does drive the point home. Diesel is no longer the poor relation. Drive the cars back to back and you'd swear the performance differential was even greater. That's because the BMW, which generates the most torque of these three rival offerings at 300Nm, is utterly trounced by the 450Nm of muscle available under the Audi driver's right foot. This translates into effortless overtaking ability and a relaxed gait. You get a hint as to how little you need to stretch the engine to get results when you realise that peak torque is attained with the rev counter barely above tickover at just 1,400rpm.This sort of performance really puts the fuel economy figures in the shade, but they're worth reiterating. On the combined cycle, this A8 will manage 33.6mpg per gallon of diesel, the massive fuel tank meaning that you may only have to fill up once every 665 miles! Emitting just 226g/km of carbon dioxide, the big Audi won't slaughter those who choose one as company transport, the EuroIV compliant engine neatly sidestepping the three per cent benefit in kind taxation surcharge. One danger for Audi is that the A8 3.0 TDI suddenly makes the 3.2-litre petrol models look utterly superfluous. Boasting a maximum five-star rating for security by the insurance industry's Thatcham Research Centre, it's reassuring to know that it's unlikely your A8 will go walkies in the night.