What Is It?

2005 Audi A8L 6.0

What's Special About It?

This new flagship of the Audi lineup not only boasts an incredibly powerful 12-cylinder engine, it also wears a distinctive face. Previewed on several concepts over the past several years, the new grille design makes for a unique front fascia that's sure to cause a stir in this typically sedate segment of the market. Accompanying the revised front end are new headlights that incorporate LED daytime driving lights — the first such system ever offered on a production vehicle.

Lurking behind the chrome-ringed grille is a 6.0-liter W12 engine rated to produce 443 horsepower and 419 pound-feet of torque. Audi claims that 95 percent of peak torque is available between 2,300 and 5,300 rpm. Acceleration is expectedly swift, with Audi claiming a 0-to-60-mph time of just 5.2 seconds on the way up to an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph. Like the standard model, a six-speed automatic transmits the power to the ground through Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system. An adaptive air suspension is also standard along with the majority of the equipment that's optional on V8-equipped models.

What's Edmunds' Take?

Already a winner in our book, the A8 finally gets the 12-cylinder power necessary to compete with the top-of-the-line offerings from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The new look may polarize some, but for a car that's often panned for its lack of character, this face-lift might be just what it needs to stand out from its competitors. — Ed Hellwig