Why Would Anyone Buy a W12 A8?

"valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option" (valsidalv) 04/16/2014 at 17:25 • Filed to: Audi, A8, W12

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I've just been browsing the Audi website (because that's more interesting than studying for exams) and I have a serious question - why would someone buy an Audi A8 with the W12 engine?

I ask this because the S8 seems to beat the A8 W12 on almost all fronts. Here's data that I gathered from Audi Canada's website, with the A8's data coming first:

HP: 500 @ 6200 vs 520 @ 6000

Torque: 463 @ 4750 vs 481 @ 1700 - 5500

0 - 100 km/h: 4.6 vs 4.1

Weight kg: 2165 vs 2105

City Fuel (L/100 km): 16.4 vs 13.8

Highway Fuel: 10.8 vs 8.3

Price (CAD): $173,000 vs $131,400

They are evenly matched on most things relating to drivetrain and suspension, although the S8 appends everything with "Sport". When you start looking at features the two begin to trade blows - the S8 has a glass sunroof and the A8 a panoramic glass roof - but for the most part they're evenly matched.

The W12 comes only in the long wheelbase A8L, so that could be one reason. But then you can have a look at the A8L with 4L V8 engine, which costs $58,000 less, and you realize that you can option it to have all the same technology specs as the fully-loaded W12 and then some. At the expense of 80 HP, but fuel efficiency that's better than the S8.

I'm not hating on the W12, but aside from bragging rights and exclusivity, why would anyone want to get it?

If you want to check it out, head over to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and pick the A8 as the second car for the comparison.

Brian Silvestro > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/16/2014 at 17:28

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I'd rather have the W12 (it's weird I had this argument yesterday also)

The A8 isn't for sportiness and track domination, it's for comfort, luxury, and refinement. And W12s are much easier to crush peasants with.

quarterlifecrisis > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/16/2014 at 17:28

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Bragging rights, long wheelbase, and the S historically is accompanied with the sporting pretense, whereas a big 12 cylinder German luxury car is just that.

EL_ULY > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/16/2014 at 17:30

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perhaps the W12 is a smoother running engine. I have not driven them to give you specific data.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/16/2014 at 17:30

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evok96 > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/16/2014 at 17:32

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Most importantly, the S8 is shiny...

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/16/2014 at 17:32

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Basically, these cars are 2 sides the same coin. One comes with every luxury feature one could ask for on an Autobahn cruiser. The other redefines what sport means for full size cars. Basically "do you want your coffee with cream or whiskey?"

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > Brian Silvestro 04/16/2014 at 17:36

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W12 over the 4L V8? And answer as though you're spending your own money, in a world where you were well-off and able to afford either, but could still do quite a bit with the $58k price difference.

Brian Silvestro > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/16/2014 at 17:39

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That's how I did answer. Because then I'd know I'd have another car besides this one.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 04/16/2014 at 17:40

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I do think this is a valid answer that somebody with a lot of money would say.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/16/2014 at 17:42

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It offers slightly better mileage per given amount of performance, maybe. For a car with a $40k jump in price tag, that seems like a nebulous sort of thing to notice, though. I'm sticking with the aforementioned lulz.

YSI-what can brown do for you > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/16/2014 at 17:48

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Sound? Same engine as the Audi, but runs on LPG

samssun > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/16/2014 at 18:29

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I came here expecting everyone to pick the W12 because it's more "Jalop" (unique/quaint/weird/accomplishes-the-same-thing-but-more-of-a-pain-which-I-pretend-to-like).

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/16/2014 at 18:48

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The only A8 that I wanted was the 4.0TDI V8, but that didn't get brought to the states.

Now we just have the plebian 3.0TDI.

BJ > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 04/16/2014 at 19:03

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I think it has a lot to do with the fact that the W12 is only available on the L chassis: it's for people who will be driven around by their chauffeurs and want to be able to feel superior in every aspect.

"Your V8 may be more mighty, but it has 1/3 fewer cylinders and is so cheap that even my accountant's assistant could afford it. I wouldn't ride in such a crass car and risk being mistaken for a nobody. I am superior."