BigGrasshopper

I am now 3 weeks into my 2011 Audi A8 (w/ Sport Pkg). I came out of a 2009 BMW 750i. Before that I had a D3 Audi A8L. I offer the following comparison.

Exterior -
A8 is conservative and is difficult to tell apart from the A4 and the A6 at passing glance. Personally, I prefer the non-ostentatious looks of the A8. LED headlights are distinctive and do provide a nice design element that is still unique in the marketplace (although the Merc CLS now offers something similar).

The BMW 750 has a more muscular look, yet can also be somewhat more polarizing.

Winner: It's a tie, since neither are ugly, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Interior -
A8 has excellent ergonomics with button placement well-thought out. Quality of interior and materials is second to none. Overall interior design is pleasing to almost everyone that sits in the vehicle, and the level of subtle details can be found everywhere. Seats are very comfortable and highly adjustable. Rear leg room is good, but not generous (this the the A8, not the A8L). Somewhat poor rear and side visibility -- the side assist package is a must.

BMW has a rather uninspiring interior. Essentially a super-sized 3-series. High quality materials are used, but it has a tailored, yet austere look. Button placement is logical, but not quite ergonomic. Seats are highly comfortable due to superior cushioning versus Audi. However, the seats do not offer as much adjustability as does the Audi. Rear legroom is slightly less than Audi. Decent all-around visibility.

Winner: Audi, not even close.

Technology -
Audi (my car) is equipped with B&O sound. Simply the best OEM system on the market from any auto manufacturer. MMI is easy to use. Screen is adequate size with good coloration. Telephone and music functionality are straightforward. Voice recognition is good, but not great. Navigation is excellent, including live traffic updating. I also love the side assist and adaptive cruise control, but cannot compare against the 750 because I did not have similar feature on that car.

BMW premium sound is likely the worst of any high-end auto manufacturer. A sore point, even among BMW enthusiasts. Nav screen is excellent, large and has great coloration. iDrive system is acceptable but not as intuitive as Audi MMI. Navigation has neat graphics, but routing and traffic updating are behind the times. BMW does not offer anywhere near the same level of customization as to lighting, sound, and operational functions or ride quality as does Audi through the Audi MMI.

Winner: Audi

Engine and Transmission-
My Audi's engine is petrol, 4.2L V8. Approx. 372 hp. Acceleration is adequate. Car feels quick, but not fast. Torque is somewhat lacking (as compared to the BMW). Acceleration quickly ramps up after 2nd gear. Transmission is the smoothest of any car I've ever been in. It is rare to feel the shift points. Fuel economy is good for a car in this class. I have been averaging about 17mpg with about 90%/10% city/highway driving.

BMW has 4.4L twin-turbo V8, making over 400hp. BMW has approximately 40% more torque than Audi. Acceleration is phenomenal and relentless, however there is notable turbo-lag. This leads to a less than luxury car feeling. Even in 4th gear, acceleration rivals a base Porsche Carrera. Transmission is below average. Continuous jerkiness, in any gear. I had very similar issue on a 2009 BMW 535i that I owned. Odd shift point between first and second almost feels like a manual - not refined for a vehicle in this class. Fuel economy stinks. I averaged about 13mpg with 90%/10% city/highway driving.

Curiously, most automotive comparisons between these two vehicles show the 0-60mph times as practically the same, with many giving A8 the edge by .1-.2 seconds. The BMW feels faster off the line. 3rd gear and beyond is where I feel the Audi really start to flex its muscles.

Winner: Due to the excellent transmission, good fuel economy and respectable engine, I give the advantage to Audi.

Ride and Handling-
Audi (mine is equipped with Sport package, including torque differential) is light years ahead of the D3 A8. The steering of the D4 A8 feels a bit weighted and is not the most communicative. As this is a luxury vehicle first and foremost, the steering feel should not be judged against a sports car. Handling is simply fantastic for a car of this size. Despite my best efforts, I cannot get the car to understeer. It simply goes where it is pointed with no drama, even in tight turns under acceleration. Body-roll is slight. I will also mention that ride quality is luxurious and comfortable, but on the moderately firm side (I am riding on 20" wheels fitted with Goodyear F1 summer tires). Car interior is amazingly quite, even at speed. Has a vault-like feeling to it.

BMW is competent in all respects. Steering is noticeably lighter than Audi, and good communication. This is a BMW trademark. I do not find that it is better than the Audi, just has a different feel. There is also fair amount of understeer in tight cornering under acceleration. Body roll is noticeable. The heavier weight of the BMW really shows in this respect. Right quality is good, but is consistently firm and does not have quite the luxurious feel as the Audi. (the BMW had OEM 19" wheels with summer run-flats -- BOOOOO!) Apparently BMW cheaped out on sound-absorption materials, as road noise is noticeably louder in the BMW.

As a side note, I have spent a fair amount of time in Mercedes S550, and that car handles like an overweight pig compared to both the BMW and Audi (including the S63, which is an absurd car anyway).

Winner: Audi. This really surprised me, given BMW's focus and reputation. On a test drive it is difficult to appreciate the Audi's handling prowess. However, after living with this car for several weeks, I now have a high level of respect for the Audi engineers. The S8 will likely be ridiculously amazing, especially with additional weight savings.

My conclusion is similar to that of most of the automotive community that has actually performed driving comparisons between A8 and the 750 -- the Audi is simply the luxury car to beat right now. I would even offer that the A8 is, when taken as a whole, a more sporting car than the 750i, as well.

I am very pleased with the purchase and it makes both long and short drives a pleasure.

derfA8L

Intetesting write up. While I can't comment on the driving characteristic differences between the A8 and the beemer, I can second just about everything you said as it relates to the D4---especially the rear sports differential and dynamic steering mode. As good as it must in a NWB sport package car, the application on the LWB A8 is really something quite surprising, given how it tames such a big car on twisty roads with tight corners: the car's rear end stays planeted and keeps the front end pointed exactly where you intend it to be in a hair turn at speed (and that's with all-season rubber). I've kept the steering in dynamic mode since day 1, and really enjoy the sportier feel it provides. The Drive Select Plus package for the A8L(sports diff and dynamic steering) is really a must have option IMO, and if I were selling these cars I'd push every A8L customer to include this package---if for no other reason than a safety issue. Sure glad my sales rep convinced me to add it to my order. And yes, the new 8-speed tranny is surprisingly smooth with barely perceptible shifts.

Good to hear you're satisfied with your decision to get the A8; I know from this forum that you put a lot of thought into it.

hitch5

Could you add some pictures? My son tries to talk me into night blue and it would be very helpful as 95 % of cars in Europe are black.

hupark

Thanks for the real world comparison. Congrats on the car, sounds like you're enjoying it! The only difference I noticed was that the understeer can be controlled, of course, by breaking the rear end free. This is much more easily done on the rear wheel drive BMW (don't tell the local dealer I borrowed the car from). I believe you can get rear wheel steering on the BMW, as well, although I did not get a chance to try it.

The A8L with the sports diff definately seemed to improve the handling. Push the car as it understeers and the diff will help turn the car. Overall, I still felt uncomfortable pushing both the A8 and the 750i due to their size although that might change as I get more time with it.

Enjoy your A8 in good health!

Leslierc

Nice write-up. Congratulations on your A8! The A8 was the only other car I considered prior to choosing my `11 MSport 750ix. At that time I thought, and still think, that the A8 was the clear winner in comparison regarding the technology and interior of these cars. I disagree with you regarding the edge to the A8 in connection with power and acceleration. Coming from an M6, I was acutely sensitive to whether this change would be too significant a disappointment. Of course, you have had more time than I behind the wheel of the A8, but in the test drives I took I was left with the impression that the 7 has a bit more torque and power than the A8. For me, the choice boiled down to looks and loyalty. I'm a former Audi owner and have nothing but love and admiration for the Audi brand [I've actually owned more Audi cars than any other brand]. I think Audi still leads the industry in automotive technology. However, I like the way BMWs drive. I used to think that "the ultimate driving machine" was a lot of hype and BS, but I came to find after three 6 Series cars and now the 7 that there is a lot of joy to be found in driving these cars. That said, I would not want to own one outside of the warranty period. I guess what matters most is that we're pleased with our choices...frankly, I think the A8 and 750i offer a perfect blend of luxury and performance in the executive sedan class.

BigGrasshopper

Leslie, you are correct that BMW has more torque, much more, I believe it is something like 450lbs/ft vs 328lbs/ft of A8.

The BMW engine is a gem, for sure. I was just disillusioned with the very aggressive transmission, even in Normal mode.

However, the A8 is deceivingly quick (in Sport mode). I think one may not viscerally experience the power and speed as in a BMW, because the A8 is very quiet and almost no engine noise makes it into the cabin. What is interesting is that the 0-60 and the quarter mile times of the A8 and 750 are basically the same.

I imagine the handling characteristics of your car are better than my 750i because you have the Sport Package and all wheel drive.

I have owned almost every class of BMW except the Zs. BMWs are predictable and fun. BMW has a cohesive brand and engineering style. My post was meant to convey not that the 750 is substandard (quite the opposite, it is very good) but instead to emphasize just how excellent the new A8 is, even as compared against the best of the competition, namely the 750.