Puzz1

Ok here we go! You've been in the market for an A8 but have been waiting until D5 release. Are you now inclined to go D5 under the guise that it's been worth the wait or is it time to make a great deal on D4 A8L or S8? Or do something else altogether?

At first sight I generally like the D5 but it's not causing me to preorder. There is no "wow" factor. It's a bit bland and I'm not a fan of the back. Looks like a Lincoln in back. Will need to see in person as others have said but Audi played it very safe. 7 series is better looking in my opinion.

derfA8L

Looks like it's Deja's vu all over again. Similar mix of D3er reaction when D4 was introduced. Yup, it's time for the D5 Forum...Perfectly timed, I'd say :-)

MP4.2+6.0

Nope for me. No surprise if you read my posts today. My strategy will be hold S8 and have a smile on my face for a few more years, then TBD. Let first year run go by for sure with normal higher bug rate, TSB's out wazoo and all. Also any 4.0T is delayed launch anyway, and they aren't even talking S8. Need to wait for a hopefully better USA roll out, then see where both 4.0T and S8 are intro wise. As usual, a guess is it all might sort and they will get to "final" motors and all circa third year of model run here. That means calendar 2020 more or less. Just look at D4 (or D3) for similar pattern. Took until USA 2013's to get to S8, 4.0T and 3.0T. First two years were basically carryover motor, with primarily an 8 speed to up the performance. No transmission bump here to help on that front like there was on D4. And meantime, honestly they will probably have out a Q8, or at least SQ7 by then. Statistically half of us with strong Audi heritage are probably headed there anyway just given general state of play on ever improving SUV market.

Twglasgow

I'd like to see a price drop on CPO cars but I doubt much price movement happens over the summer.

Mike911A8

I faced this issue and decided to order a D4 S8. It was a simple decision for me because gismos don't excite me--I have previously described myself as a Luddite--plus attractive deals are available. In my opinion, cars are being designed to satisfy government and the Chinese market, and I have previously opined that we may have seen the high water mark from a driver involvement standpoint. If I'm wrong, I'll get a D5, or something, later on.

My original plan was to do nothing and just keep my D3 until it gave me trouble, but the next day the dashboard lit up. I think I know Devine Intervention when I see it, and it's not to be trifled with, so I placed my order. Should arrive within a month.

As for price of a D4, my phantom target was to be able to purchase a new S8 for less than six figures because someone told me that I couldn't do that, and I achieved that goal if I wanted a base model, which is pretty darn good as is. However, I added the design interior, and didn't go crazy beyond that, so I think I will be very happy.

I didn't pay a lot of attention to pricing for D4's on the lot, but I had the general impression that they were marked down quite a bit for openers.

Happy hunting! Mike

Silver_Solid

personally, i've got mixed feelings about the D5. Love the exterior, albeit more a facelift than a complete redesign but that seems to be the trend in the business lately ... the interior is a mixed place. I wonder if audi is gone too far like mercedes/bmw 12 years ago with their early iterations of driver assistant systems, or is the world more ready for a touch environment post iphone era.

personally, I Love the new materials and aesthetics/lighting but i still prefer the look and feel of real buttons for simple everyday use. But that's just my .02cents.

audirb

No regrets with my recent D4 S8+ purchase. As mentioned, in S8 guise, it will be a good 2+ years before we see it in the US and then you got your first year issues. As always you need to see in person, but I am not feeling the exterior design; I'd go with the new Panny. I'm sure the new tech will be cool (wish I had Android Auto on mine) but I prefer the design selection on my S8 with the mix of materials, etc. Looks like the same screens and touch buttons as the the new Panny. Those screens are incredibly sharp high resolution affairs, but I think there will be more hunting for the right button on the smooth surfaces than the current button intensive setup. All car manufacturers are trying to figure out the right balance between clean design and user experience. I think it will take another generation before they get it right. My $.02.