2005 Audi A8L Review Eugene OR

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Introduction

Audi A8L -- 2005 Review: No matter what your station in life, the ultra-stylish 2005 Audi A8L is the kind of car that's liable to make you feel in need of a better wardrobe.

Like a custom-made suit from one of the shops along London's Saville Row, the A8L manages to turn heads without resorting to the kind of trendy styling that inevitably winds up looking painfully dated after a few short years. And, just as with the work of a master tailor, the essence of the A8L's appeal is the way your appreciation of it continues to grow over time.

An Expanded Line-Up
Originally launched in June 2003, the Audi A8L has already done its engineers and designers proud. The über-sedan has garnered a host of awards in the 18 months since its introduction, including being named one of the "Top 10 Cars for CEOs" from the editors of Chief Executive magazine.

For 2005, the familiar long-wheelbase Audi A8L 4.2 is joined at the top of the German automaker's line-up by two new models. Its A8 little brother rides on a platform that's been shortened by just over five inches, while its uptown cousin the A8L 6.0 gets an insanely potent 450-horsepower W12 engine. After a week with a V8-powered A8L 4.2 test car, which shares much of its hardware with the two new models, we came away convinced that the original is still the best.

Classic Styling

The key to the Audi A8L's visual appeal lies with its long wheelbase and the one-third/two-thirds proportion of glass to sheet metal that combine to give the car the look of a low-key limo. Where similar attempts from other automakers have come off looking dull and slab-sided, the Audi styling team has managed to infuse the A8L's rounded form with enough significant details-including muscular fender bulges and huge optional 12-spoke 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels-to give it a dynamic profile that inevitably has passersby swiveling their heads for a second look.

If the car's styling has a weak spot, it's in the rather plain rear view. Overall, however, the body's visual strength from other perspectives makes this bland parting shot much easier to take.

Elegant Interior
That same fine balance of richness and restraint that characterizes the exterior carries over to the Audi A8L's passenger cabin. Like a four-wheeled private jet, this big sedan's blend of comfort, style, and sophistication make it the kind of car that will have driving aficionados looking for excuses to head for the horizon.

As you'd expect, most every interior surface is covered in leather or highly polished wood, with suede-like Alcantara or aluminum-look accents. Where plastics are used, they are of the highest quality and soft to the touch. The A8L's front seats provide all-day comfort and just the right amount of side bolstering. The car's standard 16-way power-adjustable front seats and tilt-telescope steering column make it easy for drivers of different sizes to get comfortable. And once you've found that personally perfect driving position, four memory presets take the aggravation out of swapping cars with family members.

The front buckets also offer plenty of head, shoulder, and legroom, even for the circumferentially-blessed or vertically-gifted. In the expansive back seat, you'll find leg room in NBA-star proportions.

Standard lighted vanity mirrors, side- and rear-window sunshades, and an optional four-zone automatic climate control system that allows each outboard occupant to set their own ideal temperature and air flow round out the major back seat amenities. If the Audi A8L weren't so pleasurable to drive, we suspect many owners would find themselves looking for opportunities to ride in back.

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Sävy Strategic Creative

The Finest in European Automotive in Bend.

1.541.359.3068
Service Rd
Bend, OK
http://www.getsavy.com/

The Finest in European Automotive in Bend.
The moment one walks through the doors at German Master Tech in Bend, Oregon, its meticulously kept, white floored shop currently home to an impressive lineup of detail and restoration in progress: the bright silver Porsche spec racer being built in the center of the room, the Porsche 911 S undergoing a full restoration and the variant of others, from BMWs to Ferraris, it is quickly understood why German Master Tech, with some of the finest European auto technicians and restoration specialists in the country, supports some of the finest European cars on the West Coast. This German-apprenticed, master-trained company, that refers to its work as “a craft”, is known to many by the unmatched service and support they provide their racing and restoration clients across the country, to others by the niche expedition preparation service they provide all-terrain vehicles, and still to their most dedicated customer, the fine European car enthusiast, German Master Tech is truly the one to many in this town.
German Master Tech’s President, a BMW Master Technician, Tim Morris, brings with him over 25 years experience in the industry and has been awarded several achievement and master technician status awards though BMW specialized factory schools. Tim has also achieved BMW’s Center of Excellence Award twice and is a seven-time BMW President’s Club Technician. German Master Tech’s co-founder and past partner, Jay Audia, won the 07 SCCA Regional Championships for GT2 in his German Master Tech-prepared Panoz. The company’s third founder is one of Bend’s most passionate Porsche enthusiasts, John Audette.

“Restorations have been a large part of our focus,” said Morris, describing some of his company’s award winning roots. “From our very first restoration, a 58’ BMW Isetta 300, which we took to the Forest Grove Concours d’ Elegance in 05 and won our class, in addition to taking home the President’s Award, which was judged by Pacific College’s President as “the car the college student would most want to drive,” said Morris. “I drew on my past car show and restoration experience to pull off a surprise win. It was a good deal of timing and the right car, with the right colors. We stole the show with a micro car, it was great!” Morris said standing next to his red Porsche hot rod parked inside his shop. “Car shows and racing are my passions,” he said with a smile.
“Our tuning business is the best around,” continued Morris of the company’s capabilities. “The application of our developed performance packages to already great cars really creates a ‘wow’.” German Master Tech provides full warranty BMW performance upgrades as a Dinan-authorized dealer, and Porsche performance programs that take the 911 to the next level. “Our tuning business has led us to organized racing, which has been a life-long dream of mine.” Included in German Master Tech’s list of champion racing cars are a 64’ BMW 1800 TISA owned by Steve Walker of Salem. The 1800 TISA is BMW’s first post-war racer based on a production car in regional vintage racing. A 911 Porsche racer owned by Bend’s Mark Powell will be racing in one of the West Coast’s fastest growing amateur racing classes, Spec 911. “Mark’s car is special as it ties together the whole business: a restoration with an extreme tuning package.”

“German Master Tech has worked on all my cars, including a Range Rover, BMW, three Ferraris and a Porsche,” said Ervin Richards, a long-time German Master Tech customer. “I bring my cars here because they consistently do it better and because they’ve always gone way beyond the call of duty in their service and support of my vehicles.” “If I can bring it to German Master Tech,” said Richards, “I will.”
To learn more about German Master Tech, contact them directly at 541.322.9647.