The Korea Herald, in cooperation with carmakers, offers a test-driving experience to executive officials at Korean or multinational companies or ranking diplomats here. The opinion below is the author’s own. For any inquiry into this column, please contact jylee@heraldcorp.com. ― Ed.
I must admit I was not initially prepared to like the Audi A8L TDI Quattro. I had never been a huge fan of Audis primarily because I always thought the four rings, overall shape and other external styling features lacked the panache and style of other luxury brands like Mercedes, BMW or Jaguar. I knew they made good cars and was always impressed, whenever I had the chance to ride in one, with the sleekness and functionality of its dashboards and other creature comforts. But on balance, Audis still seemed a bit like the student who cared more about getting good grades without particularly fussing about originality or making friends.
Paul J. Kim, corporate partner at international law firm McDermott Will & Emery, poses with the Audi A8L TDI Quattro. (Kim Myung-sub/The Korea Herald)
The opportunity to drive the Audi A8L TDI Quattro in Seoul also presented several other challenges for me. First, I had never driven in Seoul and while I am used to driving in Manhattan, the Seoul driving experience with its hills and inclines, traffic jams and unannounced and abrupt lane changes promised to be an interesting one. The “L” in A8L also stands for long wheelbase and this is a very big and imposing car that announces that it means business on the road. Finally, TDI stands for “turbo diesel injection” and I did not have much experience driving diesels before, certainly never in the stop-and-start environment of city driving.
All of my thoughts were suspended when I first saw the imposing car parked in my driveway with its xenon headlights and LED lights underneath. I felt like I was getting into the cockpit of some advanced space cruiser rather than a car. Stepping into the driver’s seat, I was impressed by the extraordinary luxury, comfort and advanced features. There was interior LED ambient lighting, a sun roof, Audi’s MMI navigation system with touchpad for handwriting recognition, a beautiful leather steering wheel, four adjustable seats, rear entertainment system with two screens, keyless entry and leather upholstery all around.
While Korean consumers may be used to (and may even expect or even demand) such appointments from a luxury sedan, it was a bit much for this city dweller used to less qualified interiors.
The driving experience did not disappoint. Despite its size, the A8L TDI is an absolute pleasure to drive. It is difficult to communicate how extraordinarily quiet and refined, yet powerful, this car is on the roads. While the diesel engine may still be better suited for long haul drives on the open roads rather than city driving, as the TDI’s stop-and-start engine function takes some getting used to, the car responds instantly and smoothly to a touch of the accelerator with no awkwardness. The car changes lanes with aplomb and I was treated to the phenomenon of taxis and other cars choosing to yield rather than take on this big cruiser’s imposing (and expensive) heft. It also did not hurt that the A8L, despite its size, supposedly goes from 0 to 100 km in about 5.5 seconds.
Given its length, parking was a bit of a chore in some of the tighter indoor parking spaces as its front or rear end always protruded outside its allotted space. This is a small quibble, however, and the rearview camera and parking assist (there is no feature this car does not have) were helpful in navigating tight parking spaces. Later given the opportunity to ride in one of the back seats, I had the pleasure to experience the ample space, the TV monitors on the front headrest, the aforementioned adjustable seats with massage and heating and a convenient storage compartment between the two seats. The trunk is also enormous.
All in all, I would certainly recommend the A8L TDI Quattro for anyone who wants a super advanced, super luxurious, fully loaded and refined driving experience ― at the end of the day, it’s tough to beat Audi’s top marks.
By Paul J. Kim, Corporate partner at international law firm McDermott Will & Emery