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From YourSITE.com Reviews & Road Tests When Audi first introduced the first generation of its flagship Audi A8 in 1994, the company set about changing the standard in that class. Though it did have the advantage of all-wheel drive, the outgoing V8 just didn’t have the edge over competitors of the time. Ingolstadt had to re-establish its name as synonymous with luxury and technology, and Audi believed moving its largest offering to an all-aluminum chassis could and would help them do just that. The A8’s aluminum space frame made the industry sit up and take notice, and for many years Audi had a monopoly on the aluminum luxury sedan business.
Then, later in 2004, Coventry decided to take a similar road as Audi. The XJ was due for a major overhaul and Jaguar followed Audi’s move to aluminum - though with their own spin. Rather than a space frame like Audi, Jaguar moved to a monocoque joined with self-piercing rivets and Betamite bonding adhesive in construction, much like the manufacturing process pioneered with the Lotus Elise. Putting the A8 up against the XJ might, at first, seem less obvious than pairing it with a Mercedes or BMW. Audi prides itself for its cutting-edge technology while Jaguar leans almost too far toward tradition. However, with the introduction of the current generations of each, both companies had something to prove. Combine that with the aluminum factor, and the comparison starts to take a more direct tone.
Both cars have more luxurious models – the A8 with the 450-hp W12, the Jaguar with the 400-hp supercharged V8 and satin-silver gilled XJ Super V8 Portfolio- capable of knocking you into six figure pricing territory. Both too feature more sporting variants in the form of the supercharged XJ-R and the soon-to-come V10-powered S8. We chose to focus on the more entry-level setups, if you can call them such, of these two luxury cars and spec them both in their long-wheelbase form with modest options added. It may be a newcomer, but the design of the XJ L is very familiar. Critics might describe it as too familiar, and Jaguar design chief Ian Callum today seems more focused on making a thoroughly modern design language for Coventry. It was perhaps in the height of the retro design fad at Ford Motor Company from which spawned cars such as the GT, current Mustang and this new Jaguar. Ford design boss J. Mays once likened classic automotive designs with modern hardware to watches by companies like Tag Heuer. If it worked in the time piece business, Mays theorized it would work in the auto industry as well. Mays has made his case with the aforementioned Fords, but today’s XJ, though a serious improvement, is so close to its predecessor in its look that the casual observer would be hard pressed to tell a difference.
This similarity can be good or bad depending on your perspective, but it stands in stark contrast to the very modern-looking A8. The big Audi is smooth and solid in its appearance, teutonically conservative save the gaping angry maw of its new corporate grille. Launched in 2002, the A8 slightly evolved into its current form just this year, adopting visual upgrades that had been introduced with last year’s W12 model. Fairly aggressive when it first hit the scene, over-the-top designs from Mercedes and BMW combined with a changing schema for such loud design leaves the A8 with one of the more subtle designs on the market, yet not at all traditional like the Jag. Pricing on the A8L starts at $72,090, and our tester with its Premium Package ($4,000, including electric rear sunshade, advanced key, power trunk open/close, rear vanity mirrors, heated front and rear seats, park assist and power door close assist), Adaptive Cruise Control ($2,100), 19” alloy wheels ($1,900), Multi-Function Steering Wheel ($690), Solar Sunroof ($650) and XM Radio ($550), tipped the price scale at $82,700 with its $720 destination fee. The Jaguar we drove just one week later was markedly more kind to the pocket book, starting at $64,330, and adding Walnut Classic Interior (a no-charge option) and Navigation with Bluetooth functionality ($2,800) to weigh in at $67,795.00 with its $665 destination fee.
Perhaps the most readily apparent show of additional cost from the Jaguar to the Audi – more expensive by nearly $15,000 is on the inside. Climbing inside the Jaguar’s wood-paneled cabin first, there’s no mistaking the British heritage of this car. Large walnut segmentation spans the entire dash in a wide plain, while additional wood accents on the center console, doors and classic large shift knob amidst the equally classic J-Gate shift gate continue the theme. That center console is also swaddled in stitched leather making a handsome appearance that would look fantastic in a dark color with accenting light stitching. It’s beyond the leather that the XJ's interior falls short. Audi sets the benchmark for interiors in this class, and Jaguar’s soft-touch plastics neither have the feel nor the color matching to keep pace with the Audi. It’s a little detail perhaps, but something you look at every day and thus something we wish Jaguar would improve upon.
Likewise the traditional clock in the center of the dash – It’s a classic touch, but of a lower grade appearance. Something so central to the eye of all within the car could be a fantastic element if it were more impressive to glance at, like a high-end watch. Instrumentation in the Jaguar is of the neon green LED variety except the navigation system, where Jaguar gets points for having a touch screen, even if its functionality and graphic interface fall short of Audi's MMI system. Remember where you set your channel presets, as the screen-based buttons are only so big and don’t consistently show the station’s channel number. However, buttons of the real variety do help you easily get to the function you’re looking for quickly, going from audio to navigation with relative ease. Audi also uses plenty of leather, wood and plastic inside, though adds a dash more aluminum to sweeten the recipe. The well-thought MMI system hinges out of a hidden location in the dashboard and is one of the more navigable systems on the market, though it could really benefit from a touch screen – a feature that is neither rare in this class, nor in several classes below depending on which dealership you happen to be perusing. The instrumentation and center console have a nautical feel to them, something you’d love to see at the helm of your Chris Craft or Riva. The cupholders, just as functional as the Jags, are tidily hidden underneath a wooden lid whereas the Jag features a similar placement for beverages on the console. The A8’s use of wood is not as generous as the XJ, but its shaping and placement is quite tasteful. The only Achilles heel in this benchmark luxury cabin of the Audi is a lower accent of gray plastic beneath the wood. On the W12, this gets replaced by aluminum, but in the standard setup it looks slightly out of place on a car like the A8L.
In the back, from which the quick-rising executives who buy these cars might wish to travel, the A8’s slightly higher quality feel lacks a bit of shoulder room (a difference of .7 inches). Mor apparent is the difference in leg room, with 1.7 inches less than the Jag. Under the hood, the cars are remarkably close in spec. Both offer a 4.2-liter V8 as standard, though the Audi’s engine (335-hp, 317 ft-lbs.) edges out the mill of the Jaguar (300-hp, 310 ft-lbs.) by a small margin. Audi’s power edge, however, is a bit dulled by the A8’s added weight. The XJL is basically a featherweight for this class at a mere 3779 lbs. curb weight vs. the A8L at 4288 lbs. All of the additional standard equipment and the all-wheel drive system on the German does add some girth. As such, mileage is also effected, giving the Jaguar (18 mpg city / 28 mpg highway) a slight edge over the Audi (17 mpg city / 24 mpg highway).
On the road, you’ll again find reason for the additional cost of the Audi. For starters, power goes through all four wheels by way of quattro all-wheel drive. The Jaguar is rear-wheel drive only. Both have their merits, with more engaging natural steering generally a benefit of not pushing torque through the front wheels, and oversteer tossability if you’re prone to hooliganism, versus the sure-footedness and all-weather prowess synonymous with all-wheel drive. Handling on the Jaguar is soft and floating, clearly not aimed at more spirited driving and more akin to being whisked off to the country home, or for high tea. The Audi, by comparison, features the company’s adjustable air suspension with which drivers can choose between more sporting or luxurious settings. Even more functional, the suspension can be raised, helping the car to rival the clearance of some SUVs - very useful as it's paired with all-wheel drive. In regards to image, the Jaguar still hasn’t lost its luster – even with its conservative styling. Cruising around in a Jaguar, it’s apparent that more people comment on what you are driving. Consider it snob factor, but the Jaguar has great presence in locations like country clubs and yacht clubs. Females also seem more interested in the car, Jaguar having long been strong to draw on women for their clientele. Is it perhaps coincidence then that the fold-away key strongly resembles a mascara applicator brush.
The A8 by contrast is subtle. You may not get as many comments at the country club, but you will get equally appreciative glances by the other members. Audi remains a fairly well-kept secret, as well as a relative newcomer to this class. When the current car was first launched in 2002, Audi marketing personnel suggested this is the car that the brand will be judged upon. It is what would build the brand image. In that regard, it seems construction of that image is well under way. Old money clientele are learning what many of their kids learned several years ago buying S4s and the like- the four-ringed cars are serious players in this segment. Either of these aluminum luxo-yachts are a competent player in the game. The Jaguar is perhaps the better deal financially, and you could probably take the nearly $15,000 balance and buy an early, high mileage first-generation A8 as a winter car. The A8 L, by comparison, shows why it costs more with higher grade interior materials and more standard equipment. Performance enthusiasts considering the Jag should probably look at the more sporting XJ-R and are likely to dislike the soft, non-adjustable suspension of the standard XJ. However, those looking to glide, and sometimes float, down the road should like the big cat just fine. In foul weather climates or if your country house is well off the beaten path, standard features such as quattro all-wheel drive and the adjustable ride height of the Audi could be invaluable.
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