The A8 has been Audi's flagship luxury saloon since 1994. Now in its third generation, the 2011 Audi A8 takes on the über-competitive full-size four-door market sporting a complete redesign, more power, better efficiency, improved technologies like the Multi Media Interface and new ones like mobile broadband internet access and location-based Google nanny services.

FAST FACTS

1. North American 2011 Audi A8s are powered by a 4.2-liter V8 with direct gasoline injection making 372-hp and 328 ft-lbs of torque. 2. The 2011 A8 weights 350 lbs less than its predecessor. 3. Thanks in part to a new 8-speed transmission and a sleek aerodynamic shape, Audi claims the 2011 A8 gets a 13 percent improvement in fuel economy, although no official mpg numbers are available. 4. A long wheelbase version will follow in 2011.

THE GOODS

Over here, the 2011 Audi A8 will come exclusively with a 372-hp 4.2 FSI V8 producing 328 ft-lbs of torque at 3500 rpm via a new eight-speed tiptronic auto transmission with DSP and sport program.

Other markets like China and Europe will get both 4.2-liter V8 engines (the other being a 350-hp TDI with, oh, 591 ft-lbs of torque) with Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system, as well as a 250-hp 3.0-liter TDI V6 for FWD models.

No matter. This engine and tranny combo is a significant improvement over the second-gen A8 (2002-2010) with its six-speed automatic, delivering a 13 percent increase in fuel economy – although no official EPA numbers are yet available. Currently Audi has not said if the new TDI will arrive stateside, although tougher upcoming CAFE standards could help Audi make the decision.

Suitors will get to choose between the normal wheelbase or longer A8 L, which currently accounts for 90 percent of A8 sales in the U.S. So, it's worth noting the wheelbase (117.8-inches) on the third-gen A8 is only a couple inches shorter than the outgoing LWB model (121-inches). The front and rear tracks have also been widened by 0.86- and 1.02-inches (to 64.7- and 64.37-in. respectively) with a new overall length of 202.24-inches. Meaning, there's plenty of interior room fore and aft, plus a vast trunk boasting 19 cu.-ft. of luggage space.

THE DRIVE

The 4.2 FSI has a self-locking center differential that helps distribute torque evenly from back to front. And, with optional 20-inch wheels and Goodyear Eagle F1 rubber installed, my fully-loaded A8 4.2 FSI mule is eating up the drive route.

It's springtime in Spain and the flagship four-door is proving it has more than just curb appeal on the southern A7 coastal highway. I'm driving in and out of heavy rain along the smooth tarmac ribbon that winds along the coast for several miles toward Gibraltar. There are round-abouts every few miles, but they're essentially just chicanes with cars merging and exiting them as I zip through.

For a 4,000-lb saloon, it handles very well. In fact, as much as that number sounds big, for a full-size luxury sedan it’s not that significant and Audi boasts cutting as much as 350 lbs from the previous generation model. An adaptive air suspension system with continuous damping control and three-stage height control offers a good combination of comfort and sportiness.

The body leans a bit through these chicanes in the suspension's default mode, but the car makes up for it by lowering itself 0.78 inches automatically when it's going faster than 74 mph for more than 30 seconds to minimize drag (0.26) and maximize fuel economy. Drivers can also select Comfort, Dynamic or Lift modes via the A8's touchscreen interface, each with its own set of ride height and damper stiffness settings.

The speed-dependent power steering is direct, though does lack a precise feeling when in the default driving mode. Putting the ECU into sport mode, however, seems to cure this. Sport mode, which is enabled by simply pressing the D/S button on the gear selector, quickens throttle response and holds gears longer to 6000 rpm.

To be clear, the A8 doesn't pretend to be a RS4, RS6, R8 or anything like that, in spite of its capability of going from zero-to-62 mph in 5.7-seconds. Top speed is electronically-limited to 155 mph.

THE LUXURY

There's no shortage of comfort or technology (for driver or passengers) in here. The interior exudes luxury, quality and comfort with an abundance of soft Valcona leather upholstery complemented by real ash wood and brushed aluminum trims.

The front seats feature 12-way electric adjustability with memory, heat and cooling functions. Rear passengers get electric window blinds on all rear glass for privacy or shade plus generous amounts of head and legroom, reclining rear seats and optional four-zone climate control and Alcantara headliner.

That gearshift has been redesigned to be more compact and ergonomic than before. It sits lower to the well-appointed console and allows access to the near-by MMI touch-pad feature, which allows users to input characters onto a tiny touch-pad near the shifter using their fingertip instead of more traditional touch-screen, button-press or dial-turn methods, to access phone and navigation functions. Google look-up services are only available in Europe, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed.

The driver information display is, well, vast and nestles neatly between the analog speed and 8K redline tachometer gauges where the driver can easily access navigation, music, phone and other important information. There are shift paddles on the multifunction steering wheel too, along with redundant controls for the great-sounding Bang & Olufsen advanced audio package that boasts 19 speakers and 1,400 watts of power.

Audi's lightweight aluminum space frame affords good collision protection with an array of airbags and belt tension limiters, for front and rear occupants. The A8 has side airbags in the backrests of the front seats and the outside rear seats for side collisions. The head airbag system extends from the A-pillar to the C-pillar.

Besides its long list of advanced safety features, LED headlights come standard on the 2011 Audi A8. Some of the other new driver assistance systems, include infrared night vision with pedestrian recognition, adaptive cruise control, lane monitoring and blind spot warning systems, as well as front (with full automatic emergency braking) and rear pre-crash protection.

The Audi A8 has been pretty successful in North America (the second-gen scores well in reliability and owner satisfaction) and so pricing for the new 2011 Audi A8 FSI quattro will be very aggressive versus the current model.

They'll begin arriving here in the third quarter and, although pricing won't be made public until the very last minute, we now know the long-wheelbase version will be revealed at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show next April. Audi just revealed the A8 Hybrid at the Geneva Auto Show and according to some recent reports we’re likely to see the return of the S8, using a twin-turbo V8.

THE VERDICT

Having spent hours behind the wheel and taking the time to enjoy the adjustable seats and other amenities in the rear passenger compartment, the next A8 will be a force to be reckoned with for other luxury flagships. I'm looking at you BMW 7 Series, Lexus LS460 and Mercedes S Class. Okay, you too Porsche Panamera.

2012 Jaguar XJL Supersport Review

The video for Jay-Z and Kanye West’s new song “Otis” off their album “Watch the Throne” has the duo mutilating a Maybach 57, in what seems to be a statement against vulgarity and conspicuous consumption – something that the old Jaguar XJ series stood firmly against. The flagship Jag retained the same shape (and many of the same styling cues) for a whopping 41 years, a figure made even more astonishing considering that the very upper end of the luxury sedan market is extremely fickle, and the three German luxury brands have religiously altered their big sedans to suit changing tastes.

FAST FACTS

1. Supersport models come equipped with a 510-hp supercharged 5.0L V8 capable of a 0-60 time of 4.7 seconds. 2. Extended wheelbase models add nearly 5-inches between the wheels for a significantly larger rear seat area. 3. A 1,200-watt Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system is optional with 20 speakers. 4. Starting at $72,700 the XJL Supersport retails for $113,200.

Carrying the same design forward for nearly four decades may have worked for the Porsche 911, but eventually, Jaguar’s luck ran out. And while Porsche’s reputation for quality and performance helped it stay afloat (not to mention building the best sports cars on the road) Jaguar carried the millstone of poor reliability and stuffy British sensibilities. No matter what your socioeconomic background, you could always think of someone you knew who owned a Jaguar that was in the shop more than on the road.

STUNNING NEW LOOK

The year 2009 brought about the end of the Jaguar XJ’s long evolution through the primordial soup, and the car finally transformed from temperamental feline into one of the boldest looking cars on the road. The design has the perfect juxtaposition of boxy brawn and organic curves, while the sloping roofline avoids the cliché German-style aping of the Mercedes-Benz CLS. Instead, it looks almost French, with a gentle trunk tacked on to the rakish roofline ala the Citroen C6.

The XJ manages to attract a disproportionate amount of attention for a car that’s been on sale for some time now. We even got curious exotic car owners coming up to us while parking in trendy districts, rushing up to our open driver’s side window and inquiring about “the new Jag limo”.

LIGHT WEIGHT AND POWERFUL

Underneath the striking exterior is a highly advanced (but equally costly) aluminum chassis, a weight saving measure that also allows cash-poor Jaguar to have access to a lightweight but modular platform for vehicles of different sizes. While 4,220 lbs isn’t light by most standards, it undercurrents a Ford Taurus SHO by a couple hundred pounds, not to mention its direct rivals like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the significantly-smaller Maserati Quattroporte.

The svelte weight is even more impressive in light of the larger-than-life way the XJ goes about its business. The extended wheelbase car measures nearly 207 inches in length, almost five inches longer than a Cadillac Escalade. Power comes from a 5.0L V8 with a supercharger, making 510 horsepower and 461 lb-ft of torque. Some outlets have seen times as low as 4.3 seconds to 60 mph – putting the XJL Supersport in a league with genuine sports cars. We never got bored of stomping on the throttle and watching the big cat leap. We even managed to squeeze 20.5 mpg in mixed driving over the course of a week, an impressive figure from such a massive powerplant.

Even though the XJL occupies a lot of physical space, it feels like it weighs have of what it does. Thanks to the aluminum construction and Jaguar’s wonderful chassis engineers, the XJL can be flung every which way into corners while responding with complete composure. Fast sweepers and highway ramps become a challenge in exceeding your own personal capabilities, as the abundant torque and engaging chassis dare you to take turns at unfathomable speeds.

LUXURY ABOUNDS

Establishing any performance car bona fides is almost superfluous, as the XJL really shines when someone else is driving you around. The opulent cabin, finished in your choice of butter soft hides, lets passengers stretch their legs completely in the rear seat, while fold-down tray tables seemingly nicked from a Cathay Pacific first-class cabin are available for resting your blue fin tuna tartar as you take in the latest issue of Barron’s.

The middle seat arm rest can be folded down to bisect the rear seat (in case you tire of being in proximity to your companion) and features a number of compartments (including a cigar holder) lined in purple velvet. The wood extends throughout the cabin, and might as well be “reclaimed” wood from a plutocrat’s now-seized yacht. The door panels are outfitted with solid blocks of dark mahogany with some sort of feline inlay design, while another bow of wood stretches from just aft of the A-Pillar, all the way around the inner lip of the windshield and back around. Producing this piece likely costs more than the GDP of Guinea-Bissau, but what good is consumption if it’s not conspicuous?

The poor shmucks sitting up front will have to contend with plush wing-chair-like front seats with available massagers, as well as the controls to the 1200 Watt Bowers & Wilkins stereo system – another frightfully British touch that we enjoyed immensely. Using “Watch The Throne” as a demo, we cranked the volume up high and reveled in the rich piano samples and thumping bass provided by the B&W unit, although its clarity will be lost on those who favor Mercedes-Benz S550s with trunk-thumping subwoofers.

Meanwhile, most controls can be operated through a substantial touch screen unit in the dash. While other Jaguars are saddled with a crude, obsolete bits of technology, the newest Jaguar interface (which we expect to be made standard eventually) is highly intuitive and easy to operate. Tasks such as iPod integration and Bluetooth setup, which are normally glitch-ridden and infuriating, all worked on the first try.

THE VERDICT

Perhaps the XJL hasn’t strayed too far from Sir William Lyons original mandate for Jaguar vehicles that they possess “grace, pace and space”. While purists justifiably cried foul when BMW radically altered its styling direction, Jaguar has managed to do an aesthetic 180 degree turn and still come out on the winning side. In terms of luxury and build quality, we wouldn’t hesitate to put it up against a Bentley Flying Spur (which is already vulgar in its own right), while performance is easily on par with offerings from AMG or Alpina. Styling is a subjective matter, but based on anecdotal evidence, it causes a serious visual impact. And while $110,200 isn’t a paltry sum, it manages to undercut comparable rivals by as much as $18,000 in some cases.

While Jaguar still has its own kind of prestige, it will forever be an alternative choice in the segment, simply because it’s not a BMW or Mercedes-Benz. The new Audi A8 is riding a crest of enthusiasm for the brand itself, and will surely gain a loyal following from the type of status-hungry, instant gratification types who criminally ignored the superb iterations that sold in miniscule volumes prior to the 2011 A8 in favor of the S-Class or 7-Series. Jaguar has a bit of an image problem in the sense that people are impressed by a Jag, but they just don’t know how good the XJ really is.

2012 Jaguar Cars

Jaguar was founded in 1922 and has remained one of the world’s most coveted automobiles. Jaguar currently markets the XF luxury sedan, the XJ luxury sedan and the XK coupe and convertible. All Jaguars are made from aluminum construction and feature V8 engines.

Founded in 1922 by Sir William Lyons, Jaguar has produced a number of historically significant sports cars, including the C-Type, D-Type, E-Type, XK120 and the Mark II sedan. Jaguar was purchased by India’s Tata in 2010 along with Land Rover and the two companies began sharing engines and other technology, similar to their previous partnership under Ford Motor Co. Currently, Jaguar sells the XF and XJ sedans and the XK coupe and convertible, which all use 5.0L V8 engines, with an optional supercharger, and share a 6-speed transmission and an aluminum spaceframe.