CAR WARS! The All-new Audi A8 Does Battle Against The BMW 7-Series — WHICH Is The BEST Driver's Car?

It should be noted that the S Class was not included. People don't often think of the S Class as a driver's car, but I would wager that it might very well be the winner of the 3 for the mantle of driver's car. The S Class is simply better and it shines through so much so that the Audi A8 definitely feels like it's a class down.

If the point hasn't been made clearly, let me make it again. The 7-Series drives better than the S-Class, period.

I've driven both, a lot. The S-Class has its advantages, but not when it comes to driving dynamics. It would absolutely not win in a driving comparison, end of story.

It's obvious in all conditions. Some people think "driving dynamics" just means how fun it is it on a curvy road. And that's part of it, but the S-Class feels sloppy and imprecise in comparison to the 7-Series. It's obvious around town, on the highway, on-ramps, and certainly anywhere a left and right turn come one after another. It's not outright bad by any means, but between the two, the 7 is clearly the better driving vehicle.

Of course, the tradeoff is that the S-Class is more comfortable, but I don't give it THAT much of an edge. The 7-Series is closer to the S-Class on comfort than the S-Class is to the 7-Series on driving dynamics.

I've not driven the new A8, so I can't speak to it. However, I notice the one they tested only had one forward-facing camera, not the stereo setup of the 7-Series. So, the thought occurs it may not have had all of the options, and thus the fight wouldn't have been fair. It's just speculation of course at this point.

Nailed it, NewQ!

^^^^"Invite me to a press junket, please"

Once I get an invitation, I'll let you know.

Nonsense NewQ -

THe 7 Series does not even approach the S-class for its Luxury ride - and the AMG Version of the S class have it all over the 7 Series as well.

I actually own an S-class 12 cylinder - and a S-650 Maybach - also a 12 cylinder - and they completely overshadow anything big that Bmw has made EVER in that class.

THe power in the Mercedes is so much smoother in the Mercedes - and yet it never seems to get better as the Revs get higher. And the BMW experience certainly does not approach the Luxury level of the Mercedes. I chose the Maybach over a Bentley Mulsanne - and the last generation Rolls Phantom (I agree the new Rolls is a touch better - at twice the price) -

And the S-class is in the LUXURY class - while the Ride in the BMW is unpredictable at times - certainly not a solid as the Mercedes - and twitchy in a way the Mercedes is not.

THe reason why the S-class outsells the others is because at that price point - it is by far the best car.

I don't see how to maneuver beyond such an impasse of different opinions or impressions.

I've driven both extensively, some times back-to-back and other times within hours of each other, and I do not reach the same conclusion as you. I don't disagree the Mercedes has the more comfortable ride, but not by much. Neither car has an unpredictable or twitchy ride in my experience.

Furthermore, the Maybach is in a different category than the standard S or any of the 7s. With a V12 and suspension even further tuned for comfort, few cars can match the type of power delivery it provides; but again, it's in class or a half-class above, so I don't think the comparison is a fair one. Maybe you could evaluate it against M760, but that car's V12 isn't tuned the same way, nor is its suspension. There really is no comparable equivalent, except maybe the Bentley Flying Spur, but even then you're paying more for less at the same price point.

The reason the S-Class sells more is because it is the more comfortable experience. Even if it's just by a hair or one percent, that still better matches the needs of the buyers in this segment. As many people here have pointed out, few are interested in a car like this on the basis of driving dynamics. So, even if the 7 handled like a Lotus, if the S-Class were 1% more comfortable, it would still be meaningless for most people and they would continue to go for the standard choice.

No because in its effort to become everything to everybody it watered down the most crucial aspect of what this segment is which is luxury, comfort, and prestige hence why the 7 series is always in the S Class’s shadow.

Benz knows market research and found that lost ppl who buy these flagships also own several spprts cars for track days and don’t plan on launching their S or 7 around the track any time soon LOL nor do they have the time...

Make the 7 series feel more special inside, get rid of the bloated 3 series look/feeling and you may be on to something ??

The 7 prioritizes and excels on comfort, luxury, and prestige. All of these cars do. The 7 is just a little more biased to one side of a series of balances than the S-Class.

You could argue that in attempting to offer what some might call a unique set of attributes on their player in this segment BMW has missed the mark on what the buyers in this same segment value. I wouldn't dispute that.

As someone with firsthand driving and ownership experience with these vehicles, I am often asked my opinion on them. And what I usually say is, the 7-Series is the better car, but the S-Class is the better choice.

I think at this point the S Class is more cross shopped with Rolls/Bentley than Bimmer/Audi, it’s kind of widely accepted that it’s in a league of its own.

In fact, in China the long wheel base E class is more cross shopped with the 7 and A8, while the S Class becomes a bargain for those shopping for a Phantom/Bentley

Maybe the Maybach, but not the standard S-Class.

There's a lot of daylight between the S-Class and the Flying Spur, yet more up to the Ghost. And forget about the Mulsanne and especially the Phantom.

The S-Class certainly follows in Rolls-Royce and Bentley's footsteps, to be sure. But cross-shopping is probably not that common, speaking from experience.

I wouldn't put the standard S-Class in a league of its own either. It offers its own unique value proposition at its price point, but all of the major competitors at that price point offer variations of the same general theme. The S-Class has simply best executed the variation that appeals to most buyers in the segment.

The S-Class line as a whole does go up the ladder more than the 7 or the A8, so looking at the entire model range, the specialty variants of the S start to enter a market segment with little competition. But comparing apples-to-apples models, the S/7/A8 stand shoulder to shoulder.

Lol you say maybach as if it’s a completely different vehicle, and whole yes it offers many more features every one including mercedes knows what it is, an S Class.

The 7 series reminds me too much of a 3 series on the inside with dash layout and the A8 forgot to let Americans know it’s on sale

NEXT

The Maybach is different enough from a standard S-Class that it's worthy of its own distinction.

In terms of price, physical engineering, and exclusive options, it's between an extreme trim package and a separate model.

What some people deride as a similar dash layout, others hail as heritage and a long-lived design language most other car brands would kill to have. It comes to down to preference, and while I like its execution in the 7-Series, I can see it both ways.

Righhhhhht....and the heritage/long lived design language is cute until you look at the price a 7 commands over the 3, and then you decide you’d like the designers/engineers to put more effort when handing over your $50-70k premium you pay over the 3 series, and no sir we are not talking about that joke gimmick gesture control...

BTW, anyone who buys a FULL SIZE SEDAN for driving dynamics is kind of less than smart anyways, common sense and well, Newton’s law would tell you to stop at the midsize for best results LOL

I don't claim your point of view is unreasonable. I simply don't agree with it.

I find the 7-Series interior to be different in design, but not appreciably "worse" than that of the S-Class. The materials and build quality are equal (and in some cases better), and the upright formal look evokes a (poor man's) Rolls-Royce.

From some angles I do prefer the look of the S-Class, both inside and out, but for the most part it just comes down to taste.

No one buys a luxo-yacht like this as a sports car, of course. But if it can execute well on all of the things demanded of this segment, and also drive/handle better than the competition. Isn't that a win?

No because in its effort to become everything to everybody it watered down the most crucial aspect of what this segment is which is luxury, comfort, and prestige hence why the 7 series is always in the S Class’s shadow.

Benz knows market research and found that lost ppl who buy these flagships also own several spprts cars for track days and don’t plan on launching their S or 7 around the track any time soon LOL nor do they have the time...

Make the 7 series feel more special inside, get rid of the bloated 3 series look/feeling and you may be on to something ??

S Class has far and away more presence than a 7 Series, but the 7 Series drives way more better than an S Class. Be driven in an S Class for comfort and to impress your mother-in-law, but drive a 7 Class for the joy of driving and taking the longer, less traveled way home.

LOL at "way more better"

I call BS on the 7 Series being a "driver's" car.

I've driven both and the 7 Series is not a sport sedan by any stretch of the imagination. If talking the longer, less traveled way home has curves, the 7 Series very quickly will let you know of its mass and that dials the fun out immediately.

The S Class is seamless in its power delivery and its chassis control is amazing when you consider who smooth the ride is without any trace of sloppiness. You are also aware of mass in the Mercedes, but the difference is that it's clear Mercedes is not trying to pretend the S Class is an autocross champion.

One element that I find very funny about 7-series reviews is that reviewers will comment about how floppy and soft yet harsh at the same time, the 7-series ride is when reviewing the 740i and 750i but put the reviewer in a $170,000 M760i and all of a sudden they LOVE it, when aside from 22" rims and some slightly different suspension bits, IT IS THE SAME CAR BUT WITH A V12.

I think this sounded like an honest review that concludes that the A8 is still a boring, bland, pricey, drive and the 750i is sportier and better looking. I agree but wish that the S-Class was compared here too.

If the S-Class had been compared, it would have come down to:

> S-Class is cushier but worse to drive
> S-Class design language is more dramatic
> S-Class sells the best

That's pretty much the common thread through everything, and I happen to agree with it.

MD said >>> "Invite me to a press junket, please"

I have an invite to a Tesla press junket. I was told to bring my pipe. Weed would be provided. Would you like to go in my place?

Don't smoke weed unfortunately.

I should add that dealer junkets are rather interesting affairs too. Often I sit back and watch. Vegas is especially hilarious. I got to tag along to one when I was 16--my first time to one. With a suit, tie, and nice shoes I could look significantly older, so I was believable as a sales person. The martinis were great. The guy I tagged along with was a co-owner of a dealership. One of his sales people took a cab ride from Las Vegas to Beatty because brothels are legal in Nye county. He gets to the brothel and assumed that $100 would get him "in" so to speak. It cost more. So he decided to cab back, but the cab driver gets a kickback for driving guys to the brothel if they pay for a wango tango. The guy buys his wango tango and then when he was done, he discovered that the cab ride back to Las Vegas was double the trip out. The cabbie was not interested in the "we'll go to an ATM when we get back to Vegas" so the guy was stranded. He calls his boss and we went and picked him up. Thus, I can say that when i was 16 I went to a whore house in Beatty Nevada and I'm just rascally enough that people assume I received services.

Sidenote, why are #Putin, #Obama, #Trump, and #Kavanaugh all tagged in this article?

To make #Liberals like you become #unhinged.

#what? #me? #what #makes #you #think #that's #true? #isn't #this #a #car #site? #why #does #it #always #turn #in #to #this?

#because #triggering #dweebs #like #you #is #so #easy

I don't understand why the need to be rude or insulting arises.

It strikes me we are adults (one assumes) trying to have healthy and entertaining discussion about the automotive industry. Surely we can all conduct ourselves thoughtfully towards one another.

are you new to @MD?