2004 Audi A8L

First Place: Audi A8L

Very quickly, our thesaurus ran out of synonyms for "splendiferous!" From exterior styling to handling, fit and finish, comfort, and technology, the A8L earned top marks in our voting. In the overall scoring, it wasn't even close: The big Audi was way ahead of an otherwise tightly packed field.

At 204 inches from nose to tail, the A8L is the longest car in the group. And it rides on the second-longest wheelbase (for now, Audi sells only the long-wheelbase "L" version Stateside, though that'll change for 2005). Interior room is cavernous. "Man, you can really stretch your legs in that back seat," wrote one editor. "It almost feels like a freakin' Maybach back there."

From a styling standpoint, the cockpit is a work of art: airy, modern, and put together with an obviously high regard for function and pleasing aesthetics. Wood, leather, and chrome trim coalesce to form one of the auto kingdom's most visually stunning environments for conducting the business of driving. The driver feels in command of this starship, too. Like the 745i, the A8L mixes many functions (such as the audio and climate-control systems) into a central display screen accessed by a console-mounted primary controller. Yet Audi's Multi-Media Interface (MMI) is far more intuitive to use than iDrive. "Lots of electronic gadgetry, but just enough regular buttons to make it manageable," wrote one editor. Agreed another: "Using the MMI's interface actually seemed easier and more natural than making systems adjustments in many of the other cars."

Loaded with electronics, airbags, luxury fitments, and quattro all-wheel drive, the big Audi is no lightweight -- despite its aluminum construction. Curb weight is 4433 pounds. With 330 horsepower on tap from the 40-valve, 4.2-liter V-8, acceleration is solid but not outstanding: 0 to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds; the quarter mile in 15.0 seconds at 95 mph. Partly due to the high-quality sounds that come from under the hood, though, the Audi feels strong -- the logbook was filled with praises for its "good power" and "responsive engine."