Audi A8 4.2 TDI: I may not seem your ideal when you look into my eyes...But baby let's take you out on the highway for a while... So sang Elton John in Let me be your car on the 1992 album Rare Masters. Rare indeed, though hardly a master.
Regardless of your opinion of his musical pedigree, Elton's petrolhead credentials are above repute. After losing a legal case against his former manager and accountants, Elton sold off 20 cars from his collection to pay the legal bills. The sale included several Ferraris, Aston Martins, a 1993 Jaguar XJ220 and six post-war Bentleys.
So for Audi to entice Elton into an A8 would seem apt, given that the German brand heralded its flagship model as a car designed for the "rock aristocracy". All the more impressive, then, that our test car came direct from ferrying Sir Elton to and from the airport for his flying visit to Dublin last month.
We've always had mixed feelings about the A8, never mind the music of Elton John. From certain angles it's the complete package: a well-proportioned executive saloon with a fabulous engineering pedigree and some nice detail touches. Yet from other angles it looks too much like, well, a large saloon with no real wow factor.
So with the justification of a new front façade and the addition of an even more powerful diesel engine, we opted to take Elton's advice, and give it a second chance.
Audi's marketing efforts have concentrated on wooing the great and good with a car that matched its undoubted engineering pedigree with an image suitable for the world's media peacocks. Part of this process was the decision to supply a fleet of A8s to ferry European leaders around during Ireland's EU presidency.
Of perhaps more long-term impact have been various sponsorship deals, such as the one to be the official car partner for the Galacticos of Real Madrid. No doubt it was a great relief to all those hard-up millionaire footballers that someone would provide them with free cars. Such efforts have one ultimate goal: to finally instil a cool image on a big Audi. The VW-owned brand has established its credentials in the premium sector, but for years they have struggled to spread this credibility on to its flagship models.
Our problem with the initial A8 was that for all its engineering ability, it lacked the presence of others.
It took much more than a questionable toupee and funky glasses to turn one Reginald Dwight from Pinner in England into Elton John, global pop superstar.
To get more than your Warholian 15 minutes of fame requires talent.
The good news for Audi is that the A8 has always had that. From its supple air suspension to an assortment of engines worthy of a premium German car, the automotive talent was there for all to see.
Its Quattro four-wheel drive system remains one of the benchmarks for saloons and even in such a seemingly unwieldy saloon, when you push down on the throttle mid-corner it gives you that great feeling of security as all four wheels power out and grip you tight on the proper line.
The A8 is a masterful drive and whatever about being ferried around in the back; the best seat in the house remains that of the driver's.
Admittedly, the six-speed automatic gearbox lurches ever-so-slightly on changes and even the power of the 4.2-litre offers some turbo lag at lower revs. Yet as a country cruiser it just munches up the miles. This is the sort of car that can take you for a continental crossing and entertain you on the back roads at the same time.
Putting out 326bhp, the new V8 diesel manages 100km/h from standstill in just 5.9 seconds, nearly a second quicker than the previous 275bhp 4-litre diesel on offer. It's the most powerful diesel engine Audi has ever offered in a passenger car and uses two turbochargers and two intercoolers with each turbocharger functioning exclusively for one set of four cylinders. Such a large diesel undoubtedly has its throaty engine note and this is no different, warm it up though and it cruises with only the slightest murmur from the front.
Other changes to the range included the introduction of a new 3.2 L unit featuring FSI, replacing the previous 3-litre V6 entry model. Yet these are not the crucial issues for the A8. What has held it back seems more to do with creating a presence on the road.
Given the right accessories, the A8 can be a head turner. It always was. But take away something simple like the 19-inch 12-spoke alloys and it lost presence.
Perhaps one error in its well co-ordinated launch back in 2003, was that it came as Audi was preparing to introduce its new design trademark - the big fish-mouthed grille - on the rest of its models. To leave it off the flagship seemed a strange omission.
So now the Audi design team has rectified that issue and it's strange how something as trivial as the size of the front grille can have so much impact upon the car's appearance.
Of course it matters not a jot to the handling or driving characteristics of the car. However, when you've spent over €100,000 on your new status symbol, you want to turn some heads in traffic.
Prices in this category are always rather low guide prices, for rarely will the owner of a €100,000-plus car not add a few special extras to the purchase. Appropriately, the A8 options list is quite frightening, but then again it's hardly a walk in the park over at Mercedes where you can quite easily double the price of an S-Class with a few options.
With the A8, for example, the all-important 12-spoke 19-inch alloys will set you back €4,018. That's a big outlay and one that will make you think twice about taking those narrow car-park corners at speed.
So to the all-important question: would we opt for A8 over the rest?
In comparison with the competition, this A8 is up against the likes of the BMW 740 at €120,800. Yet the Bavarian has only 256bhp. Similarly the Mercedes S320 CDI has only 272bhp.
The A8 is perfect for "rock aristocrats" who aren't paying for the car themselves. Those that are raiding the piggy bank should consider residual values in this market.
For virtually all but the Mercedes S-Class, the initial plunge in the first few years of ownership can be severe. We came across a 2004 A8 3-litre TDI version with just 24,000 miles on the clock going for €87,500. At the time of sale it cost well over €112,000. That's a fall in value over 16 months of €24,000.
That said, as the fall in price tapers off, the A8 makes a really great used buy, given Audi's reputation for quality and reliability. And there are a few disgruntled Mercedes owners who will jump at the chance to get something with Audi's reputation for reliability.
This latest engine gives Audi the edge. For all that it's unlikely to topple the new S-Class. Rock aristocrats aside, the Irish buyers still follow the three-pointed star. Yet it's high-time they widened their horizons. As Elton sang, "Let me be your car for a while child".
