Test drive Audi A8 and RR Sport: when options are like new Camry

Red leather, four-zone climate control, foot massage and split rear seats - choose where to invest $ 104 in the premium segment

This material should have turned out to be completely different: two cars, one price tag, a set of tips for choosing. But a merciless configurator intervened. We calculated how much the options cost in a high premium, and were horrified.

“Also decided to pay parking today? Everything is correct. In our area, cars leave like hot cakes, "- the obese neighbor nodded approvingly in my direction, after which he barely squeezed in his Land Cruiser 200 between two Cretas.

I don't know where he looked at the statistics of thefts (in recent years, the situation in Moscow has become noticeably better), but I came to the parking lot for a completely different reason. The press park Range Rover Sport was the most conspicuous of all cars of this brand in Moscow. The point is the complete absence of tinting and a red leather interior. Any passer-by considers it his duty to look into the windows and see what is inside.

For the whole month that Range Rover spent in the AvtoTachki garage, I lived with the thought “whatever happens”: I shuddered at the calls from “Caesar Satellite”, tried not to park in the courtyards and did not leave the Moscow region. Apparently in vain: the legendary air suspension is very sweet and delicate on the highway, and not at the expense of handling.

The compressor "six" also struck: yes, the dynamics at the level of 7 seconds to 100 km / h does not seem outrageous, but in terms of fuel consumption, this engine clearly succeeded. In a fussy and very nervous Moscow New Year's Eve, a huge SUV weighing well over 2 tons burned 14 liters per “hundred” - a cool indicator not only by the standards of classmates, but even among lighter business and executive sedans with V6 like the Audi A8.

But there is one problem: there is no sport mode here. Once again: the 340-horsepower SUV with the Sport prefix in the name does not have a button that would activate its fighting spirit. Of course, you can put the box in manual mode and not let go of the pedal from the floor, but it seems that this will not be enough for everyone. But there is a neat Eco mode with start-stop and cotton accelerator. And also a few off-road packages. But with a $ 91 car you would hardly want to mix dirt somewhere near Istra.

Yes, this Range Rover Sport costs $ 99. That is, almost $ 949 for options must be added to the base price tag. And it seems that there is nothing in the list of additional equipment that could cost as much as a new Toyota Camry with a V33. Judge for yourself: all-round visibility system, four-zone climate control, ventilation of all seats, an air ionizer, the same red leather, veneer trim, 142-inch wheels and an entertainment system for rear passengers. By the way, the latter seems to be the most archaic detail in the interior, which hints that this car is almost seven years old.

It might seem like the usual options can't cost $ 40000. I thought so too, but only until I opened the Audi A8 configurator. It seems that in the world of large and premium cars, this is already the norm.

In the world of the automotive business, contrary to the logic of Instagram and Facebook, the beginning of the year is the time to take stock of the past. In January, the traditional conference of the AEB Automobile Manufacturers Committee is held, where journalists are told about the sales of all brands for the reporting period. For example, I was once again wildly surprised by the huge (almost three times) lag between Audi and BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

You can joke as much as you like about the fact that I sold out to Audi, but to me this is really a mystery. I am absolutely not trying to convince you that the products of the Ingolstadt brand are head and shoulders above the competition, but I would probably stop at it. Moreover, who even said that you need to choose exactly from the big German three?

This time, Roman Farbotko and I were arguing about where it would be better to carry $ 104 (in the case of the Audi A796, however, almost $ 8) if we had them. Roma insisted on Range Rover Sport, I on Audi's flagship sedan.

It would seem that the obvious argument in favor of the British SUV is that when you drive, you do not feel like a driver in it. Perhaps, from the side of the person driving the A8, they will occasionally (not more often) be perceived that way. But, first of all, Range Rover can also be driven with a hired chauffeur. And secondly, what does the opinion of others really matter if you enjoy every moment spent in the car?

Despite the fact that intrusive security systems, spotting a pedestrian about 100 meters away, try to smash your face with panic braking on the floor, driving the A8 is pure pleasure. It has been a long time since I drove a car with such a smooth ride on one side and a willingness to calmly screw into a turn even at high speed on the other. And the dynamics are in perfect order. The 340-horsepower three-liter gasoline engine allows the huge sedan to accelerate to 100 km / h in 5,7 seconds.

And yes, of course, sometimes you want to change seats. Where there is foot massage, the ability to move the front seat so that it is as comfortable as possible (although it seems that even a two-meter-tall person can stretch out his legs here) and three full-fledged screens. The two tablets are attached to the front seat headrests and can be removed, taken out of the car, or watched TV or movies. The third, smaller, is located between the split rear seats. It allows you to control seats, multimedia, climate control and so on. So, of course, it's great there, but I, for example, still pulls behind the wheel.

Options? Yes, yes, they really cost about $ 45. The starting price of the Audi A848 8 L TFSI is $ 55, the cost of the car that was tested is $ 92. But I have a hypothesis that a person who buys a car of this class and is not going to use it as a VIP taxi is ready to pay for interesting, comfortable and important options for him like a top audio system, massages, and so on. Expensive? Let's admit that the market has changed, and now we live in just such a reality.