The German manufacturer has always had interesting products, if slightly different in design philosophy, and, of course, a unique selling proposition in relation to their European competition, the all-wheel drive quattro system.

Most of the first half of this decade has seen a status quo situation as far as models and sales success go, but all that ended in 1995 with the introduction of the A4. Since then, Audi has, by their reckoning, become the fastest growing luxury car brand in North America, with a growth figure of 44% over the previous year.

This year, Audi enters the next phase of their plan to cover all segments of the luxury market, with the introduction of their flagship A8 into the high-end prestige niche. In the initial stages of the A8's development, Audi decided to set about designing a car that was different from its main competition, who they saw as being on an upward spiral of weight and horsepower. The A8 would be the lightest in the class, they decided, and to that end, the A8's body shell would be constructed entirely from aluminum.

The result is what they call the Audi Space Frame. In partnership with Alcoa, they have taken newly-developed alloys, and welded together, largely by hand, a series of extrusions, castings and sheet into a cell-type structure that they claim is not only 40% lighter than comparable steel units, but also offers superior structural rigidity.

The end result is a large, fully-equipped luxury car that comes in well under the two-ton mark - 3,902 lbs (1,770 kg) to be exact. That compares favorably with BMW 7-series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class models that weigh from slightly to way over 4,000 lbs, and yields the expected benefits in responsiveness, power-to-weight ratio, and fuel economy. To be fair, the A8 is slightly smaller on the outside than those models. More about size, and the perception of it, later.

Mechanically, the A8 4.2 stays true to the basic architecture of an Audi. That means the engine is longitudinally (north-south) mounted ahead of the front axle line.Said engine's specs are pretty well standard fare in large luxury sedans these days. A little smaller than some at 4.2 litres (and a 3.7 is available in the US, but not in Canada), the all-alloy V8 still pumps out 300 horsepower with the help of double overhead cams, four valves per cylinder and a variable intake manifold. That last feature helps in doing  away with the sluggish low-rpm response large Audis have had in the past. With its comparatively light weight, this is one prestige car that gets down the road - to the tune of 0-60 mph (0-96 kph) in just 6.9 seconds. Plenty quick.

And it does that in just about any road conditions, thanks to Audi's big selling point, quattro all-wheel drive. This latest version of it works in concert with the EDL automatic differential locks to provide a level of traction and control that is palpably superior.

The transmission is a five-speed automatic - no manual available, sports fans. It has what Audi calls Dynamic Shift Program, which allows it to choose a shifting strategy from 200 pre-programmed selections, depending upon ambient conditions and driver behaviour. I don't think anyone would really miss shifting a manual here.

The rest of the mechanical equipment is as you'd expect in a premium sedan these days - multi-link suspension all around, four wheel discs with ABS, variable ratio rack-and-pinion steering. In extreme use, such as track testing, the A8's handling and braking are perhaps a notch down from its more performance-oriented competition, but in regular use, it all works very well.

And that could be said about the interior, which, as you might expect, has every luxury feature imaginable, plus, of course, a level of fit and finish that is beyond criticism. Some highlights include 14-way power front seats, full leather trim, burled walnut inlays, and all the electric modcons. One aspect of the interior that stays true to the Audi (and German) heritage is the high placement of the steering wheel, even at the lowest point of its tilting range. North American tastes, mine included, might run to having the forearms at a more horizontal angle.

The rear seat passengers are not forgotten in the A8. While there may be somewhat less room back there compared to the long-wheelbase versions of its competitors, it is still more than adequate for two adults, although perhaps three of them might want to be good friends.

Rear seat features include (optional) power adjustments for lumbar support and headrests, power height adjustment for the outboard safety belts (there is no middle one), stereo tuning and ventilation controls. Home James, indeed.

While the A8's active safety features are state-of-the-art, its passive safety is no less so. It is the first car to have six airbags - two in front, one in each seat on the outboard edge. Moreover, the bags will not deploy if the seats are not occupied.

In all objective measures and most subjective ones, the A8 is an impressive technological achievement. In particular, its aluminum construction sets new standards of light weight and structural integrity by which future cars will be judged. The A8 is destined to become a landmark car in this regard.

There is no mistaking an A8 for anything but an Audi. In fact, the family resemblance with the compact luxury A4 is very strong, including the somewhat high nose section necessary to clear the forward-mounted engine, to the point that the A8 looks smaller from most angles than it actually is.

While this makes the car look no less attractive, which it is very much to my eye, it also makes it look smaller than the cars Audi is aiming for in the market. Some might say that isn't difficult, but perception is everything. If potential buyers equate the A8 to the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes S-Class as Audi hopes, than its price and features look pretty good. On the other hand, there are the 5-Series and E-Class, which are much less expensive and look a similar size at first glance. Time will tell.

Audi admits that they have to work on their visibility and brand image, which doesn't have quite the cachet of its rivals. Having said that, they are on the right track, as, for the second year in a row, they have introduced a very appealing luxury car that lives up to its marketing catch words - excellence without excess, elegance without arrogance, class without mass.

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