IMHO, the A8's interior is so techy and clean compared to the 7 series or the LS 500. The 7's screen is basically a tacked on tablet perched on top of the dash. It looks out of place sitting right next to the gauge pod. This is on a very expensive flagship yet.

The LS has this weird thing going on with a small round gauge pod, and then does this sweeping beautiful dash and integrated screen that really works well. If only they would get rid of the ***** on the outside of the gauge pod and make it slightly larger.

The A8 wins hand down on an evolutionary design. They don't go too edgy on the outside and they don't go too far on the inside. It's what an Audi buyer expects. The two screens are sitting just where your hands and fingers would normally sit and the tactile touch will do what you want. The downside is going to be reflections and finger smudges. Just keep a microfiber cloth handy and all will be well.

 

I would say out of those three, from pictures the A8 would be my least favorite interior. It just seems cold, technological and austere to me. I like more warmth and organic lines, etc.

 

I give the S class the win for the interior, but there is some sort of old school thing going on there. Dislike the big gigantic rectangular tablet that seems to spread across the S class dash. The Audi seems to have handled this better. But cold techy can be mitigated with other trims and touches on the car. The Audi is really a bunch of computers and screens rolling around on four tires and a magnificent understated body.

 

 

I think the S class is the car to be seen in. You see these in diplomat vehicles and they really have that presence that no other car has. I've always admired the S class and looking at a leather dash and cross stitching is really something on a $100K+ car. But the Audi to me has its quiet charms. It's the geek/tech car. The S is first and the Audi is a close second.

Very cold interior no doubt but the clean aesthetic is there. You have to be an Audi fan to want one and pay S class prices for this. Curiously, does the S class have this interesting active suspension side collision mitigation feature? This is an Audi feature that might trickle down to other cars.

 

My problem with the S-class currently is, like the LS500, I think it is too radical a departure from a stately flagship sedan. It looks too much like a sports sedan to me. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea and premise behind it but the aggressive styling should be toned back a hair. I think its just too much. I also think, the A8 didnt depart enough from its last generation.

This is a hard choice LOL. #firstworldproblems

 

 

I checked out the new LS500 today, but didn't actually do a test drive, as I was also doing an ES full-review. I have to agree that the new LS is over-done....you are correct that it is losing some of its stateliness.

 

Haha. That's funny. The S class used to be called stodgy stuffy tank but then Benz got rattled by the LS400 and went nuts with styling and electronic gimmickery. Now the LS 500 has gone a little wacky with the outside design, but definitely is the sporty choice for a driver's car. How times change.

Through it all, though the prestige and looks seemed so stately to me. The W140 still has this interesting presence but it's so dated. The W220 is a Bruno Sacco masterpiece. Oh those Italians. Beautiful timeless bodies and unreliable mechanical bits.

W221 looks stodgy once again. And now the W222 exudes sexy drippy slick. The Audi didn't do all of this. It looks just as sleek and sexy as it did 20 years ago. But the A6 looks so good and has most of the gadgetry, one wonders what makes a buyer want the A8.

 

I think the best way to put it is:

S-Class: Most "Class"/material of the 3
7 Series: Most sportiness of the 3
A8: Most techy of the 3

 

I think, steve, that its that drooping rear seat roofline that is killing it for me. I really can't put my finger on it.

Basically, the A8, and the S-class are both cars you buy to be chauffeured in. The LS500 and 7 series, you still want to drive. I have driven and ridden in a few S-classes (both this gen and the last one), and I love the way they ride. But driving them? I don't really care for driving them. I am not even tall, and getting into and out of the back seat of the S-class, better watch my head. Smacked it off the roofline at least 2x that I can recall. I have never sampled an AMG version though, and I would imagine that would spice things up a bit, but with a base MSRP of $229.5k for an S65, Its far and above what I am willing to pay for ANY car. Even if I felt like I could, I still wouldn't. In my area, you could buy 3 houses in a fairly decent neighborhood, or 1 decent house in an upper-middle class neighborhood for $229.5k. A car isn't an investment, so unless I can afford to **** away 100k in the first 3 years of ownership, AMG is not for me.

 

I am not familiar with the W designations, but based off what you just said, my favorite generations of S-class were The W220, W140, and lastly is the W221. The 222 is the current one, I think, and its just too much. Hell, even the 221 was too far. The 220 was perfect for me tastes styling wise. If only they weren't so damned unreliable, I would probably have one.

 

 

Yeah, MB geek-speak often requires a German to "say-what?" translator. The W140 is the early 90s square tech-filled nightmare of a tank. The one you like is the same one I like - W220 (1998 - 2005), designed by Sacco, like a fine Italian silk suit. I too would have had one. Very slick and fast. But horrendously troublesome with the electrical wiring harness and assorted problems with the air suspension.

Interestingly the Audi A8 from this era was just as bad but its charm is that they didn't fiddle too much with styling. You see that same beautiful slick shape from 2003 onwards which was a continued style from the late 90s.

 

Based off my experiences from what I see: when my dad gets invited to huge developer parties and funding parties, there are quite a bit of people getting chauffeured in S-Classes/some A8s.