Sleek lines. Broad, real wood consoles and buttery-smooth Valcona leather.

Soft LED ambient lighting. My passengers noticed right away that the 2008 Audi A8 was something special, even before the navigation screen powered itself up out of the dash and the pop-up Bang they missed the best part of this big Audi's show.

The fact that my auto-illiterate friends immediately noticed that the

A8 was something special is significant, however, especially in light of cars like the Lexus LS600hL and Cadillac XLR which rolled through largely unnoticed in spite of their high-dollar appointments and window stickers.

The A8 feels like old money, no small feat for a manufacturer that's not British, and its confident brand of luxury is evident even to non-car people, at least from the inside.... // Daily Camera

Middle age comes to us all, but some deal with it better than others.

Take the Audi A6. Four years into its life it's more energetic than ever. Not only does it account for a quarter of all the brand's sales (last year was a record), but it's fast earning a reputation for breaking into emerging markets.

Better yet, it's kept in good shape and still offers buyers a capable drive and a spacious, beautifully built cabin.

Despite this, Audi has decided to freshen it up with a subtle facelift. There's a new front bumper, redesigned headlamps and wing mirrors, and the saloon's adopted a pair of LED rear lamps from the Avant estate. Inside, there have also been mild tweaks to the million-selling A6's cabin.

But the big changes have occurred under the bonnet. On average emissions and fuel... // Channel 4 News

Edmunds: "One of the best high-performance small luxury sedans around"

ForbesAutos: “Handles better and accelerates much more quickly than the standard model”

Kelley Blue Book: “Takes everything good about the A4…and ratchets it up a few notches”

The exterior differences between the Audi 2008 A4 and the quicker Audi S4 may not be drastic, but the changes under the hood certainly are. A bigger, more powerful engine and revised suspension tuning make the 2008 Audi S4 a supremely capable high-performance luxury car.

When Audi upgraded the powerplant in its 2004 model, the S4 was definitely one of the su-perpowers in what Edmunds says is not just a market segment, but "a gosh-darn arms race." And although current models of the BMW M3 and the Mercedes C63 AMG outgun the Audi... // TheCarConnection.com

Mother Proof: “Strong lines, confident stance and just the right amount of sparkle”

Edmunds: "Stealthy appearance"

ForbesAutos: “Visual subtlety is intentional, with upscale body touches that say ‘high-class sport sedan’”

For those looking for a blazing-fast sedan or convertible but without the unwanted attention (usually from the police) that goes along with owning a traditional supercar, Audi has introduced the 2008 Audi RS4.

The 2008 Audi RS4 lineup includes two body styles: a traditional sedan and a convertible that Audi deems the Audi RS4 Cabriolet . According to reviewers at MyRide.com, “Audi has made ordering the 2008 RS4 Cabriolet a simple affair—there’s but one trim and it’s fully-loaded,” and reviews read by TheCarConnection.com show that the same... // TheCarConnection.com