Mother Proof's view

If you had an extra $90K burning a hole in your pocket, what would you do with it? Forget about being responsible (paying off your second mortgage, setting up a hefty college fund, turning your basement into a mother-in-law suite for your dear old aging mom…); how about something totally fun and just for you: A nicely equipped Audi A8 to make all the other carpooling mamas insanely envious.

OK, don’t think I actually believe you’re all going to rush out and buy this car, but just in case someone will, I had to test it out. Yes, I sacrificed my frugality and lived the Audi A8 lifestyle for you, dear readers, for two weeks, and I can say with absolute certainly that it was worth every swanky ounce of somebody else’s money. The fact that I used wet wipes on the bottoms of my kids’ shoes before they entered the vehicle may have been slightly over-the-top – by a smidgen – but I just couldn’t stand the thought of any grimy nastiness infecting this car’s plush, beautiful carpet.

With a base price of around $70,000, my test car came standard with plenty of appeal. Some of my faves were Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system (even swank must weather the storm), 16-way power front seats (for that price, the car better fit me properly), iPod integration (for when I want to funk up the town with my own playlist) and 10 airbags (because if I actually had a wallet big enough for this purchase, I’m sure someone would consider my life precious, even if it were only a gold digger).

The total price on my test car was a whopping $93,790 thanks to additional favorite features, including a Bang & Olufsen advanced sound system; the sweet retracting subwoofers in the dashboard might actually justify the system’s $6,300 price tag. I also loved the power rear and manual side sunshades to keep the sun – and nosy paparazzi – from intruding in the backseat. A power trunk open/close feature, Audi’s parking sensors, and front seat ventilation and massage round out the price tag.

(Cue screeching-halt sound effect.) Wait a minute: Did I just say front seat ventilation and massage? Yes, I sure did. The only thing sexier than a hot young chauffer to drive me around in this car are seats that blow cool air on me and massage my back.

The trunk of the A8 is cavernous enough to fit just about any swanky mom-gear, possibly even a tricked-out Roddler (stroller to the stars), but I do have a bit of a beef with the A8 (you knew it was coming). Now, I absolutely understand that most people would not use this car as their main family-mobile, so Audi wasn’t really thinking about ease of car-seat installation in this vehicle. But, Audi, rich women have kids, too. Even they need to install rear-facing infant seats in the back of their cars, and they might just choose to do so using the Latch system. Despite the fact that Audi’s Latch system rocks in many of its other vehicles – like the Q7 – it happens to suck in the A8. That being said, there’s an amazing amount of legroom back there.

All the same, I was sad to say goodbye to my Audi dream. The A8 transported my brood safely around town in posh celeb style that wasn’t too ostentatious. I adapted effortlessly to both the car and the lifestyle. In fact, the worst part about driving the A8 was cleaning it out before it was swapped for my next ride – a Dodge (ouch).

*For more information on the Audi A8 and its safety features, visit Cars.com. With questions or comments regarding this review, write to editor@motherproof.com.

LET’S TALK NUMBERS

Latch Connectors: 2

Seating Capacity (includes driver): 5

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Galore

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Fair

Fun Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove On): Groove On

Specs

2008 Audi A8

Base price: $70,690

Price as tested: $93,790

Engine: 350-hp, 4.2-liter V-8

Fuel: 16/23 mpg

Length: 199.3″

Width: 74.6″

Ground Clearance: 6″

Turning Radius: 20.5′

Cargo space: 14.6 cu. ft.

NHTSA Crash-Test Ratings

Frontal Impact

Driver’s side: not rated

Passenger’s side: not rated

Side Impact

Front occupant: not rated

Rear occupant: not rated

Rollover resistance: not rated