2011 Audi A8 L W12 - 2010 Beijing Auto Show

What is it?
2011 Audi A8 L W12

What's special about it?
What? Those letters tacked on to the end of the name don't spell it out for you? Well then, allow us to translate.

The "L" means long wheelbase, although it really means longer wheelbase, as the standard A8 is already a pretty sizable sedan. In this case, the A8 L gets a 5-inch stretch in both overall length and wheelbase. That puts the wheelbase at 122.9 inches, which is still short of the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but longer than a Lexus LS.

All that room goes straight to the rear seats, which are easier to access thanks to longer rear doors. A three-passenger setup is standard and no doubt perfectly comfortable. Should you not have that many friends to cart around, a pair of adjustable bucket seats is optional. These are not your average rear seats either as they feature heating, ventilation and six-way adjustment. There is also a fully adjustable lumbar support.

If that's not quite coddling enough, a full-length console is also optional. It can accommodate things like a refrigerator or a folding table along with full control of the rear ventilation and your very own MMI controller. Of course, rear seat entertainment screens are also optional.

Getting all that opulence up and going is no small task, so Audi also introduced its reworked W12 engine. Now displacing 6.3 liters and featuring direct injection, the A8's W12 engine produces 493 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission handles the shifts, and Quattro all-wheel drive is standard. The torque split is 40/60 front to rear and there's even an optional sport differential with torque-vectoring capabilities. Audi says it'll do zero to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds.

To help separate the W12 from the run-of-the-mill A8s, Audi added several unique exterior upgrades. All W12s will get Audi's exclusive new full LED headlight system along with a blacked-out grille with chrome accents and trapezoidal exhaust outlets in back. A set of unique 19-inch wheels is also standard, as is an upgraded brake system with 15.75-inch rotors up front and 14-inchers in back.

In the U.S., the A8 L with the W12 won't be available until the spring of 2011. Starting in the fall, however, you can order either the standard wheelbase or the A8 L with the 4.2-liter V8.

Inside Line says: A much more accommodating version of the A8 that's sure to dominate the sales mix. Still, we're finding it hard to love the A8's styling, and adding a little extra length didn't change that much. — Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor