Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2014 BMW 7 SERIES VS 2014 Audi A8 Near Scottsdale, AZ

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the 7 Series xDrive’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The A8 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The 7 Series’ driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The A8 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The 7 Series has standard BMW Assist, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The A8 doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the 7 Series and the A8 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 7 Series for 4 years and 50,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotation, lubrication and any other scheduled maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the A8.

There are over 33 percent more BMW dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the 7 Series’ warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the 7 Series has a standard 210 amp alternator. The A8’s 190 amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2013 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW 16th in reliability. With 14 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 23rd.

The 7 Series has more powerful engines than the A8:

As tested in Car and Driver the Alpina B7 is faster than the A8 4.0T:

On the EPA test cycle the 740i xDrive gets better fuel mileage than the A8 3.0T (19 city/28 hwy vs. 18 city/28 hwy).

The 7 Series stops shorter than the A8:

The Alpina B7’s 245/35R21 front and 285/30R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the A8’s optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Alpina B7 has standard 21-inch wheels. The A8’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the 7 Series can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The A8 doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The 7 Series offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The A8 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The 7 Series SWB offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Audi doesn’t offer an active suspension on the A8.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 7 Series’ wheelbase is longer than on the A8:

The Alpina B7 LWB xDrive handles at .93 G’s, while the A8 L 4.0T pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The 750Li goes through Road & Track’s slalom faster than the A8 L 4.0T (68.7 vs. 67.9 MPH).

The 750Li performs Car and Driver’s emergency lane change maneuver 7.6 MPH faster than the A8 L (68.3 vs. 60.7 MPH).

The 740i executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the A8 (25.8 seconds @ .73 average G’s vs. 26.2 seconds @ .69 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the 7 Series SWB’s turning circle is .4 feet tighter than the A8’s (40 feet vs. 40.4 feet).

The 7 Series is shorter than the A8, making the 7 Series easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces:

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the 7 Series is rated a Large car by the EPA, while the A8 is rated a Mid-size.

The 7 Series SWB has 4.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A8 (106 vs. 101.9).

The 7 Series SWB has 3.4 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom and .2 inches more rear legroom than the A8.

The 7 Series SWB has a larger trunk than the A8 (14 vs. 13.2 cubic feet).

The 7 Series offers an optional heads-up display which projects speed and other key instrumentation readouts onto the windshield, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The A8 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

If the windows are left down on the 7 Series the driver can raise them all using the key in the outside lock cylinder. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from outside the vehicle using the key in the outside lock cylinder or the keyless remote. The driver of the A8 can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

When the 7 Series is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The A8’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

Standard BMW Apps for the 7 Series allows the driver and passengers access to select programs on their smartphones, including reading text messages aloud, playing internet radio stations, tagging songs to buy them later, following twitter accounts and other connected activities without taking their eyes off the road or their hands from the wheel. The A8 doesn’t offer factory integrated smartphone program access.

The 7 Series’ optional Parking Assistant can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The A8 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The BMW 7 Series won the Check it Out award in Kiplinger’s 2013 car issue. The Audi A8 didn't win any award.

The BMW 7 Series outsold the Audi A8/S8 by 74% during the 2013 model year.