Neophytes may consider the Audi A8's aluminum skin dull. This is hogwash. A masterpiece of understatement and elegance, the A8 is free of the extraneous detail upon which BMW, Jaguar, and Mercedes-Benz rely to hide errors of proportion or add visual excitement and character. As such, the Audi dazzles with its simple aesthetic. The cabin is not simple, thanks to our test car's mix of Amaretto and black décor punctuated by wood and aluminum trim, but the mix of complex colors and materials ultimately delivers the permeating warmth and timeless class of the Redwood Room at San Francisco's Clift Hotel. Just don't get up close and personal with that silver plastic trim on the dash and doors.