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The last current-generation Audi A8 left the production line in Neckarsulm in mid-October, according to Auto Motor und Sport. The milestone closes 32 years of A8 production at the German plant, where Audi has built its flagship sedan since the original model arrived in 1994. Read the report at Auto Motor und Sport.
A source familiar with Audi’s market-specific production tells ooooIYKYK that the final few weeks of assembly were dedicated to fulfilling orders for North America. German ordering closed earlier this year. That information is supported on Audi’s consumer websites where, as of November 5, the A8 is absent from Audi Germany’s new-model selection but remains listed on Audi USA’s website.
Q-SHIP’S LONG RUN
The top-tier model of any brand tends to be referred to as the “Q-ship”. In that, the A8 was most worthy of the label. Across four generations, the A8 helped establish Audi as a credible competitor alongside the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series.
That line extends back to the Audi V8 (D1) – that car originally a derivative of the 100/200 (C3/type 44) though upgraded for executive class while boasting the brand’s then-new V8 engine and a first-ever automatic transmission paired with quattro. The brand even took the car racing by entering it in the German DTM touring car series where it subsequently won against smaller competitors.
The car to wear the A8 name is thus referred to as D2. Boasting aluminum construction central to its identity, subsequent generations expanded its role as a showcase for Audi’s luxury, chassis and powertrain technology. The outgoing D5 debuted in 2017, giving the fourth generation a nine-year run.
Production space is already being reassigned. An Audi spokesperson told regional broadcaster Radio Ton that the capacity released by the A8’s departure will accommodate A5 Sedan and Avant production in Neckarsulm. A successor’s timing and production location remain unresolved, leaving a gap in Audi’s flagship sedan lineage.
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