The Audi A8 leaves without a successor and the focus turns to Volkswagen, 15,000 workers await a decision
The last Audi A8 has left the Neckarsulm line after more than thirty years and without a confirmed successor: the SUVs, led by the Q9, inherit the role of flagship of a model that should not have had such a bitter end.
It is now official. The four-ring brand no longer has any model to compete directly with the luxurious rivals such as BMW and Mercedes, because the Audi A8 has gone down in history for the German manufacturer. The last unit of this luxurious sedan, which has served as the flagship for 32 years, rolled off the assembly lines of Neckarsulm in early October.
The disappearance of the Audi A8 was not a last-minute decision, so to speak, but rather the result of disastrous management by various officials of the manufacturer, especially Markus Duesmann. An executive who will also be remembered for changing the names of iconic models like the Audi A6, whose successor had to fix the issue by delaying its market release.
The phased announcement of the end of the Audi A8
The Audi A8 has been the most prestigious sedan of the brand since its debut in 1994, and it has left without a successor. And it’s not that nobody saw it coming: orders in Germany were closed last February, without ever acknowledging the future of a model that has said goodbye without any ceremony, and perhaps it deserved one.
But Audi executives have only been responsible for designating an internal replacement. Within its internal circles, the role of the highest model in the range has been attributed to the new Audi Q9, which is already on sale in Spain. Outside of the company, it should not be said that this SUV is the replacement for the luxury sedan.
Although for some it may be the trend of the segment, traditional luxury sedans are not lacking as much. High-end manufacturers are betting on large SUVs, but that does not mean that the type of customer for the Audi A8 is reconsidering its position. What they will have to do is look to competitors for what Audi cannot provide, and that it will not be able to do for much longer.
Audi wanted a cutting-edge electric A8
In recent months, there has been more talk about a successor to Audi's most luxurious model, now pointing to the Panamera holding the key. An excuse not to take responsibility for a bad decision that leaves Audi completely out of play against both Porsche and the BMW Series 7 or Mercedes Class S, still more kings.
And all for an electric car like the ambitious Landjet that aimed to be as luxurious and technological as the A8 has been, even ceding part of its technology to the heir of the Bentley Mulsanne. But none of that has become a reality. The British have the electric car that they have always had in mind, but it has been provided by Porsche.
The four generations of the Audi A8, from 1994 to 2026
The first, which debuted in 1994, 32 years ago, became the first model of its category with a lighter aluminum body than conventional steel ones. The technique Audi Space Frame (ASF) was its major innovation, as was the 6.0-liter W12 engine that it introduced in 2001, a year before giving way to the second A8 in history.
The one that arrived in 2002 perfected the aluminum body, introduced the MMI multimedia system, and an adaptive air suspension capable of varying the body height according to the conditions. Those were the unseen innovations; the significant Single Frame grille marked the design of subsequent Audis, up to today.
The third A8 was presented in 2009, and it continued to evolve in all aspects, introducing a more modern design, a W12 engine of 6.3 liters and 500 HP, and entering the hybrid field. The range was also expanded with long-wheelbase variants, in addition to showcasing Matrix LED headlights, which adjust the beam to not dazzle other drivers.
Seven years later, the fourth and last Audi A8 arrives. It debuted in July 2017 and follows the same line of traditional design. But its technology took another significant step forward, not just with its 48 Volt MHEV engines. The active suspension becomes predictive, adjusting each wheel separately, while its driving assistants scale towards level 3 autonomous driving.
Equipped with the components for this level, the traffic jam assistant allowed giving up the steering wheel in certain traffic situations, but it was never activated due to regulatory issues. The final point of a model that perfectly embodied the commercial slogan of being at the forefront of technology.
The Audi A8, still a luxury model, guaranteed jobs
The farewell to the Audi A8 may not be important for the brand since, after all, it represented between 5% and 10% of its production. But for the Neckarsulm plant, it is indeed important because, with around 15,000 employees, it is left without a high-volume model to replace the A8, in the midst of restructuring of the Volkswagen Group. They are requesting the Q4 e-tron; whether they will be granted it is another matter. If not, a large part of those 15,000 will lose their jobs.
* This news is an AI translation of the original content. Motenic.com is part of Motor.es.