RIP: Audi A8 Production Ends, But A Successor Is Planned

Pour one out for Ingolstadt's flagship, though it's only goodbye for now.

By: Adrian Padeanu

Nov 9, at 3:56am ET

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It’s a truly sad time for sedan loyalists like me, as Audi has officially pulled the plug on A8 production at its Neckarsulm factory in Germany. According to Auto Motor and Sport, the last example of the flagship luxury sedan rolled off the assembly line in mid-October, ending a 32-year production run at the facility. While this doesn't necessarily spell the end of the A8 nameplate, Audi has yet to decide what comes next for its Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7 Series rival.

The A8 has called Neckarsulm home since 1994, when the original D2 generation debuted with an aluminum-intensive construction that helped set it apart from its German rivals. Audi's Space Frame technology was a major talking point then, showing the company could compete in the big leagues by taking on the full-size luxury sedan establishment.

Over the years, the A8 evolved through four generations, with the current D5 arriving in 2017. Following a mid-cycle facelift in 2021, the fourth-generation model has now reached the end of its natural life cycle. Audi had already stopped accepting individual orders in Germany back in February, leaving customers to choose from whatever cars remained in dealer inventory.

2018 Audi A8 50 TDI

It's Only Goodbye For Now

With production now over, the assembly capacity freed up at Neckarsulm will be used to build the A5 Sedan and A5 Avant, along with their S and RS derivatives. That's a considerably less glamorous assignment than assembling Audi's flagship, but it reflects changing priorities: full-size luxury sedans just aren’t selling as well as they used to. Well, at least the A8 isn't, as the S-Class and 7 Series are still going strong. But there's another car in this segment that's about to kick the bucket: the Lexus LS.

The A8's departure from Neckarsulm doesn't necessarily mean Audi is abandoning the luxury sedan segment permanently. It’s only goodbye for now, with the model line’s spokesperson, Marcel Bestle, telling us earlier this year that a replacement is coming before 2030:

'The decision on an A8 successor has been taken and we intend to present it towards the end of this decade. We are going to communicate further details in due course. The Audi Q9 is going to expand the Audi portfolio at the top as large full-size SUV.'

2018 Audi A8 50 TDI

Audi's New Temporary Flagship Is An SUV

Indeed, at least until a potential successor arrives, the Q9 is Audi's flagship model. The large luxury SUV sits above the Q7, targeting customers who want more space and road presence than a conventional sedan can provide. Made in Bratislava, Slovakia, it’s been a long time coming, as Ingolstadt never had a proper three-row, full-size SUV, leaving money on the table for Mercedes and BMW to take with the GLS and X7, respectively.

It would've been interesting to see Audi give the A8 another shot, especially now that the brand is introducing a fresh design language across its lineup. A new flagship sedan with the latest styling cues could have been quite something, and we have a rendering (attached below) that imagines how it might look.

Of course, this is purely speculative artwork with no official connection to Audi. Still, it does make us wonder what a next-generation A8 could have looked like if the company had decided to keep its flagship alive. The Concept C and Nuvolari look promising, and we’re curious to see how the fresh styling would translate to a sedan. We won’t have to wait for the A8 comeback to find out, since the electric A4 will be the first sedan from the Four Rings to adopt the new design language.

2018 Audi A8 50 TDI

What Happens To Audi's Neckarsulm Plant?

The A8's demise also raises questions about the future of the Neckarsulm plant, where Audi assembled its flagship. The facility could be facing an uncertain future after Volkswagen Group's Supervisory Board approved its Future Plan 2030. The strategy acknowledges that the group's European production capacity exceeds demand by more than 500,000 vehicles and admits that it cannot currently secure competitive production allocations for Neckarsulm, Emden, Zwickau, and Hanover between 2031 and 2034.

The VW Group says it will develop a sustainable production strategy for its European plants by June 2027 while also assessing alternative uses for the affected facilities. The plan doesn't mean Neckarsulm is destined to close, but the fact that Audi's factory is explicitly mentioned among the sites without secured production beyond 2030 is hardly reassuring.

Next-generation Audi A8 unofficial rendering

Photo by: Luca Serafini | Instagram

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A New A8 Likely Wouldn't Save Neckarsulm

Realistically, bringing back a full-size luxury sedan like the A8 wouldn't be enough to turn things around for Neckarsulm. Still, we'd like to think this isn't the end of the road for Audi's flagship. Whether it returns as a fully electric successor, with combustion engines, or somewhere in between as a plug-in hybrid, we hope the A8 nameplate eventually makes a comeback in some capacity in Neckarsulm or somewhere else.

A brand that aims to compete with BMW and Mercedes shouldn't lack a proper flagship. Until then, the A8 nameplate remains dormant, and the Q9 becomes the top dog.