The Audi A8 is a full-size luxury sedan built by the German automaker, Audi which was unveiled in 1994 and is now in its fourth generation available in regular and long-wheelbase variants. The A8 is the first mass-produced car with an aluminum body and chassis.

1994 – 2001

The first-generation Audi A8 was released in 1994 and was built on Volkswagen’s Group D2 platform which is also referred to as the Audi Space Frame. The exterior features discrete looks with a long hood, a black grille with a chrome outline, and a chrome Audi logo, flanked by rectangular headlights on the sides and 16-inch alloy wheels.

The cabin offered premium quality materials with a superbly built interior, comfortable, easy to use, and luxurious features. This A8 came fitted with 2.8-liter V6 petrol engine with 172 hp and optional engines 3.7-liter and 4.2-liter V8 with 230 hp and 300 hp. These engines were coupled with either a 4-speed automatic, 5-speed manual, or 5-speed sequential transmission.

2002 – 2008

The second-generation A8 was introduced in 2002 featuring a more rounded shape, clear-cut Bi-Xenon HID headlights, a single-frame grille, and a chrome Audi logo. The interior has a classy-looking and well-finished interior with comfortable and supportive electric seats and classic four-spoke steering. The dashboard is clear and easy to read, while the center console is fitted with Audi’s MMI (Multi-Media Interface). 

The A8 is fitted with a 3.2-liter FSi engine and later introduced a 4.2-liter V8 TDi diesel engine with 326 hp which Audi proclaimed to be the world’s most powerful production diesel engine. 

2009 – 2016

The third generation A8 was released in 2009 and retained Audi’s Space Frame aluminum construction. The exterior has a redesigned single-frame grille, redesigned Xenon headlights with LED DRLs, and foglights. The A8 cabin is luxurious featuring Audi’s Multi-Media Interface (MMI) system with touchpad & handwriting recognition, leather upholstery, heated front and rear seats, 16-way power front seats, a parking system with a rearview camera and proximity sensors, climate control, a navigation system, Bluetooth, a 12-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system with iPod connectivity, satellite radio, and a CD changer.

This A8 came fitted with 4.2-liter V8 petrol engine with 350 hp and 3.0-liter TDI Quattro diesel engine with 250 hp or the 6.3-liter 12-cylinder petrol engine with 450 hp paired to a six-speed Tiptronic automatic or 8-speed automatic transmission.

2017 – Present

The fourth-generation A8 was released in 2017 featuring a larger redesigned hexagonal chrome grille, new HD Matrix LED headlights with dynamic indicators, drawn-out shoulders, a panoramic glass sunroof, heated and power-folding mirrors with dynamic indicators, auto-dimming mirrors, and 19-inch wheels.

The A8 came fitted with a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 petrol engine, a  twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 petrol engine, or a hybrid version that uses a 3.0-liter engine combined with a motor with a combined output of 443 hp paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

2022 Facelift

In 2022 Audi introduced an upgraded A8 with some styling makeover, including a new grille, redesigned front and rear bumpers, revised headlights, and taillights lighting. The 2022 A8 has an impressive cabin with five seats and creates a pair of heated and ventilated power-adjustable rear seats. The 2022 A8 comes with Audi’s Virtual Cockpit with a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, 10.1-inch upper and 8.6-inch lower touchscreens with Audi’s MMI Touch Response system, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and two upfront USB ports with Amazon Alexa compatibility. 

The 2022 A8 comes with a turbocharged V6 with 335 hp which is boosted by a 48-volt hybrid system paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Finally

The Audi A8 is a luxurious car with pioneered technologies that have been ahead of time and has been built on an aluminum frame and body making it light and efficient. You can check the Audi A8 stocklist for more affordable and available models for you.