Audi Axes The Luxurious A8 After 32 Years

After 32 years and four generations, the Audi A8 has ended production. The final example of this flagship luxury sedan rolled off the Neckarsulm factory in Germany in mid-October, after Audi stopped taking orders for the car earlier in the year. With the A8 dead, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series now have one less rival to worry about.

The original A8 debuted in early 1994, and two years later, Audi released the more powerful S8 version, equipping it with an upgraded naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V8 delivering 355 horsepower. The A8 was also famously sold with a 6.0-liter W12. In late 2002, the second-generation A8 launched and was sold with several different engines, including a V6 petrol, V8 petrol, V10, W12, and even two V6 and V8 diesels.

Through its third and fourth generations, the Audi A8 remained a popular option for those in the market for a high-end, luxury sedan. However, in more recent years, it has started to feel a little dated compared to the newer Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series. The current-gen S-Class was launched in 2020 and was recently updated for the 2027 model year, while the current 7 Series hit the market in 2022. By comparison, the fourth-gen A8 dates back to 2017.

The end of A8 production leaves a hole in Audi's line-up. Somewhat filling the void left by the A8 will be the new Audi Q9, the company's long-awaited rival to the Mercedes-Benz GLS and BMW X7. It's significantly bigger than the Q7 and is shaping up to be the company's most luxurious new model. Audi will sell the Q9 in six- and seven-seat configurations and has fitted it with a huge panoramic glass roof with advanced ambient lighting, a whole host of plush materials, up to three screens on the dashboard, and MagSafe wireless chargers.

Though no direct successor to the A8 has been confirmed, Audi may have something up its sleeve. Auto Motor und Sport believes the German brand is in talks with Huawei to use its vehicle architecture for a new luxury sedan in China. Details about this new model are limited, including whether or not it will be sold outside of China. If this model does see the light of day, it would follow in the footsteps of other Chinese-built Audi models, most notably the E5 Sportback and E7X sold under the capitalized AUDI brand and co-developed with SAIC Motor.

Sales of the plush Audi A8 began to dry up toward the end of its lifecycle. Sales of the luxury sedan peaked at over 6,000 units in the U.S. in 2013, but they have been steadily declining ever since. In 2025, just 1,406 were sold. By comparison, BMW sold 11,393 examples of the 7 Series in the U.S. in 2025, while Mercedes sold 7,408 S-Class models.