Built to replace the V8 model, the Audi A8 became the company's flagship offering. The Audi A8 has some big competitors in the
Mercedes Benz S-Class as well as the BMW 7 Series. The A8 offers consumers the Quattro all wheel drive on almost all models.
The A8 was introduced in the European market for the 1994 model, though it did not make it to the United States until the 1997 model. The V8 was different from the V8 model that it had replaced as it was based on the D2 platform which was new at the time and was made out of aluminum instead of steel. This platform was dubbed the "Space Frame" because it helped to lesson the weight of the car without it being any less rigid that it would have been. A second generation of the A8 was made available starting in 2003 and it was based on an updated base, which is the D3 platform. The A8 was a big deal because it was the first car ever built on a 100% aluminum platform. The A8 was also the first vehicle to offer six interior air bags starting with the 1997 model.
In 2001 Audi introduced a new W12 engine, which was a 6.0-liter compact, created with two 3.0 liter VR6 engines mated at the crankshaft. The engine was powerful, but only 750 models were ever made with the W12 engine. For the 2005 model year Audi gave the A8 a small facelift. The A8 now sported a fish mouth grille as well as new engines. Now the entry-level engine is a 3.2-liter FSI as well as an optional 4.2-liter diesel V8 engine that provided a significant amount of power for such a vehicle.
There was thought to be an A8 coupe, and a concept car was built and shown at a Automotive show in Germany, but the coupe was never put into production. In fact, only one A8 coupe was every built and is the property of IVM, the company that was hired to build the A8 coupe. The coupe was last seen in 2002 during test drives and Audi does not plan to produce the coupe any time in the near or distant future.
