Audi ends A8 production in Neckarsulm after 32 years — Motor1

Audi has ended production of its flagship A8 sedan at its plant in Neckarsulm, Germany. The last vehicle rolled off the assembly line in mid-October, ending the model's 32-year production history at the facility, Motor1 reports.

The Audi A8 has been produced in Neckarsulm since 1994, when the first-generation D2 debuted. The model featured a construction with a significant share of aluminum and Audi Space Frame technology. The current fourth-generation A8 D5 was introduced in 2017, and the sedan was updated in 2021. In February, Audi stopped accepting individual orders for the A8 in Germany.

Capacity to be transferred to other models

The freed-up capacity at the Neckarsulm plant will be used to produce the Audi A5 Sedan and A5 Avant, as well as their S and RS versions. Ending A8 assembly at this facility does not mean Audi is permanently abandoning the model line.

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Marcel Bestle, spokesperson for the A8 model line, previously said that a decision on a successor had already been made. The company intends to unveil it at the end of this decade and promises to provide further details later.

Q9 is the interim flagship

Until the A8 successor appears, Audi's interim flagship is the large Q9 SUV, positioned above the Q7 in the lineup. It is produced in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Volkswagen Group also stated in its Future Plan 2030 that the group's European production capacity exceeds demand by more than 500,000 vehicles. Competitive production programs for the period from 2031 to 2034 have not yet been secured for plants in Neckarsulm, Emden, Zwickau and Hanover. By June 2027, the group plans to develop a sustainable production strategy for its European facilities and assess alternative options for their use.