Audi has reportedly discontinued its flagship A8 luxury sedan, closing order books with no immediate successor planned. According to reports from Motor1, the automaker halted orders in Germany for the model, which has been in production since 2017.
The decision is attributed to slumping sales, the model's age, stricter emissions regulations, and the market shift towards SUVs. An Audi spokesperson confirmed the soft discontinuation, noting remaining inventory will be sold in coming months, but did not comment on the high-performance S8 variant.
The A8's potential end marks a significant shift in the luxury sedan segment. It competed directly with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series, pioneering technologies like an all-aluminum space frame and early Level 3 autonomous driving features. The model also gained fame through appearances in films like 'Ronin' and the 'Transporter' series.
With no concrete plans for a next-generation A8, and following similar discontinuations of rivals like the Lexus LS, the era of large luxury sedans appears to be waning in favor of high-end SUVs.