Audi has officially ceased production of the A8 luxury sedan at its Neckarsulm facility in Germany. The final unit of the flagship model left the assembly line in mid-October, concluding a 32-year manufacturing history at the site. The company had stopped accepting individual customer orders for the vehicle in Germany as of February.
The production capacity at the Neckarsulm plant will now be reallocated to the assembly of the A5 Sedan and A5 Avant, including their S and RS variants. This shift reflects a broader decline in sales for full-size luxury sedans. Meanwhile, the Audi Q9, manufactured in Bratislava, Slovakia, will serve as the brand's new flagship model.
Despite the current halt, Audi plans to introduce a successor to the A8 before 2030. Company spokesperson Marcel Bestle confirmed that a decision regarding the new model has been finalized, with further details expected in the future. The specific format of the upcoming vehicle, whether electric or combustion-based, remains to be determined.
The future of the Neckarsulm plant remains under review as part of the Volkswagen Group's Future Plan 2030. The strategy notes that the group's European production capacity exceeds demand by over 500 000 vehicles. Consequently, the facility is among those without secured production allocations for the 2031–2034 period, with a sustainable strategy due by June 2027.
