Audi A8

Audi A8
Facelift Audi A8 (D4)
Overview
Manufacturer	Audi AG (Volkswagen Group)
Also called	Audi S8
Production	D2: 1994–2002 D3: 2002–2009 D4: 2009–present
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size luxury car (F)
Body style	4-door sedan
Layout	Longitudinal front-engine, front-wheel-drive or quattro permanent four-wheel-drive
Chronology
Predecessor	Audi V8

First generation (D2/4D)
Pre-facelift Audi A8 4.2 quattro (US)
Overview
Production	June 1994 – August 4, 2002
Assembly	Germany: Neckarsulm Japan: Tokyo (AMA; 1995–1998)
Designer	Chris Bird; Dirk van Braeckel (1991)
Body and chassis
Platform	Volkswagen Group D2
Powertrain
Engine	V6 petrol engine 2.8 V6 V8 petrol engine 3.7 V8 4.2 V8 W12 engine 6.0 W12 V6 diesel engine 2.5 TDI V6 V8 diesel engine 3.3 TDI V8
Transmission	Manual transmission 5-speed manual 6-speed manual (S8) Automatic transmission 4-speed ZF 4HP24 automatic 5-speed ZF 5HP19 automatic 5-speed ZF 5HP24 automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	SWB: 2,882 mm (113.5 in) LWB: 3,010 mm (118.5 in)
Length	SWB: 5,034 mm (198.2 in) LWB: 5,164 mm (203.3 in)
Width	1,880 mm (74.0 in)
Height	1,438 mm (56.6 in)
Kerb weight	2.5: 1,630 kg (3,590 lb) (TDI) 2.5: 1,735 kg (3,825 lb) (TDI AWD) 3.3: 1,860 kg (4,100 lb) (TDI AWD) 2.8: 1,540 kg (3,400 lb) 3.7: 1,645 kg (3,627 lb) 3.7: 1,725 kg (3,803 lb) (AWD) 4.2: 1,750 kg (3,860 lb) (AWD) 4.2: 1,845 kg (4,068 lb) (US) 4.2: 1,790 kg (3,950 lb) (AWD A8L) 4.2: 1,885 kg (4,156 lb) (US) 6.0: 1,950 kg (4,300 lb) 6.0: 1,980 kg (4,370 lb) (AWD A8L) S8: 1,730 kg (3,810 lb) S8: 1,845 kg (4,068 lb) (US)

Second generation (D3/4E)
Pre-facelift Audi A8 4.2 quattro
Overview
Production	August 2002 – November 2009
Assembly	Germany: Neckarsulm
Designer	Miklós Kovács, Imre Hasanic, Dany Garand (1999)
Body and chassis
Platform	Volkswagen Group D3
Powertrain
Engine	V6 petrol engine 2.8 L V6 3.0 L V6 3.2 L V6 FSI V8 petrol engine 3.7 L V8 4.2 L V8 V10 petrol engine 5.2 L V10 FSI W12 engine 6.0 L W12 V6 diesel engine 3.0 L V6 TDI V8 diesel engine 3.9 L V8 TDI 4.1 L V8 TDI
Transmission	Automatic transmission 6-speed ZF 6HP26 tiptronic automatic Continuously variable transmission LuK multitronic CVT
Dimensions
Wheelbase	SWB: 2,944 mm (115.9 in) LWB: 3,074 mm (121.0 in)
Length	SWB: pre 2007: 5,051 mm (198.9 in), post 2007: 5,062 mm (199.3 in) LWB: pre 2007: 5,181 mm (204.0 in), post 2007: 5,192 mm (204.4 in)
Width	1,894 mm (74.6 in)
Height	SWB: 1,444 mm (56.9 in) LWB: 1,455 mm (57.3 in)
Kerb weight	1,670–1,990 kg (3,682–4,387 lb)

Third generation (D4/4H)

Overview
Production	2010–present
Assembly	Germany: Neckarsulm Russia: Kaluga (Volkswagen Group Rus)
Designer	Christian Winkelmann (2007)
Body and chassis
Platform	Audi MLB
Powertrain
Engine	Inline-four petrol engine 2.0 I4 T FSI V6 petrol engine 2.5 V6 FSI (China) 3.0 V6 TFSI V8 petrol engine 4.0 V8 TFSI 4.2 V8 FSI W12 engine 6.3 W12 FSI V6 diesel engine 3.0 V6 TDI V8 diesel engine 4.2 V8 TDI
Transmission	Automatic transmission 8-speed ZF 8HP tiptronic automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,992 mm (117.8 in) 3,122 mm (122.9 in) (LWB)
Length	5,131 mm (202.0 in) 5,267 mm (207.4 in) (LWB)
Width	1,948 mm (76.7 in)
Height	1,461 mm (57.5 in)
Kerb weight	2,000 kg (4,409.2 lb) A8 4.2L 2,020 kg (4,453.3 lb) A8 L 4.2L 2,165 kg (4,773.0 lb) A8 L 6.3L

The Audi A8 is a four-door, full-size, luxury sedan manufactured and marketed by the German automaker Audi since 1994. Succeeding the Audi V8, and now in its third generation, the A8 has been offered with both front- or permanent all-wheel drive—and in short- and long-wheelbase variants. The first two generations employed the Volkswagen Group D platform, with the current generation deriving from the MLB platform. After the original model's 1994 release, Audi released the second generation in late 2002, and the third and current iteration in late 2009.

Notable for being the first mass-market car with an aluminium chassis, all A8 models have used this construction method co-developed with Alcoa and marketed as the Audi Space Frame.

A mechanically-upgraded, high-performance version of the A8 debuted in 1996 as the Audi S8. Produced exclusively at Audi's Neckarsulm plant, unlike the donor A8 model, the S8 has been available only in short-wheelbase form and is fitted standard with Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system.

In 1982, Ferdinand Piëch signed an agreement with Aluminum Company of America. The objective was to design and develop a car that would be substantially lighter than any other vehicles in its class (to compensate for the fact that standard all-wheel drive was around 100 kg heavier than competitors' rear-wheel drive). In the late 1980s, it was decided that the target vehicle would be a successor to the V8 (Typ 4C) flagship introduced in 1988. By 1991, a final design by Chris Bird and Dirk van Braeckel was chosen and frozen for series production in 1992. In September 1993, the Audi Space Frame (ASF) Concept was unveiled at the 1993 Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) as a D2 Typ 4D prototype in polished aluminum. Pilot production began in December 1993 and development ended in early 1994, at a total cost of $700 million (£418.1 million).

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Wikipedia