Audi has built a unique flagship A8 L model in a unique super-stretch limousine format.
At the special request of a European customer, it has created the Audi A8 L extended, measuring 6.36 metres in length with a wheelbase of 4.22 metres.
Audi says the A8 L extended affords exquisite comfort for passengers occupying all of its six seats and further requests have already been received for the bespoke luxury limo.
Taking almost a year to develop and build, Audi claims the exclusive one-off vehicle meets the same standards of the production model in every domain. The major challenges concerned the safety and rigidity of the extra-large body, as well as the styling of the silhouette.
Extended side sills and a centre tunnel made with extruded aluminium sections complement the production model’s Audi Space Frame body which is made almost entirely from aluminium to keep weight down. A double rear bulkhead separates the passenger compartment from the luggage compartment while the roof incorporates additional aluminium profiled tubes and cross-braces to maximise torsional and flexural rigidity.
The representative XXL saloon is 1.1 metres longer than the regular Audi A8 and all of that extra length is between the axles, requiring the entire body from the A-pillar back to be completely reworked to maintain a harmonious roof line, which now includes a 2.40-metre glass panel to enhance the sense of spaciousness.
Sun blinds – one for each row of seats – prevent overheating of the interior in strong sunlight. The headlights and rear lights incorporate small side marker lights, as is prescribed by law for vehicles of this length.
All passengers face the direction of travel in the Audi A8 L extended. The six seats are upholstered in velvet beige Valcona leather. Rows two and three feature electrically adjustable individual seats while the third row has a continuous centre console, a Rear Seat Entertainment display and a cool box.
The A8 L extended is powered by a 3.0 TFSI engine developing 310 PS, delivering up to 440 Nm of torque - enough for 0 to 62 mph in 7.1 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph (electronically limited) – mated to an eight-speed tiptronic gearbox which transfers power to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system.
19‑inch wheels in 15‑spoke design conceal the brake system of the Audi S8, which provides the necessary stopping power for the extra-long luxury saloon, with its unladen weight of 2,418 kg.