Audi has officially ended production of the A8 luxury saloon at its Neckarsulm factory in Germany, bringing an end to a 32-year production run for the brand’s flagship executive car. But could the Audi A8 return before the end of the decade?

According to Auto Motor und Sport, the final Audi A8 rolled off the production line in mid-October 2026. First introduced in 1994, the A8 helped establish Audi as a serious rival to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series, thanks in part to its pioneering aluminium Space Frame construction.

The fourth-generation D5 model arrived in 2017 and received a facelift in 2021. However, with demand for full-size luxury saloons declining, Audi stopped accepting individual orders in Germany in February 2026.

The end of production doesn’t necessarily mean the Audi A8 nameplate is finished. Audi has previously indicated that a potential successor could arrive before 2030, although a final decision on the next-generation A8 remains outstanding.

For now, the new Q9 luxury SUV takes over as Audi’s flagship model, while the Neckarsulm factory will switch production capacity towards the A5 Sedan, A5 Avant and their S and RS derivatives.

There are also wider questions about the factory’s future. Volkswagen Group has acknowledged excess European production capacity of more than 500,000 vehicles, with Neckarsulm among several plants without secured production allocations beyond 2030.

The Audi A8 may yet return, but for now, an important chapter in German luxury car history has come to an end.