The Audi A8 L is the long-wheelbase version of Audi’s flagship luxury sedan. It first appeared in fall 2010, when Audi launched the A8 L as the extended-body counterpart to the new A8, giving the model line a more spacious rear cabin and a more chauffeur-focused character. In Audi’s own reporting, the A8 L was introduced as the top version of the A8 line, beginning with the W12 variant and establishing the long-wheelbase format as a core part of the nameplate.
The A8 L has remained in continuous production since that debut, evolving alongside the broader A8 family. The second major era arrived with the fourth-generation A8 introduced in 2017, which brought a new design language, a more advanced interior, and updated electronics while continuing the A8 L as the stretched-wheelbase flagship. Audi later refreshed the series in 2021 and 2022, keeping the A8 L at the center of the brand’s luxury sedan range.
Over time, the A8 L has become especially associated with rear-seat comfort, understated prestige, and Audi’s most advanced sedan technologies. It has also served as the basis for notable high-end derivatives, including armored Security versions and the A8 L Horch for China, which reflects the nameplate’s role as the most formal and executive-oriented expression of the A8 line. For Audi, the A8 L represents the brand’s long-wheelbase flagship tradition rather than a separate standalone model, and it remains the definitive extended version of the A8.