The Audi A8 is a full-size car built from 1997 to 2020 over 5 generations. Most were assembled in Germany — 100% of those on record. Between 1997 and 2020 it grew 27 cm longer and gained 260 kg. Engines offered: Hybrid, V6, V8. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the A8 is
The Audi A8 is a full-size car that Audi built from 1997 to 2020 — 24 model years. Our measurements put it at 5 generations, the current one starting in 2020. It has been offered with Hybrid, V6, V8 power. Its closest sibling in the Audi range: A8 L.
Where the A8 is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 180 A8s on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | WAU | 1997-2020 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Audi VIN decide which of these 5 lines your A8 belongs to. What every character in a A8 VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Audi A8 adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
A8 generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the A8's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the A8 that gives 5 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-2002 | 503 cm | 288 cm | 1770 kg | - | - |
| 2005-2008 | 506 cm | 294 cm | 1945 kg | +3 cm | +175 kg |
| 2011-2014 | 512 cm | 299 cm | 1910 kg | +6 cm | -35 kg |
| 2017 | 513 cm | 299 cm | 1985 kg | +1 cm | +75 kg |
| 2020 | 530 cm | 313 cm | 2030 kg | +17 cm | +45 kg |
Between 1997 and 2020 the A8 gained 27 cm in length (+5.4%) and 260 kg in weight (+14.7%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the A8 that is 260 kg against 27 cm. Full dimensions by year →
Audi A8 tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment A8 owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Audi A8 have? Power & range
The Audi A8 is offered with 3 powertrains — 3L 6-cyl, 4L 8-cyl, 3L 6-cyl Hybrid. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 3 for the Audi A8, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 3.0L · 6-cyl | Automatic (S8) | AWD | Premium |
| V8 | 4.0L · 8-cyl | Automatic (S8) | AWD | Premium |
| Hybrid | 3.0L · 6-cyl | Automatic (S8) | AWD | Premium and Electricity |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The A8 by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Audi A8. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | A8 | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 60 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 226 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Insurance | $3,154/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 95 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Audi A8?
The A8 is a full-size car, built from 1997 to 2020 across 5 generations. Engines offered: Hybrid, V6, V8.
Where is the Audi A8 made?
Across 180 cars in our records the split is: Germany (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the A8 have?
5 by our measurements, the latest starting in 2020. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car. Over its life the A8 grew 27 cm longer and gained 260 kg.
What is the Audi A8 warranty?
New models carry 4 years / 50,000 miles basic cover and 4 years / 50,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the A8 reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific A8?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
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