Could it bring back the Horch name?

Much like the ill-fated Volkswagen Phaeton stepped on the Audi A8’s toes back in the 2000s, the Ingolstadt-based marque will level up its luxury game with a new car that might clash with the Bentley Flying Spur. It won’t be a standalone model like VW’s fullsize luxury sedan was, but a posh derivative of the company’s flagship vehicle. The decision to put the A8 in a more expensive tuxedo was officially announced this week during the firm’s Annual General Meeting.

Details are scarce at the moment as Audi is only saying the A8 in question will serve as an “especially luxurious and prestigious derivative.” The use of the word “prestigious” hints it might have something to do with the company’s past, possibly with the beginnings of the brand when August Horch joined forces with Salli Herz to create Horch & Cie. Motorwagenwerke AG in 1904. Five years later, Horch established a new company – August Horch Automobilwerke GmbH – and eventually renamed it Audi Automobilwerke in 1910.

These Were Also Announced During The Meeting:

Ok, so what does have to do with the new luxed-up A8? Well, a report published by Automotive News in September 2018 said something about a possible revival of the “Horch” name (Audi is the Latin translation of “horch”) for a fancier version of Audi’s range topper. The car in question is expected to be based on the A8 L but without an additional stretch of the wheelbase like it’s the case with the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class compared to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

We’ve Driven The A8 Several Times:

“Equipment beyond the regular A8” is rumored, as well as bespoke alloy wheels and the “Horch” badge adorning the front fenders or the C-pillars. Underneath the hood, the VW Group’s twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 will drive the Quattro all-wheel-drive system and should have at least the 585 horsepower of the regular A8 or even the full-fat 626 hp available in recent Bentley models like the Continental GT or the Bentayga Speed.

While Audi only announced the model without providing a timetable regarding its release, the fancier A8 is rumored to debut with the vehicle’s mid-cycle refresh. Taking into account the current-gen car was launched towards the end of 2017 in Europe, it likely means the facelift will be unveiled around 2021.

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