Ultra-Lux Audi A8 L Horch Will be for China Only
The Audi A8 L Horch is longer than a Cadillac Escalade, and treats rear-seat passengers to next-level luxury.
When August Horch launched Audi Automobilwerke GmbH Zwickau in 1910, he was fresh off an eponymous automotive venture named Horch. That company didn’t do so well — but fortunately the second time proved the charm. Now, Audi is honoring its founder with an ultra-luxurious trim level for the already-luxurious Audi A8 L. Set to debut at China’s Guangzhou Auto Show later this month, it’s the kind of executive transport that’s best experienced from the rear chairs.
To makes sure the lucky folks in the back have plenty of room to relax out, the wheelbase has been stretched by 5.1 inches, which brings the total length of this land yacht to a whopping 17.88 feet long. For those keeping score, that’s even longer than a Cadillac Escalade, which makes this a formidable sled indeed. In the press release, there’s no word on what that means for the turning radius. But given how comfortable it looks in the back, passengers will likely live if their driver has to go around the block as opposed to flipping a U-turn.
Under the hood, the Audi A8 L Horch packs a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with a 48-volt mild hybrid system. That setup is good for 335 horsepower, and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Honestly, the power figure seems merely — to borrow a phrase from the Rolls-Royce of yesteryear — adequate, especially in an era when the top-spec Toyota Camry is bringing 300 horses to the party. But since it’s basically designed to shuttle Chinese business folks through congested cities? That’s probably plenty.
As the headline says, the Horsch trim level won’t make it to our shores, though it does give US buyers a sneak peak at the A8’s tweaked front fascia, which features updated lighting and a new grille. Look out for more news on the 2022 Audi A8 after the Guangzhou Auto Show kicks off November 22nd, but remember that while American buyers won’t get the extra room in the back, we will almost certainly get a more potent powertrain options to make up for it.
Photos: Audi
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