A Future Classic? A8 marked the start of modern Audi

Today you can’t go 30 seconds without crossing paths with an Audi – and that’s assuming you don’t have one on your driveway. Regarded as the natural rival to both BMW and Mercedes-Benz, creating a trio of German titans fighting it out for premium-priced bragging rights, Audi is one of the most popular aspirational brands in the UK.

But it wasn’t always a three-way fight. Through the 1980s and into the 1990s, it was more about Stuttgart versus Munich. While Audi were making some fine cars then, it generally played third fiddle to its twin nemeses.

Ferdinand Piëch, fastidious engineer turned chairman of the Volkswagen Group, wanted Audi to be the technological leader of the Group’s brands, which meant a flagship model that pushed boundaries was necessary.

The D2 Audi A8, introduced in 1994, had an aluminium monocoque chassis, designed to be stronger and yet lighter than the equivalent steel set up. It was a fine car, but like its predecessor, the Audi V8, it lacked the visual impact that buyers of luxury cars demanded.

The change of pace increased with the introduction of the B5 Audi A4 in 1995. Replacing the sturdy but somewhat staid 80 range, the A4 looked sharper and had a bit more sparkle in the driving experience while still being well-built. It made Audi a more desirable choice.

Aesthetic appeal came the Audi A8's way with the arrival of 2003's D3 generation. Previewed by the vast, stunning Avantissimo concept estate from 2001, the D3 took the aluminium chassis from its predecessor but clothed it in a clean, muscular body that oozed understated presence. Part of its look was actually down to the fact that creating tight curves in aluminium was more difficult than in steel, but it worked.

The tech continued on the inside. The cabin layout was discreet but luxurious and the A8 introduced features that went on to become Audi standards, such as the MMI interface, adaptive front lighting and continuous damping control. With air suspension it rode beautifully and while it may not have offered the fun factor of the contemporary BMW 7 Series, it was comfortable, remarkably quiet and a brilliant device for devouring long journeys.

The engine line up was fun too, with V6 and V8 petrols, the slightly bonkers V10 petrol in the Audi S8 and the even more ridiculous W12. But arguably the pick of the bunch was the 4.0-litre V8 TDI, which had 335PS, 650Nm of torque and could despatch 0-62mph in 6.3 seconds but would still top 32mpg if you could resist the temptation to floor it.

Rather than trying to beat BMW and Mercedes at their own game, the A8 was Audi’s own take on what a luxury saloon should be and was all the better for it. The D2 was the car of the main protagonist in The Transporter 2 and Transporter 3 films while other iterations featured in Ronin, The Wolverine and Spider-Man: Homecoming – a sign that Audi’s flagship had the image to make it to the big screen.

Buying one today requires a little bit of circumspection. Like any car that cost £50,000 and up when new over 20 years ago, by the time it’s on its third owner shortcuts start to happen, which can mean big, expensive headaches for you. 

The oily bits tend to be pretty reliable if it’s been looked after, but as they all run quattro all-wheel drive that means keeping an eye on tyre wear and gearbox oil changes. Regular services also tend to be more expensive when you have eight, ten or even 12 cylinders.

Diesel injectors can be an issue on earlier cars and the air-suspended struts and compressor can be expensive to replace if they go wrong. With a lot of electronics as standard, it’s crucial to spend time making sure everything works. MMI screens can get stuck in the dash and displays can go on the blink. While there are repairs and replacements available, chasing numerous electrical gremlins can be hard work.

Buying one is all about just how brave or stupid you are. Smaller-engined variants such as the 3.0- and 3.2-litre petrols and 3.0-litre TDI diesels are safer bets because those engines appear in a wider range of other VW Group products and tend to be cheaper, too. We found a tidy A8 3.0 TDI SE with just over 100,000 miles for £3,500. The more interesting stuff isn’t that much more – we saw a 4.2 V8 TSI with less than 100,000 miles and good history for £4,000.

At the very silly end of things A8 L 6.0 W12s start at around £10,000 – we even saw one with just 12,000 miles for £20,000. Just remember that you’re looking at group 50 insurance, £790 VED a year and 20mpg – if you’re lucky.

Big luxury cars like this often slide down to the bottom of the market all too quickly, which means they can fall off the grid entirely and become relatively rare before their time. While few will lose any sleep over the disappearance of the E65 BMW 7 Series or W220 Mercedes S-Class from our roads, the D2 generation A8 is an interesting and important piece in the history of the Audi we know today.