Stretch limousines are now quite infamous. Usually it's not just old American Lincoln that looks ailing in the light, but also extremely elongated Hummer H2 or the like. Subtly is different, especially since the clientele who book into this vehicle usually hangs out of the windows screeching loudly, pouring the sweetest possible sparkling wine into it. The Audi A8 L Extended has as much to do with this as the devil has with holy water. The Ingolstadt-based company knows how to convince both with its elongated shape and with its elegant choice of colors.
A total of 6,36 meters is a word. One might suspect a delivery truck or the like behind this dimension, but it is an Audi A8 L that has been extended by a full 1,09 meters. However, the conversion was not carried out as we know it so far, but according to Audi standards. The first-class shuttle has been brought up to the level of the production model in that the chassis continues to be made entirely of aluminum and the Audi space frame construction is used. For the extension, the designers used side skirts and a center tunnel made of the light precious metal for which the Ingolstadt-based company is known. Aluminum tube profiles in the roof and a double rear wall between the trunk and passenger compartment should ensure sufficient rigidity. Equipped in this way, the Audi A8 L Extended achieves an extremely high torsional stiffness for this type of vehicle. It should be almost at the level of the series A8.
In contrast to the mostly white stretch limousines of this world, the six-door A8 L Extended drives up almost cautiously. The "moonlight blue" is discreet on the outer skin. In addition, the lines look very skilful: Not only was a disdainful extension incorporated, but the long concept was already started to be integrated from the A-pillar.
To ensure that the passengers in the interior - all positioned in the direction of travel - are greeted by a pleasant sense of space, the Ingolstadt-based company installed a 2,4 meter-long glass panel in the roof. Here you can in each row a blind on or take off, depending on the desired light intensity. You are bedded on individual seats, all of which can be electrically adjusted and are covered with fine Valcona leather. The color scheme in velvety beige ensures a suitable contrast.
But under the hood of the long Bayern sits no top motorization, as one might expect. Eight or twelve cylinders? Nausea: Just half is working, makes the Ingolstadt but not to the dune. The 3.0 TFSI makes 310 PS and develops 440 Nm, which should be able to crack the 7,1 km / h mark in 100 seconds. Politically correct regulates the long A8 at 250 km / h. Typical Audi is again the four-wheel drive "quattro", which receives the power of an eight-speed Tiptronic. So that the good 2,4 tons of heavy vehicle can be decelerated properly, they resorted to the brake system of the Audi S8.
There is no series production so far, as this model is a one-off production for a European customer. But further orders are already received at Audi. Let's see when we actually see such a copy.