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Audi A8 Coupé - is it art or can it go?

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Created on June 19, 2020

Reading time 6min

Written by:

Sven Jürisch

Photos:

Audi AG

28

iVM / Archiv

3

Sven Jürisch

1

Audi AG

28

iVM / Archiv

3

Sven Jürisch

1

Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - Coupé-Einzelstück und Serienlimousine vereint

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - als Coupé wirkt der A8 deutlich filigraner und leichter

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BMW 850i (1992) - die "Konkurrenz" von BMW und Mercedes-Benz zum Audi A8 D2 Coupé

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - Beau aus Ingolstadt

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - elegante Silhouette

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - ohne B-Säule

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - das Coupé wirkt deutlich filigraner

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - Coupé und Limousine im Vergleich

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Audi A8 (1995) - die Serienlimousine

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Audi A8 (1995) - die viertürige Limousine

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - Limousine und Coupé vereint

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - Oberklassen-Feeling im Cockpit

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - Cockpit-Atmosphäre

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - komplett ausgestattet

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - Integralsitze

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - Limousine durch das Coupé gesehen

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - das Mobiltelefon integriert

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - integrierte Gurten

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - das Leder kam von Bentley

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - elektrische Sitzverstellung

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - feinstes Leder und Holz

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - edel ausgestattet

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - Komfort im Fond

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - elektrische Fensterheber

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - Audi Space Frame

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - Technik wie in der Limousine

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - V8 mit 300 PS im Coupé

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - Vergleich der Heckpartien

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - gelungene Umwandlung zum Coupé

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - eine Schönheit

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - alle Scheiben mussten neu hergestellt werden

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Audi A8 Coupé (1997) - Innenraum mit feinstem Leder

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Summary

In 1997, an elegant Audi upper-class coupé was presented at the Geneva Motor Show to little attention, and later that year it was also shown at the IAA. It was based on the aluminum A8 and had an extremely coherent and high-quality appearance. Nevertheless, the series decision was negative. A pity, because today this variant in particular would certainly find enthusiastic buyers as a classic. This report tells the story of the Audi A8 Coupé and shows it in many pictures.

This article contains the following chapters

Development as a matter for the boss
Prototype made of aluminum
Elegant with Bentley leather
Off-the-shelf technology
Airy interior
Negative decision out of calculation
Risen from the ruins

Estimated reading time: 6min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Audi in the mid-1990s: the pressure to save money and the absolute determination to take the VW subsidiary to the top. To a place where the customers' checks are just as lavish as the surcharge lists. With the aluminum Audi A8, the Ingolstadt-based company finally achieves more than a respectable success. The successor to the Audi V8 is well received by the rich and famous, but it is a little staid. What is missing is a coupé for the big, wide world from Monaco to St. Tropez. The competition, meanwhile, is offering elegant luxury gliders in the form of the Mercedes-Benz CL Coupé and the BMW 8 Series.

Welcome to Zwischengas!

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