Measuring up at 5.27 m (17.28 ft) long, most wouldn't consider the regular Audi A8 L too short. But one particularly wealthy European buyer isn't most people, and has commissioned an even longer, six-door A8. Measuring 6.36 m (20.9 ft) from nose to tail, the A8 L extended is almost a meter longer than the 5.45 m (17.9 ft) Mercedes-Maybach S600, and makes BMW's 5.24 m (17.72 ft) long wheelbase 7 Series look like a Ford Fiesta.
To make sure all that added length didn't turn the A8 into a heavy, floppy barge, the body has been made mostly of aluminum. The side sills and and transmission tunnel have been made longer using extruded aluminum sections, which help channel air more efficiently through the center of the car.
A double rear bulkhead isolates the rear passengers from the trunk, and the roof of the car has been reinforced with additional aluminum tubes and cross-braces to keep rigidity within the same realm as the regular A8 L. Embedded in the roof is also a 2.4 m (7.9 ft) glass panel, which can be covered up with sun blinds if any of the six passengers is feeling a bit warm.
Those passengers are seated in six individual forward-facing seats, each upholstered in beige Valcona leather and fully adjustable, which puts it up there with Volvo's Lounge Console for luxury interior-quirkiness.
Power comes from Audi's 3.0-liter engine producing 228 kW (210 hp) and 440 Nm (325 lb.ft) of torque. That might not sound like all that much, but it's enough to send all 2,418 kg (5,331 lb) of the A8 L extended to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a sprightly 7.1 seconds. Top speed is limited to 250 km/h (155 mph), but you'd want to have a lot of faith in the S8-derived brakes to try and reach it.
As you'd imagine, Audi hasn't released pricing details, but it has said other wealthy customers have requested the car be recreated for them.
Source: Audi
