A8, Like You’ve Never Seen It Before
In today’s world, an overwhelming hunger for attention dominates everything around us. To satisfy it, people often take the path of least resistance, making loud choices designed to generate cheap clicks and polarizing reactions. Against that backdrop, thoughtfully understated solutions feel almost refreshing. It brings to mind an old principle: simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
That is exactly how Andrei’s Audi A8 comes across. At first glance it appears simple and, to the untrained eye, even close to stock. In reality, it is the result of carefully considered decisions that come together to create a refined and balanced package that allows the eye to rest.
In this story, we find out how Andrei achieved this result, where he found inspiration, and what plans he has for the future. The article is illustrated by a gallery from Outraw Automotive.
Is this your first stance car, or have you built something similar before? Where did your interest begin?
Let’s just say this isn’t the very first car I’ve lowered, but I wouldn’t call any of the previous ones stance cars. The first vehicle I fitted with aftermarket wheels and lowered slightly was a Toyota Prius. I even drove Bolt with that car. After that came a Peugeot 306 for one summer, which also received different wheels and a mild drop. Next was a VW Multivan T4, and the Audi is my fourth project. I’ve always been interested in lowered cars, but honestly, I can no longer remember exactly where that interest originally came from.
How did you end up choosing the A8? Was the goal from the start to build something different?
I actually ended up with the A8 completely by accident. A couple of years ago, I needed a new family car, and my original goal was simply to buy a comfortable daily driver. I spent a long time looking for a Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake, a car I had always admired because of its unique body style. Since they are quite rare, the selection was limited.
At some point I had already sold my previous car and was forced to use a rental. Because of that, I didn’t want to spend any more time searching and started looking at what else was available in a similar price range. Since I wanted a well-equipped car and couldn’t find anything suitable, I had to increase my budget. That’s when I came across a well-equipped Audi A8 on Auto24. The funny thing is that I hadn’t even considered a premium-class car before that — something like an S-Class, 7 Series, or A8. I figured there was nothing to lose by simply going to look at it. I arranged a meeting with the owner and went to see it that same evening.
Visually and mechanically, I really liked the car, but I had mixed feelings about whether I could actually afford something like that. I asked the owner if I could take it for a short drive around the block, and after only a few dozen meters I already knew that the car fulfilled all my needs, expectations, and more. From that moment on, the only thing on my mind was how badly I wanted it and where I could find the extra money.
When did the idea of lowering the A8 and making it different first appear?
Right after buying it, my first thought was to replace the wheels because I don’t particularly like Audi’s factory Rotor design. It’s a matter of personal taste. I started browsing forums and groups to gather inspiration and figure out what wheel specifications would work best. Naturally, I also spent plenty of time looking through Instagram. I really liked how 22-inch wheels suited the platform. Since I had never owned wheels that large with such low-profile tires, I decided to find a cheap set first just to see how they would look in real life and how much they would affect ride comfort. One important factor was that my wife uses the Audi most of the time. That meant daily comfort had to remain intact. I found a set of wheels with a classic multi-spoke design. After fitting them and driving the car for a while, I realized it was perfectly livable and, most importantly, my wife wasn’t complaining too much. Naturally, lowering the car became the next step. Thankfully, the A8 came with factory air suspension, which made the process relatively simple.
Are you still using the factory air suspension with modified settings, or has anything else been changed?
Initially, I lowered the car through the factory air suspension calibration. Since the factory system only allows around 17 mm of lowering before certain features stop working – such as adaptive cruise control and Lane Assist – I started looking for alternative solutions. I eventually ordered the most common and convenient option, a Cete Lowering Module. The module works seamlessly with the factory systems, all assistance features continue to function normally, and it also allows multiple ride-height presets to be saved. I enjoyed the result for a while and wasn’t really planning to go any further. At some point I met Andrei from LTWS. I was interested in discussing stance cars, while he was curious about my experience with the lowering module.
Probably the most frequently asked question about the car: how did you end up with the current wheels, and what exactly are they?
Andrei suggested that I apply for Statement. I submitted an application and was accepted. It was my first experience participating in an event like that.
In fact, I had never even attended a similar event as a spectator before. Once I got there, I quickly realized that compared to many of the other builds, my car looked like a stock vehicle with a broken air suspension system. Despite that, the experience was incredibly exciting, and I immediately understood that I wanted to continue attending events like this in the future.
The truth is that my new wheels had already been ordered before Statement. The event simply confirmed that I was moving in the right direction and gave me additional motivation. I don’t remember exactly when, but one evening I was once again scrolling through Instagram looking at cars when I came across a very special Audi A8 D4 equipped with unique wheels. I was completely blown away. I absolutely loved how monoblock full-face wheels suited the D4 A8. Cars like that are extremely rare, even online. Most people choose sporty or more traditional wheel designs. I messaged the owner. Honestly, I didn’t expect a reply, but to my surprise he responded and shared plenty of information about the modifications on his car. I also asked about the wheels and quickly realized they were far beyond my budget.
The inspiration was so strong that I started searching for alternatives. While browsing Drive2.ru, I found information about Chinese wheel manufacturers and the significant improvements in quality over recent years. By chance, I came across someone who mentioned the factory that produced his wheels and spoke very highly of the result. I found the factory’s Instagram page and started researching their capabilities and pricing. I had no interest in copying an existing wheel design one-to-one, so I spent several weeks studying different full-face designs. I even tried designing my own wheel, but my lack of design skills quickly became apparent.
Eventually, I came up with the idea of combining elements from two different wheel designs. I agreed on the final specifications, design, and price with the factory, and production began. The wheels were completed within a few weeks, while shipping took a couple of months. I received them near the end of the season and managed to attend LTWS Closing Meet and Cars & Coffee at Unibet Arena before winter arrived. To my surprise, I even won the Best Wheel category. I’ve never tried to hide the fact that these are Chinese-made wheels. Quite the opposite. Whenever judges or enthusiasts have approached the car, I’ve always told the full story. Most people are shocked by how much — or rather how little — they actually cost. The complete set cost approximately €1,400, including door-to-door shipping. The wheels themselves are forged. The center caps are custom-machined from aluminum and feature my family name. The finish is brushed aluminum with a clear coat. Specifications are 22×10.5 all around. Last season I ran 285/30 tires, but to achieve a more tucked fitment I switched to 265/30 this year.
What’s next? Are there any major changes planned, or are you satisfied with the current setup?
This winter I made a few suspension modifications. The front struts were altered, and I added ZeroValves to the rear air springs. As a result, the car now sits lower than before when aired out, even while retaining mostly factory components. It’s worth mentioning again that this is still, for the most part, my wife’s daily driver. Overall, my goal is to retain as much factory equipment as possible so the car remains just as comfortable and usable every day. I do have plans to make the car even more visually striking and unique, but as always, budget is a major factor. The key is to keep moving forward one step at a time, and so far it feels like I’m heading in the right direction. This season I will once again attend Statement, and I’ve also been accepted to Fitted Fest in Finland. A few more events may find their way onto the calendar as well. I’d like this setup to get as much attention as possible this year.
If you look toward the future, what would be the next step or dream car for you?
The next logical step would be an S8 D4. My dream car is a second-generation Audi R8. The ideal garage would consist of an A8 D4 as a daily driver, an S8 D4 as a project car, and an R8 as a special long-term project.
What kind of car would you like to see featured in a future blog post?
Definitely a stance build — something unusual that people don’t see every day. Something that’s not mainstream. If I had to name a specific example, Tuukka Hämäläinen’s long-wheelbase D4 A8 project would be an excellent choice.
Finally, why should young people today get involved in the hobby car scene?
Honestly, everyone should, not just young people. Most modern cars look exactly the same nowadays. Car culture is a fantastic hobby that can easily become a lifestyle. It creates unforgettable experiences and introduces you to amazing people.
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