Though the traditional major auto shows have gone into that long hiatus between Geneva in the Spring and Paris in the fall, Audi's product onslaught continues unabated through launches at more regional shows as we'll see tomorrow with the facelifted TT's unveiling at AMI Leipzig or at the up and coming Auto Beijing later this month. Sources inside Audi tell us Ingolstadt will reveal the long wheelbase version of its all-new A8 flagship at the Chinese motor show.

As markets go, China has become very serious business for Audi. It has quickly surpassed both the USA and the UK in volume and is even expected to surpass Audi's home market of Germany very soon. The Chinese also have a thing for long wheelbase cars, with domestically built Audi A4L and A6L major components in the Chinese Audi range. Given the factors, Shanghai seems the perfect place to unveil the brand's latest long-wheelbase offering, the D4-generation A8L.

We've not yet seen the car, but reports have suggested the new A8L will differ more radically from the standard A8 than did previous generations of the car. While the D4 made due with longer doors and roofline, we hear the new A8L may also feature a more unique C-pillar treatment from the standard car though this is all the detail we've heard thus far.

Auto Beijing press day is April 23.

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