Audi might revive historic Horch name with the A8 W12

 - Badge will adorn the ultra luxury variants of the A8

 - W12 engine might finally make in-roads into the fourth-gen A8

Names of historic car brands have a certain ring to it and add a lot of charm. Mercedes-Benz is already using the Maybach tag for the ultra-luxurious versions of the S-Class and now Audi has decided to revive the Horch brand for its flagship A8 range.

According to sources, the Horch name will be applied to a new variant of the Audi A8 powered by a twin-turbo W12 engine. Now the W12 isn’t big news considering all generations of the A8 have featured it, however it is yet to be introduced in the fourth-generation model. Should the W12 not make it, the V8 will get the Horch badge. Distinguishing the Horch models will be extra badging on the C-pillar along with extra equipment and styling tweaks.   

Horch is one of four brands merged to form Auto Union in 1932, alongside Audi, DKW, and Wanderer. Production of Horch-branded vehicles stopped in 1940 in favour of war-related efforts.