Details of the next Audi A8 have just been released, in specifications for the German market. Apart from a new body style, there are two more powerful engines, and a number of drivetrain and operational elements which brigh the car well into the 21st century.

The car will be powered by two V8 engines, a 4.2 litre version with an output of 335bhp and a 3.7 litre version developing 280 bhp.

A 6-speed automatic transmission is standard with tiptronic function, and an optiot is also available to change gear via shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel. The car will feature permanent Audi quattro four-wheel drive.

The air suspension for the new A8's aluminium running gear is a standard feature, and the driver can choose between four predefined settings, for a suspension characteristic ranging from overtly sporty to ultra-comfortable.

Its predecessor, of which over 105,000 were built, was first launched in 1994. The A8 was the first production saloon to have an aluminium body and the low weight of the Audi Space Frame brought a significant gain in operating dynamics

The car will also have a new high-performance brake system with electromechanical parking brake, as well as an automatic tyre pressure monitoring system, two-stage airbag activation and the Audi SIDEGUARD head-level airbag system. Adaptive cruise control radar-assisted distance control will also be available.

The new Audi A8 will be 5.05-metre long, 1.89-metre wide and 1.44-metre high. Strikingly arched surfaces are the key theme for the body style, with a silhouette of flat front and short body overhangs, and a highly contoured rear end.

Inside, the central architectural features are the high centre consoleand the car will have a new generation of multifunctional steering wheels with touch keys and menu roller controls by means of which the driver conducts a ‘dialogu’ with the communication systems.

The instrument panel has large circular tubular-look instruments and a central, high-resolution LED display.

There are three new versions of seat available, developed specifically for the A8, to match the various specifications. In addition to the basic version, sport and comfort versions are available as options, with electric seat depth and upper backrest adjustment. This latter feature makes it possible to angle the top two thirds of the backrest, to make it easier to rest the shoulders against it.

There are two versions of climate control system, and a newly developed moisture sensing principle reduces the risk of misted-over windows.

The 500 litre luggage compartment has an automatic boot lid with a gas spring-assisted electric drive opening the luggage compartment smoothly in just a few seconds. When the closing process is initiated, the lid is lowered just as gently and the lock is engaged.

Compared with the previous A8 generation, the number of body components in particular has been significantly reduced by using more functional large castings and extruded section, and the car has the lightest bodyshell in the entire D segment, with its weight is around 50 percent lower than that of an equivalent steel body.

The new A8 is the first luxury-class vehicle to be available with cast aluminium wheels with run-flat properties and the driver can continue for up to 200 kilometres at a maximum speed of 80 km/h even if a tyre is fully deflated.

The headlights are available in three versions: firstly, as ellipsoidal main headlights and, secondly, with high-luminosity xenon Plus technology. The xenon Plus lights contain an ellipsoidal module with the latest-generation system which uses a moving shutter to produce both the dipped and the main beam.