Audi A8 To Be Unveiled At 'Art Of Progress' Exhibition November 30
The reveal will take place at the Audi Pavilion, a temporary museum structure built on Miami Beach in proximity to the iconic Fontainebleau hotel. The reveal and exhibition will coincide with the Vernissage of "The Art of Progress" exhibit, which itself is inspired by key attributes of the new A8, as well as the Audi brand's core philosophy. The event is invitation-only, but High Gear Media will be there to bring you the
car as soon as it's unveiled
The aluminum spaceframe body will carry over from the current model, saving engineers more than 150kg compared with a conventional steel body. The car’s final curb weight is expected to range from between 3,630 pounds and 4,180 pounds depending on the model specification. The new rendering diverges somewhat from earlier previews of the car with new air intakes in the front air dam and redesigned LED-edged headlights.
Distinguishing features will be a large single-frame grille, LED daytime running lights and a coupe-like profile. In a previous interview, Audi's chief designer Stefan Sielaff explains: "The first generation was very dogmatic and product-design-like. With the second generation, the theme was 'elegance'—softer, flowing lines. The upcoming third generation will be stronger, sharper, and more precise."
Sielaff also revealed that the new A8 will be “the first of a new styling language at Audi”. In 2008 Audi released
several teaser sketches of its future product lineup, including the new D4 A8.
Under the new sheet metal will be an extended version of the modular platform used in the A4, but expect to see more exotic materials such as aluminum and magnesium employed to help save further weight and improve dynamics. The base model will remain FWD but AWD variants will feature the latest quattro torque vectoring SportDifferential, which distributes drive individually between each axle and between the rear wheels for improved traction and stability. There will also be electronic control for the air-suspension, steering, pedal response and transmission systems.
The aforementioned four-cylinder engine will output around 230 horsepower. Filling out the rest of the engine range will be a 250 horsepower 3.0-liter V-6 TDI, a 290 horsepower 3.0-liter V-6 FSI, a 340 horsepower 4.2-liter V-8 TDI, a 372 horsepower 4.2-liter V-8 FSI and finally a 620 horsepower 5.0-liter V-10 FSI reserved for the S8. A 12-cylinder engine is also expected to be offered but it could be phased out due to low demand and the all-important emissions regulations.
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