Updated Audi A8 Revealed at 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

German luxury carmaker Audi has today introduced the updated A7 at the IAA in Frankfurt. The engine lineup has once again become more powerful and efficient; new assistance systems and the innovative Matrix LED headlights make driving more composed than ever. One great strength of the big sedan is its low weight. The Audi A8 3.0 TFSI with the normal wheelbase has a curb weight of just 1,830 kilograms, best-in-class for models with all-wheel drive. The key factor in its lightweight construction is the body, which except for the B-pillars is made entirely of aluminum. An Audi Space Frame (ASF) design, it tips the scales at just 231 kilograms, roughly 40 percent less than a comparable steel construction. The ASF body also makes it possible to reduce weight in many other areas, from the brakes to the fuel tank.

Length (5.14 metres), wheelbase (2.99 meters ), width (1.95 metres) and height (1.46 metres) remain unchanged, giving the Audi A8 the sportiest look in the segment. The A8 L gains an additional 13 centimeters in both length and wheelbase. Equipped with a TDI engine, both body variants have a drag coefficient of just 0.26. This same figure with a TFSI engine is 0.27.

In updating the A8, Audi paid great attention to the acoustics. Additional noise damping measures reduce the already low interior noise level even further. The trunk now has a maximum of 520 liters (18.36 cubic feet) and can be loaded substantially better thanks to the altered layout. The optional power trunk closing assist means that the entire car can be locked at the touch of a button. Dynamic, yet harmoniously elegant – the big sedan's design has become even more expressive. The engine hood, the single-frame grille and the front bumper are even more sculptured and precise; the lower edge of the headlights is straight.

Audi also offers the headlights with optional Matrix LED technology, which sets new benchmarks with respect to design and technology. With these headlights, the high-beam unit is made up of 25 individual segments. The small light-emitting diodes, which work in conjunction with lenses and reflectors connected in series, are activated and deactivated or dimmed individually according to the situation.  

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