After releasing a lot of promotional materials and creating a lot of buzz created both in the online and real world, Audi finally unveiled their new A8 flagship sedan. After they broadcasted live over the internet the world debut of the car that took place in Miami, now the German automaker revealed the official specs and a lot of photos of the new A8 luxury sedan.

I will begin by telling you that Audi will be offering two versions of the A8 sedan. More precisely, the first one is the normal version that will be followed later by a LWB (Long Wheelbase) version. The 2011 Audi A8 continues to use a lightweight aluminum body. The normal 2011 Audi A8 has a wheelbase of 2992 millimeters, a length of 5137 millimeters, a height of 1460 millimeters and a width of 1949 millimeters. Even though the official weight figures were not publicly disclosed, Audi claims that even though the new A8 is three inches longer and two inches wider and has more standard equipment, it has about the same weight as the previous generation of the Audi A8.

Other important features of the ASF (Aluminum Space Frame) body that is used by the new generation Audi A8 include the fact that the static torsion stiffness has increased by 25% in comparison to the previous generation of the Audi A8, not to mention the lower weight.

The 2011 Audi A8 will get its power from a choice of two engines to begin with, including a 4.2 liter TDI diesel engine and a 4.2 liter FSI petrol engine.

When equipped with the 4.2 liter V8 TDI engine the new Audi A8 returns a level of 199 grams per kilometer of carbon dioxide emissions as well as a lower fuel consumption by about 1.8 liters / 100 kilometers or 19% lower fuel consumption, to a level of 31 mpg US or 7.6 liters per 100 kilometers. This is great if we take into consideration that the 4.2 liter V8 TDI engine is more powerful by 24 horsepower and 150 Nm of torque than the previous version. To be more precise, the revised 4.2 liter V8 TDI diesel engine is capable of developing 350 horsepower and 800 Nm of torque available between 1750 revs per minute and 2750 revs per minute. Thanks to the powerful diesel engine, the Audi A8 can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds.

Obviously, the petrol engine is a bit hungrier for fuel. The 4.2 liter V8 FSI petrol engine is more powerful by 22 horsepower than the previous version of the FSI engine. Still, when equipped with the 4.2 liter V8 FSI petrol engine, the Audi A8 manages to return an average fuel consumption of 24.76 mpg US or the equivalent of 9.5 liters per 100 kilometers which represents a fuel consumption reduction of 13% or 1.4 liters per 100 kilometers. Performance wise, the revised 4.2 liter V8 FSI petrol engine manages to take the Audi A8 from standstill to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds thanks to the output of 372 horsepower and 445 Nm of torque available at 3500 revs per minute.

The new Audi A8 has an electronically limited maximum speed of 250 km/h with any of the two engines.

Later on next year the Audi A8 will also get its engine options increased by two six cylinder diesels.

The first will be a 3.0 liter V6 TDI that returns a level of 159 grams of carbon dioxide emission per kilometer and a level of 39 mpg US or a fuel consumption of 6.0 liters per 100 kilometers. In terms of performance, the 3.0 liter V6 TDI has an output of 204 horsepower and will be offered only as a front wheel drive model.

The second six cylinder diesel will be a 3.0 liter V6 TDI that returns an average figure of 36 mpg US or a fuel consumption of 6.6 liters per 100 kilometers. In terms of performance, the second 3.0 liter V6 TDI has an output of 250 horsepower and 550 Nm of torque that allow the new Audi A8 to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds.

A new electronically controlled eight speed tiptronic system and Quattro permanent all wheel drive will be equipped with all the engine versions. A dynamic sport differential, which will be standard on the 4.2 liter TDI Quattro will be offered optionally.

From a technical point of view, the new generation Audi A8 will get important features, including an adaptive cruise control with stop & go feature, a revised MMI multimedia interface, night vision assistant with pedestrian marking, seats with optional ventilation and massage functions, a next generation navigation system, a new Audi pre sense safety system for avoiding accidents as well as adaptive air suspension.

The designers managed to achieve an exceptional drag coefficient of only 0.26, which is similar to the drag coefficient of the smaller Toyota Prius hybrid.

The German automaker claims that the interior cabin of the next generation Audi A8 has been further improved in terms of quality of workmanship as well as materials, but it is very hard to see a noticeable difference between the interior of the current generation Audi A8 and the interior of the next generation Audi A8.

The 2011 Audi A8 will be the third generation of the Audi A8. The third generation of the Audi A8 will hit the European market in early 2010 and the North American market towards the end of the next year (where it will be offered for the beginning with the 4.2 liter V8 FSI petrol engine).

Overall, the Audi A8 is a very nice car for people who are looking for a (very) conservative type of a car. I would be mean to say that the next generation of the Audi A8 is just more of the same old styling, being just a larger version of the Audi A6 (which on the other hand is a larger version of the Audi A4) so I will not say it (right…). Still, I must say that the next generation of the Audi A8 is rather an evolution, and not a revolution.