2018 Audi A8 Spied

What It Is: The fourth generation of Audi’s flagship A8 sedan, set to make its debut sometime next year as a 2018 model. After years of playing catch-up to the Mercedes-Benz S-class and the BMW 7-series, the next A8 will arrive armed for battle with an impressive arsenal of technology features. Likely to attract most attention is a semi-autonomous driving mode derived from Audi’s Piloted Driving technology, which supposedly will let the A8 park itself and autonomously drive itself from a stop up to speeds as high as 37 mph. The A8 will also be equipped with special control units meant to prepare the car to accommodate further development of the company’s autonomous-driving software down the road. A new infotainment system called MMI Touch Response also will be part of the package; it replaces most traditional buttons and knobs with several dash-mounted LED screens. We had a few qualms about this screen-tastic system when we tried it out at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, but we assume that Audi will continue to refine its operation before the A8’s official debut.

Why It Matters: As the first Audi model designed from scratch under head of design Marc Lichte, the new A8 will usher in a new aesthetic for the brand. This design philosophy was introduced with the 2014 Prologue concept, first shown in 2014, and it’s easy to see that sleek coupe’s influence on this A8 prototype. The most obvious change is the significantly wider take on the brand’s “Singleframe” grille, along with more angular headlights that resemble those seen on the new Audi A4. The thin, sleek LED taillights also look a lot like the A4’s units, and the new A8’s overall greenhouse shape continues the tradition of making the A8 sedan look like an inflated version of its smaller siblings—not necessarily a bad thing.

Platform: The A8 will sit on the Volkswagen Group’s MLB Evo architecture, which also underpins the Audi Q7 SUV and the new A4 sedan. Expect the new A8 to lose weight compared with the current car, which uses an aluminum-intensive platform but isn’t exactly a featherweight, at 4672 pounds for a V-8 model we tested. Lest you worry that the MLB architecture won’t be worthy for a $100,000-plus luxury sedan, rest easy: The lofty Bentley Bentayga SUV also rides on this platform.

Powertrain: So far we only have details on a new diesel V-8 with about 400 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. But that engine is likely to remain for Europe only, given the current state of the Volkswagen Group’s diesel crisis. We’re more likely to get the A8 with Audi’s new 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 from the S4 as a base engine and an updated version of Audi’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 available as an option. The range-topping A8 W12 seems likely to continue, since there’s a new-generation 600-hp, direct-injected W-12 that’s just waiting to be installed in the VW Group’s high-dollar products. All A8s surely will come standard with Quattro all-wheel drive, and an eight-speed automatic transmission is likely.

Competition: BMW 7-series, Jaguar XJ, Lexus LS, Mercedes-Benz S-class, Tesla Model S.

Estimated Arrival and Price: The A8 is expected to make its debut in Europe sometime in early 2017, with a U.S. arrival later that year. Look for its price to rise a bit beyond the current A8’s $82,425 starting price, although the retention of a six-cylinder model should still keep it under $90,000 to start.