The 2011 Audi A8 has been officially introduced to the public in grand style. While the car’s low-slung and hefty lines are pulled straight from the company’s pantheon of design cues, the new A8 has plenty of fresh tricks to keep the flagship fit for battle. Audi made a point of underscoring the new sedan’s link to the outgoing model in both styling and design, saying that just like this year’s version, the 2011 is both wider and longer than similar models from BMW and Mercedes-Benz while maintaining a lower center of gravity.

The slick new bodywork gives the megasedan a serious edge in efficiency, with a drag coefficient of just 0.26. Throw in a revised version of the 4.2-liter V8 engine found in the current A8, and Audi says fuel economy is up by nearly 15 percent. All those extra miles per gallon don’t come at the cost of power, though; the 8-cylinder engine will put out 372 horses and will be coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission. So how did Audi do it? Part of the more-power-plus-better-fuel-economy equation includes the company’s aluminum space frame construction, which reduces weight while maintaining rigidity. (In addition, there's also word the U.S. may finally see a diesel or hybrid version soon, which would likely further bump up the mpg.)

Audi is also proud of the A8’s new standard LED daytime running lights and advanced touchpad-based multimedia interface system. Inside, there’s enough space for several defensive tackles to cruise comfortably, and materials continue to hold up Audi’s reputation for quality. The company isn’t putting a price tag on the new 4-door just yet, but we’re guessing it will stick fairly close to the current model's price of $74,550.

(Source: Audi)

(Photo courtesy of Audi.)