Meet the model that’s going to change Audi forever—the all-new Audi A8.

The all-new A8 with its wide, upright Singleframe grille delivers on the promise made by the Audi prologue design study, which was revealed at the Los Angeles motor show in 2014. The luxury saloon makes a suitably emphatic statement whether in 5.17-metre ‘standard’ form or as the A8 L, which has a 13 centimetre longer wheelbase.

The new model’s striking HD Matrix LED headlights with Audi laser lighting, and the LED light strip combined with OLED technology at the rear produce unique light animations as the driver approaches and leaves the car.

It is the first production car in the world to have been developed for highly automated driving. From 2018, Audi will gradually be taking piloted driving functions such as parking pilot, garage pilot and traffic jam pilot into production.

The new A8 is more spacious than ever inside, where occupants can relax in sublime surroundings that include perforated seat upholstery and electrically opening and closing air vent shutters.

The optional rear-left relaxation seat in the A8 L comes with four different adjustment options and a footrest, where the passenger can warm and massage the soles of their feet on a unit with multiple settings incorporated into the back of the front-passenger seat. The new comfort head restraints complete the experience.

Rear passengers can also control an array of functions such as ambient lighting, the new HD Matrix reading lights and seat massage, and can make private phone calls through a separate operating unit. The rear seat remote control, with its smartphone-size OLED display, is a removable unit housed in the centre armrest.