Audi reveals body structure of new A8

Audi has teased the next generation A8 saloon with a series of in-depth photographs of its body structure.

This innovative weight-bearing body will comprise four materials – aluminium, steel, magnesium and carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) – more than in any of the brand’s previous production models.

This new design is in keeping with Audi’s principle of “the right material in the right place and in the right amount” and establishes a new stage in multi-material construction of the Audi Space Frame (ASF).

The largest component in the structure of the new luxury saloon is an ultra-high-strength, torsionally rigid rear panel made of CFRP, contributing 33 percent to the torsional rigidity of the total vehicle.

Meanwhile, a high-strength combination of hot-formed steel components make up the occupant cell, which includes the lower section of the front bulkhead, the side sills, the B-pillars and the front section of the roof line. Varying thicknesses of these metal sheets and partial heat treatment both reduces weight and increases strength, the latter of which is particularly important for safety.

Fifty-eight per cent of the new A8 body is made up of aluminium components, including cast nodes, extruded profiles and sheets.

Finally the magnesium strut brace, secured using aluminium bolts, offers a 28 per cent weight saving over the previous model.