The folks at Autocar.co.uk were lucky enough to get some shots of the upcoming Audi S8 during winter testing, which you can see in the pictures. The bodywork on the car you see here is that of a standard A8, which will obviously be modified for the S8 during production. We know it’s an S8, however, because of the bigger brakes and quad exhaust system you can see below.

We don’t know much else about the S8 yet, although speculation says it will be receiving its power from a turbocharged 4.2-liter V8 instead of the V10 we originally expected. Regarding design:

Audi’s design director Stefan Sielaff told Autocar at the A8’s launch last year that the S8 would “create a new design grammar which will also go onto the next S6, S7 and S1″.

Sielaff also said there would be an increased use of both aluminium and carbon fibre in the cabins of future S models to make them more special than the standard cars.

Expect to see full details on the S8 later this year for a launch in early 2011. No word yet on whether it’s coming to the States, but unfortunately it seems unlikely.

Check out Autocar.co.uk for more pictures and info.

Audi is working especially hard recently to bring electric power to their lineup. Initially, we thought the launch of the e-tron electric sports car was a one model deal, but it turns out Audi is calling “e-tron” their “brand name for electric mobility.” The electric sports car they showed will be launched first, in late 2012 in limited numbers, but will be followed by other models powered by an electric powertrain.

The Audi A1 e-tron, for example, will likely be the next step. Audi is calling the A1 e-tron a “Mega City Vehicle,” and with a power output of 102 hp, gets 31 miles out of its electric motor. A small rotary engine serves as a range extender, giving the A1 e-tron an extra 124 miles. Audi says the car will get around 124 mpg with both the gasoline and electric motors.

Audi is also applying the electric concept to developing full hybrid vehicles. The Audi Q5 hybrid will be on the market as early as late 2010, and the A8 hybrid in being displayed as you read this at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The A8 Hybrid Concept is more of an engineering study than a preview, but the idea is solid. The concept car is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbo engine, and along with the electric motor, gets an output of 245 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque.

Audi A8 Security

The Audi A8 “Security” shown here features a full-cage outer-body armor certified by the German Federal Police, run-flat tires, gas tank and battery armoring, double-mirror interior, emergency door, power-adjustable leather seats, refrigerator, retractable rear-seat tables, heated wind screen, multi-zone climate controls, and other comfort features as standard. If you need all that protection in a car, perhaps you should rethink your profession, even if you can afford the $80 million price tag.

Despite that exorbitant price, however, Audi brand and sales manager at Issa Transport Group (ITG) Deborah Stewart says that “Given its features, the A8 Security is reasonably priced.” Hardly. ITG is the Kingston representative for Audi, and has the Audi A8 Security available via special order for $80 million.

If you aren’t a well-hated Sultan and the $80 mill is a bit out of your price range, also consider the following ridiculously priced armored cars:

* The Mercedes Benz S500 – $24 million

* BMW 761i and Audi Q7 4.2 V8 SUV – $23 million

* BMW M3 – $16 million

* Land Rover HSE V8 – $15-$17 million

* Audi A8 sedan Q7 – $14 million.

* Cadillac Escalade – $14 million

* Hummer H2 – $14 million

* Audi Q7 3.0 V6 – $11 million

* Range Rover Sport V6 – $9-$11 million

* Chevy Tahoe (Hybrid) – $5.7 million

* Chevy Avalanche – $4.4 million

At the 2010 Detroit Auto Show earlier this week, Audi won two separate awards for two models on display.

The Detroit showcar Audi e-tron was given the prestigious “Best in Show” award, which was described by Autoweek editor Wes Raynal as being “almost a unanimous decision” with the Autoweek editors.

The “Award for Design Excellence” went to the Audi A8, which is the second consecutive year Audi won the award (last year it went to the A5 Sportback.)

Congrats to Audi for the awards, they’ve been innovating non-stop for the last few years, and I can’t think of another car maker that deserves the recognition as much as them.

2011 Audi A8

Audi just unveiled the next generation A8 luxury sedan. The A8 is Audi’s most luxurious and most expensive car (aside from the R8) and will serve as Audi’s flagship model poised to compete with the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes S-Class. While it may not have the snob-appeal of the Benz or BMW, the new A8 has plenty to brag about from all aspects, and plenty of details are to follow.

For 2011, the Audi A8 is all-new in nearly every way. Some of the primary differences: It sits on Audi’s aluminum space frame technology, boasting 25% increased rigidity and a lighter weight, helping to increase fuel economy, handling, and performance. A new Bang & Olufsen surround sound system is available with 19 (!) speakers producing a total of 1400 watts. Full-LED headlights (as seen in the R8 V10) are standard, along with Audi’s AWD quattro system and a ton of other high-tech driving assists and safety features.

Along with an entirely redesigned interior, Audi gave the 2011 A8 the next generation MMI system which allows for touch screen control. Audi Drive Select is standard, and an optional night vision with infrared camera is available. The 2011 A8 will be powered by Audi’s 4.2-liter V8 engine producing 372 horsepower and 328 lb-ft, an increase of 22 hp and 3 lb-ft over last year’s model. 0-62 mph will come in only 5.7 seconds. Despite the increased performance, the 2011 A8 is expected to get a 15% improvement in fuel economy over last year’s sedan thanks to better engine technology and an 8-speed sequential gearbox. Despite all the extra tech and an increase in size, the 2011 A8 should weight about as much as the current model, and still a few hundred pounds less than its competitors.

All of these specs are based on the normal wheelbase (NWB) model, which Audi says is “more of the ‘driver’s car’, with sportiness and driving dynamics in focus.” The long wheelbase (LWB) “executive” version will be revealed next year with a “balance [of] prestige, sportiness and comfort.” Price hasn’t yet been announced, but expect it to be about the same as a BMW 7 or Mercedes S.

Look for more to come on the new 2011 Audi A8. In the mean time, check out the updated Audi A8 page and the photo gallery below.

View Photo Album

Oddly, most of the news surrounding the new Audi A8 has been about where it is being unveiled. Available in the UK in early 2010 the new Audi is being unveiled in Miami at the end of November. The recent capital of design, the new model will be premiered on the eve of Design Miami in The Audi Pavilion, a temporary structure made special for this occasion. Audi will be looking to grab more headlines like it did when the Audi R8 aluminum concept car was unveiled.

Despite all this hype about where the new model is being unveiled there are still some facts and figures to get your teeth into. Modification to air-bag suspension has improved the ride and provided better handling. The ride is also quieter without increasing weight, so performance should be unaffected.

However, it is still unclear on the exact engine specs at this point.

Will it have the same 4.2 litre V8 as the US market? A V8 is definitely expected but there’s been talk on whether it will be a 3 litre V6 from the S4 or an economical four-cylinder! Given the hoopla around the car’s premier I’m guessing they haven’t skimped on the engine and expect a surprise of some sort.

A lot will also be made of the car’s design. Back in 1994 when the A8 first came out, it was no doubt a popular car but its design was fairly generic. The third generation of the manufacturer’s flagship model should do more to arouse your inner artiste.

2010 Audi A8

Not long after Audi gave us a teaser image of the redesigned 2010 A8, we get these first real shots of the car, which is said to have an “evolutionary” design. What that means is not much has changed, but now it’s fresh. It’s sleeker than the outgoing design, and its taillights resemble those of the Lamborghini LP560-4, the way I see it.

The 2010 Audi A8 will go up against its arch rival BMW 7-Series and Mercedes S-Class, as well as the Jaguar XJ – all of which have been recently refreshed. When the 2010 A8 hits showroom floors new year, expect to see a new range of engines (standard V8,) and an eight-speed transmission (seems like overkill to me.)

Self-Driving Audi A8

If these spy shots from AutoExpress tell us anything, we might not be driving our own cars in the near future. The shot above clearly shows three different cameras – one in each foglight position and one mounted behind the rear-view mirror of an A8 test car. The cameras will scan in front of the car, detecting obstructions, helping avoid a collision, or possibly driving the car around turns for us so we can take a nap.

Not exactly a new thought or technology, but they’re serious enough about it to do real-world testing, which means that we might see this in our cars within the next few years. Honda has already implemented a similar technology – a safety feature that helps to keep you in your lane – and Infiniti has Lane Departure Assistance, which tugs you in the right direction if you drift out of your lane.