This is Audi's first crack at a luxury hybrid, so it offers impressive performance with its guilt-purging parsimony. It mates a 2.0-litre TFSI petrol to a 44bhp electric motor for a 241bhp combined output, yet tantalisingly low running costs.
Why's it here?
Mercedes does a hybrid S-Class, so why not an Audi A8 one too? It can travel a fairly pitiful 1.2 miles at up to 40mph on electric power, but the real advantage is the combination of the two powerplants, which give the car 45.6mpg consumption and 144g/km. It'll still hit 62mph in 7.6 seconds.
Show stopper or floor filler?
It's an A8 with 'hybrid' written on it, so no show stopper, but if it's priced well it will be a strong seller (about £60k, we think). Expect to see it in Audi showrooms before the turn of 2011.
Check out the press conference from the show below:
