DETROIT MOTOR SHOW: Audi Q7 detailed

Full details and the first 21 official images of Audi's second-generation Q7 have been released after three images were leaked across the internet on Friday, in the lead-up to its world debut at the Detroit motor show in January and its Australian release in the second half of next year.

True to its word, Audi has achieved substantial weight savings with the first all-new Q7 in more than eight years, with the entry-level Q7 3.0 TDI shedding no less than 325kg, making it the lightest vehicle in its class at 1995kg – lighter than the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz M-Class and even its Porsche Cayenne sister model.

Audi says the dramatic weight loss program includes a 100kg reduction from its suspension and 71kg from its body, which now features aluminium doors, saving 24kg alone. As part of its shift to the Volkswagen Group's new modular longitudinal (MLB) platform, there's also a new electrical architecture and revised floorpan, which employs more aluminium and hot-formed high-strength steel.

The new platform is also claimed to bring a 50mm lower centre of gravity, and will form the basis of the third-generation VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne, which will be produced alongside the Q7 at the Volkswagen Group's Bratislava factory in Slovakia.

Despite a 12mm-shorter (2990mm) wheelbase and the fact it's also 39mm shorter and 13mm narrower (but 3mm higher) overall at 5050mm long, 1970mm wide and 1740mm high, smarter packaging is claimed to have liberated more space for all occupants.

The replacement for Audi's already-commodious five- and seven-seat luxury SUV brings an extra 21mm between the first and second rows of seats and Audi says there's also an extra 41mm, 23mm and 24mm of headroom for front, centre and rear seat passengers respectively, plus 20mm more shoulder room across the board.

The seven-seat Q7's boot space is rated at 295 litres with all seats in place and 770 litres with the rear seats folded flat, while the five-seater can hold 890 litres.

Once again, the Q7 will ride on wheel sizes ranging between 18 and 21 inches, and there will also be the option of steel or air springs. This time Audi has added the availability of a rear-wheel steering function that's claimed to increase low-speed manoeuvrability and high-speed stability by turning the rear wheels by up to five degrees in the same direction as the front wheels at high speed and in the opposite direction at low speed.

Inside the sharper body there's a more upmarket interior with a high-tech dashboard featuring minimal switchgear, a dash-top infotainment screen, new centre console-mounted gear shifter and MMI controller with touch pad, and a digital instrument display like the latest TT's.

Standard equipment will include a 7.0-inch monitor, rear parking sensors, cruise control with speed limiter, and automated low-speed emergency braking.

Options will include an 8.3-inch screen, 10.1-inch 32GB Android tablets for the front seat-backs, a powered tailgate with motion sensor, surround-view camera system, automated parking, active cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, advisory cornering speed, blind-spot monitoring with cyclist detection during door opening, night vision and traffic sign recognition.

The smaller, lighter new Q7 is also slipperier, thanks to advances in aerodynamics including more extensive under-body panelling and an active grille on some models. Together, they reduce the big SUV's drag co-efficient to 0.32Cd.

From launch, there will be just two Euro6 emissions-compliant engine choices: the Volkswagen Group's latest 200kW/600Nm 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 in the 3.0 TDI and Audi's proven 245kW/440Nm supercharged 3.0-litre petrol V6 in the 3.0 TFSI.

Both engines will come standard with an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission and quattro four-wheel drive with 40/60 front/rear torque bias, and both models will tow up to 3500kg with air suspension.

Vital statistics for the 3.0 TDI five-seater include combined-cycle fuel consumption of as little as 5.7L/100km (down 1.7L/100km), CO2 emissions of only 149g/km (down 46g/km), a 234km/h top speed (up 19km/h) and 0-100km/h acceleration in 6.3 seconds (1.6 seconds quicker than before).

The five-seat Q7 3.0 TFSI consumes 7.7L/100km, emits 179g/km, can hit 250km/h and sprints to 100km/h in 6.1 seconds, making it two-tenths quicker to 100km/h but 2.0L/100km thirstier. Seven-seat versions use 0.2L/100km more fuel.

A 2.0-litre turbo-petrol 2.0 TFSI model offering 185kW/370Nm will be available for the US and Asian markets, while a more efficient but less powerful (160kW/500Nm) 3.0 TDI model will be added in Europe later.

Also due to join the range, in 2016, is a twin-turbocharged V8-powered 4.0 TFSI model and Audi's first diesel-electric plug-in vehicle, which will combine a 3.0-litre diesel V6 with an electric motor to produce 275kW/700Nm.

Audi says the Q7 e-tron quattro will be able to travel on all-electric power for up to 56km and will come with an official EU fuel consumption rating of just 1.7L/100km.