LEAKED: New Audi Q7

Audi's all-new Q7 has been exposed in full for the first time via these official press shots, first published by Italian auto blog Autopareri.com.

Audi has not confirmed the authenticity of these images, but it's understood they've hit the web within hours of their official release ahead of the new Q7's world debut at the Detroit motor show in January.

As previously revealed by spy shots of virtually undisguised prototypes in testing, the second-generation Q7's exterior design will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary, although sharper lines and shorter overhangs will make it appear less bulky.

However, it's underneath where the big changes occur, given the large seven-seat luxury SUV rides on the Volkswagen group's new MLB Evo platform, reducing body mass by around 300kg and leading to kerb weighs closer to 2000kg.

As we've reported, the new Q7 will go on sale across Europe in the first half of next year and in Australia in the second half, before a ground-breaking new diesel-electric plug-in hybrid version dubbed the Q7 e-tron joins it Down Under in early 2016.

Although BMW and Mercedes-Benz will also release plug-in versions of their respective X5 and GLE (as the upcoming M-Class facelift will be badged), Audi is expected to be the first German car-maker to offer a large diesel-electric plug-in SUV.

Audi's first diesel-electric model – and Europe's second after Volvo released its V60 PHEV this year – will combine Audi’s single-turbo 3.0-litre diesel V6 with its latest generation of electric motor technology and a 50kg-lighter lithium-ion battery pack.

The result will be a pure-electric driving range of up to 50km, combined fuel consumption of around just 3.0L/100km, a total range of more than 1000km and acceleration as brisk as Audi's biturbo diesel V6.

The same diesel-electric hybrid drivetrain will be fitted to the A8 PHEV within months, but Audi Australia's first plug-in hybrid model will be the A3 e-tron in March.

The MkII Q7 will initially only be available with conventional engines next year, although all of them will be advanced turbocharged direct-injection petrol and diesel vee engines.

Once again, they will include everything from Audi's 3.0-litre petrol and diesel V6s, to the biturbo 4.0-litre petrol V8 and even its 6.0-litre V12 diesel. Audi is also expected to offer a SQ7 performance flagship for the first time, powered by the RS 5 TDI concept's twin-turbo V6 diesel with additional electric turbocharger.

There are also big changes inside the seven-seat SUV, including a cleaner interior design with free-standing dash-top infotainment screen and a customisable digital instrument panel as seen in Audi's new TT sports car and Volkswagen's next Passat, which also donates its full-width air-vents. LED headlights will also be offered.

Audi has high hopes for its new Q7 in SUV-hungry Australia, where demand for the original Q7 at times continues to outstrip supply despite being launched here more than eight years ago in September 2006, although sales have declined since the newer, smaller Q5 arrived.

To November this year, Australian Q7 sales are down just over five per cent to 1266 – less than the X5 (3855), M-Class (2911) Land Rover Discover (2502), Range Rover Sport (2370), VW Touareg (1796) and Lexus RX (1710) .