A WORLD first in headlamp technology is being claimed by Audi which is fitting an advanced lighting system to its latest flagship saloon.

Using an array of 50 LEDs the Matrixbeam headlamps are designed to deliver brilliant dazzle-free illumination.

They are a standard feature on the top range Audi A8 and high performance S8 models due to be released early next year.

The new cars also mark the introduction of dynamic indicators which use strips of amber LEDs to create a moving light show pointing out the way the car intends to turn.

Day or night they create a presence which no other car can match at the moment and make the new Audis stand out in the luxury league.

Other changes include more powerful but more economical engines, subtle design tweaks and high tech updates such as infra red night vision cameras which can highlight potential hazards in the dark such as large animals and pedestrians.

The new headlamps are controlled by cameras which adjust the lights automatically but unlike other LED systems they react instantly when traffic is detected, switching off only the part of the light cone which would blind drivers ahead.

The result is a wider lit up zone which extends beyond oncoming vehicles without causing interference.

The new A8 line up is priced from £58,500 for a three-litre V6 diesel and tops out at close on £100,000 for the long wheelbase W12 limousine with its 6.3-litre engine.

The high performance S8 which develops 520ps from its twin turbo four-litre V8 is priced from £79,900.

All have quattro four wheel drive and on the road they are powerful and positive - a characteristic which has set the largest of Audis apart since the first generation appeared 25 years ago.

The current car is the fourth incarnation and it faces competition from an elite few in the shape of the BMW 7 Series, the Mercedes S-Class, the Lexus LS and the Jaguar XJ.

All are cars of the highest order and Audi's luxury feel is enhanced by clever acoustics which cancel out harsh sounds in the cabin enabling near silent running.

The German brand also has a potent 4.2-litre V8 diesel in its armoury which generates sports car-like performance with near 40mpg economy from an engine which develops 385ps and can cruise at motorway speeds without nudging 1,800 revs.

Audi is claiming improved fuel economy of up to 12.8 per cent on the three-litre petrol A8 which can now average 36.2mpg but the eco start of the new line up is the three-litre diesel which can manage 47.9 to the gallon with CO2 emissions cut by 8.6 per cent to 155g/km.

That's real world economy too and we managed to match the official figure during a 50 mile drive in Germany.

With an 18 gallon tank that gives the A8 V6 diesel a theoretical range of 850 miles - and it's no slouch either. The 0 to 60 times is 5.9 seconds and the maximum is limited to 155mph.

On the performance front the latest S8 is a class act with its twin turbo V8 delivering thrilling acceleration of 0 to 60 in just 4.2 seconds.

With an uprated quattro system and its air suspension modified for sporty work it handles sublimely for a car of large proportions. The steering is slightly heavier than on the A8 and that's just what is wanted in a car of this ilk.

Like the others in the A8 range it has an eight-speed auto box but the S8 has a secret up its sleeve when it comes to fuel efficiency.

It is fitted with Audi's cylinder on demand technology which cuts out half of the eight cylinders under low throttle inputs and the result is an improvement of five per cent in fuel economy which is now almost 30mpg with emissions of 225g/km.

In this heady league the new S8 tops the lot for economy and it's more than a match for the more overtly styles Mercedes S63 AMG and the Jaguar XJR.

Put the S8 through its paces and the noise from the engine is a delight, yet around town it's as quiet as any of the other A8s.

It is also competitively priced with the Jaguar tipping the scales at more than £90,000 and the Mercedes coming in at almost £120,000.

Audi has always taken something of a conservative approach with the A8 but now it is coming of age as a model that's packed with technological prowess - and with its new lights it's going to be unmissable.