The new Audi Q7 is a statement of the automaker's competence in designing lightweight vehicles, says a member of Audio's technical developer's board.

The lighter and roomier SUV was unveiled recently ahead of the North American International Auto Show 2015, scheduled for Jan. 12-25 in Detroit.

While the new Q7, which will be marketed as a 2016 vehicle, is approximately 716 pounds lighter than its predecessor, it manages to pack a roomier interior into smaller exterior dimensions. Audi says the new Q7 is approximately 26 percent more fuel efficient.

The Q7's slimmed-down look is just one of many updates the the premium SUV has undergone as it prepares to hit the asphalt. The Q7's chassis has been redesigned, and the infotainment system has been reworked.

The 2016 Q7's chassis is reinforced by torsion rings placed at the front end, near the c-pillar on the back third of the vehicle and at the hatch's cutout. Audio says the positioning of the torsion rings help to improve the "dynamic stiffness" of the Q7's body, serving as the foundation for the SUV's handling and shock absorbency.

To keep down the sound in the Q7's cabin, the Audi has lined the majority of the SUV's underbody and placed a spoiler discretely near the rear axle to reduce its lift. Audi plans to release a more efficient version of the Q7 that will sandwich louvers between the radiator and grill, which will improve the vehicle's aerodynamics by opening and closing when necessary.

The Q7 will bring with it the second generation of Audi's modular infotainment platform, which is powered by a quad-core T30 processor from Nvidia. The infotainment system will be offered in modules, all of which are optional.

Audi is debuting the all-new multimedia interface (MMI), which will include an "all-in-touch" control unit that leverages haptic feedback. The new MMI has been expanded to enable motorists to control the vehicle's ambient lighting and the virtual cockpit's interfaces have been reworked, though "classic view" is available to carry over the familiarity of the first generation.

The V6 engines from the first generation of the Q7s have been brought over to the 2016 models, but Audi has hybridized the diesel engine with its first plug-in system. The base model of the Q7 will be followed by the Q7 e-tron quattro, which Audi is calling the first ever plug-in hybrid that has a six-cylinder diesel engine and all-wheel drive.