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It's no secret that Audi is hard at work developing the next-generation B9 Audi A4 - the increased frequency in prototypes being spotted further cements that fact. Most recently, the C-Class and 3 Series rival was caught with its head and tail lamps exposed, which appear to echo the firm's new design language.

Short of actually breaking into a test facility and grabbing our own shots, the renderings you see here are probably the closest anyone can get to the finished article prior to its official unveiling - likely to be the 2015 Frankfurt motor show in September.

Out front, the Audi A4 B9 sports a bold snout, with the single-frame grille appearing to meld with the edges of the head lamps, aping the Audi prologue concept. Another notable design cue is that of the car's shoulder lines that stem from the edge of the head light and run all the way back, ending just before the tail lamps.

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While the styling may reflect an evolutionary background as opposed to a revolutionary one, the B9 is set to be vastly different from its predecessor under the skin. For starters, it will ride on a modified MLB platform from the Volkswagen Group - dubbed the MLB evo and underpins the new Audi Q7.

The platform employs a combination of ultra high-strength steel, aluminium and composites, potentially allowing the A4 to undercut its rivals by a fair margin in terms of weight. Powertrain options will likely comprise of a range consisting of various turbo'ed, four-cylinder petrol and diesel mills.

Transmission choices will likely include a six-speed manual gearbox along with seven-speed dual-clutch options while front-wheel drive is set to feature on base models - naturally, higher-end variants will get the trademark quattro all-wheel drive system.

GALLERY: Audi A4 B9 spyshots