Chinese website autohome.com.cn has posted photos purportedly of the new Audi A4 B9, which is set to debut just ahead of Frankfurt later this year. Renderings and spyshots aside, the new photos offer a closer look at the car's headlamp design (a rather aggressive looking thing) as well as an overview of the interior, sans steering wheel.

The layout of the third-gen's interior has plenty of new Q7 overtones, including a similarly-shaped gearshift lever, and is certainly a significant jump over that found on the current A4 B8.

Spy-Photo

The new A4 will sit on a modified version of the MLB platform -dubbed the MLB evo, it was first seen underpinning the second-gen Q7. The platform employs a combination of ultra high-strength steel, aluminium and composites, and will potentially allow the A4 to shed around 100 kg in terms of weight.

Front-wheel drive and quattro all-wheel drive options are set to feature, as will the automaker's range of forced induction TDI diesel and TFSI petrol engines, along with six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions.

GALLERY: Audi A4 B9 render/spyshots