Making a prestige German car calls for an obsession for attention to detail with Audi now only selecting leather from bulls rather than cows to achieve the required upholstery standards for the 36,000 premium cars it will sell in the UK this year equipped with leather seats.

As many as 40 per cent of UK Audi customers specify real leather thanks to the company's very high quality interiors achieved with soft and supple leather sourced only from bulls. Hides from cows are too small and less homogenous and do not meet their stringent quality standards.

The very high standards required for its customers start from when Audi selects its materials. Each hide destined for an Audi is divided into three quality zones. The best piece is the back area (croupon) where the grain is particularly even with cracks or scars due to injuries rare. Audi discards the outermost region of each hide again for quality control reasons.

The very high grade leather from the core of the bull's back is used in all areas of a car seat where fine, smooth appearance and high robustness are most important - on the headrest, in the shoulder area, in the important lower seat squab area and on the side bolsters and seatbacks on the entry side.