Concept is a shape-shifting electric luxury roadster of the future
Audi has introduced the first of three futuristic concept cars it created to showcase the technology and design cues it will incorporate into its range in the coming years. Called SkySphere, the first concept is a luxurious electric roadster with a wheelbase that can be modified by the driver and a handful of clever heritage-laced styling cues.
Designed digitally in Malibu, California, the SkySphere stretches about 204 inches long and 78 inches wide, dimensions that make it about an inch shorter and six inches wider than the Horch 853. What's a Horch? Glad you asked: It's one of the brands that merged to form Auto Union, which later became Audi, and it stood proud as one of Germany's most prestigious automakers during the 1930s. It was widely celebrated as Mercedes-Benz's only true German rival. It's this spirit and positioning that designers wanted to recapture when they drew the SkySphere.
Going full retro, Volkswagen New Beetle-style, was out of the question, and the SkySphere looks like it belongs in a science fiction movie. LED technology creates a new interpretation of Audi's familiar Singleframe grille. And yet, there are a number of retro touches concealed in the design. For example, the shape of the 23-inch wheels was inspired by the wire wheels fitted to the 853. It's functional, too, because each group of spokes channels cooling air to the regenerative braking system that helps increase driving range. Suicide doors forge another link to the past.
Here is Audi's curveball: The SkySphere's wheelbase can be adjusted by nearly 10 inches. Engineers developed a system that consists of body and frame components designed to slide into each other to give the driver the option of choosing a short- or a long-wheelbase car. Selecting a driving mode named Sport locks in the short wheelbase and takes advantage of the rear-wheel steering system to deliver sharp, nimble handling. Dialing in the Grand Touring mode increases the space between the axles to clear up a generous amount of room for the occupants. When this profile is selected, the steering wheel and the pedals disappear into the dashboard as Level 4 autonomous technology drives the car. The two passengers are free to read a book, take in the scenery or work on the go.
Power is provided by an electric motor mounted over the rear axle. It zaps the rear wheels with 623 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque by drawing electricity from a lithium-ion battery pack. That's enough for a four-second sprint from 0-60 mph, according to Audi. The company adds that the concept weighs about 4,000 pounds, and that around 60% of the mass is located on the rear axle thanks to a two-part battery pack. Around 70% of the cells are stuffed in the space between the seats and the rear axle, while the rest are integrated between the seats.
The interior is just as futuristic as the exterior, it's dominated by screens and touch-sensitive surfaces, but it doesn't look out of reach. This is the direction the car industry is going in: more digital, more entertainment and more connectivity. "We're transforming the car into an experience device thanks to digitalization," Audi explained to Autoblog. That doesn't mean the SkySphere will replace the R8 at the top of the the company's range, however.
"We'll see a lot [of the SkySphere], but not in that form. It will be a lot of elements, this is really showing us Audi's upcoming design language. You can imagine elements like the front, or maybe the way we work on the surfaces, that we get into production," Gael Buzyn, the director of Audi's Malibu design studio, told Autoblog.
Audi will unveil the SkySphere on August 13, 2021, on the Pebble Beach golf course in California. Looking ahead, the next two concepts in the series are called GrandSphere and UrbanSphere, respectively. The first looks like a limousine-like sedan with unusual proportions and a living room-like cabin; it will make its public debut at the 2021 edition of the Munich auto show that opens its doors on September 7. The second is a taller model that seemingly blurs the line between a minivan and a crossover. It will be presented in Shanghai, China, at some point in 2022.