2022 Audi’s Blue Sky thinking

Sky Sphere Concept debuts at pebble beach; shows what may be possible if OEMS shoot for the stars

As Audi looks ahead towards a future where electric vehicles reign, its designers have been busy taking their inspiration from models of old. Its next chapter will take influence from three new concept vehicles: the Sky Sphere (pictured), Grand Sphere, and Urban Sphere. The three ‘Spheres’ are an insight into Audi’s future design language and a preview of the technology the German manufacturer will explore moving into an ICE-free world: a sporting cabriolet, a grand tourer, and an SUV-styled concept respectively. At the prestigious Monterey Car Week at Pebble Beach golf course in California, Audi revealed the first of the electrified trio, the Sky Sphere. A radical twodoor cabriolet with its rakish bonnet and low-slung, sculpted side profile.

This is where that not-so-ancienthistory kicks in. The Sky Sphere is infl uenced by the Horch 853A, the German marque’s final vehicle before it was taken over by Audi following WW2, a car which had a “king of the road feeling” according to Audi’s head of design Marc Lichte. Sky Sphere’s exterior is the brainchild of Gael Buzyn (who was responsible for the PB18 e-tron concept of 2018) and his team of designers working from Audi’s studio in Malibu, California.

Their stunning creation features unique glass panels in place of the trademark single-frame grille, side vents and rear lights. Behind the glass panels are clusters of LEDs which reflect the two states of operation for the Sky Sphere. The first is its autonomous mode, ‘a time of relaxation’ where the vehicle’s controls are retracted from the driver for more space and the interior bathed in a warm, calming glow. However, when the driver is in control, the lights become aggressive and angular, reflecting the sporting nature of the roadster. Lichte says the Sky Sphere will be “on one hand, a real sports car…[but]…can transform in only a few seconds into an autonomous lounge”.

There’s another simple way to tell who’s in control of the Sky Sphere – by looking at its length. It effectively ‘compresses’ by 250mm when the driver takes the reins (see panel, right), resulting in a improved dynamic agility, while the side section behind the front quarter panel contracts for a more compact, aggressive stance on the road. Fanciful stuff? Probably. And we’re not expecting to see the Sky Sphere spawn a production model, but you can expect to see this evolution of Audi’s design language appear on future models.

Audi hasn’t provided specific powertrain details for the Sky Sphere – this is a design study, after all, so it’s not especially relevant. But it has suggested outputs of around 300kW and 750Nm, which should be ample to move it around the show circuit. Now the covers are off the Sky Sphere, Audi plans to roll out its next offering – the Grand Sphere. The second in its concept line-up, the Grand Sphere is Audi’s flagship grand tourer set to be unveiled at the IAA Motor Show in Munich this September. Following that, the SUV-styled Urban Sphere will be revealed at an as-yet announced date.

While little is yet known about the Urban Sphere SUV, Audi’s designers have given away a few clues about what the Grand Sphere has in store. It’ll be a full-size F-segment contender and is tipped to preview a replacement for the company’s current ICE-powered flagship, the A8. Naturally Level 4 autonomous capability features, as do fully reclining front seats, presumably not to be used simultaneously.

With Audi aiming to release only EVs from 2026, and hit carbon-neutral production targets by 2050, these concepts point to the product planning and strategic thinking from the very top of the company.

TAKE NOTE

1 One HAPPY ANIMALS DEPT Keeping with the eco-friendly theme, interior materials are comprised of vegan leather and sustainably sourced eucalyptus wood, which adorns the surfaces surrounding the dashboard-width touchscreen. 2 Two HONEY I SHRUNK THE W-B Small electric motors and a system of sliding rails allows the wheelbase of the concept to be shortened or extended by 250mm. Short mode plus RWS equals greater agility, according to Audi. If you’re actually driving, that is... Three3 Three IRONS AND WOODS As some compensation for the lack of a traditional boot, Audi claims the front storage compartment of the Sky Sphere is big enough to hold two golf bags. It is being unveiled at Pebble Beach Golf Links, after all.