As is usual in motor manufacture, Audi have designed a range of prestige concept cars for the years ahead, versions of which will arrive in the not too distant future. ‘Sphere’ is the buzzword word here and the range is likely to consist of the ‘Skysphere’, the ‘Urbansphere’ and the model that we are concentrating on today, the ‘Grandsphere’.
The word ‘sphere’, we learn, is supposed to emphasize inner space. In other words, the interior will become the foundation for design and technology, turning the vehicle into a sphere where the passengers can enjoy life and experiences while on the go. That’s the plan.
About The Grandsphere
This is meant to be about premium motoring at its best: A private jet for the road. Like a first class flight, the 5.35m (17.6 ft.) long Grandsphere saloon will combine, say Audi, the luxury of private travel in the greatest of comfort with a comprehensive onboard experience offering.
In another small step toward autonomous driving, Level 4 automated technology makes new dimensions of freedom possible: in this mode, the interior turns into a spacious sphere of experience without a steering wheel, pedals, or displays. And the front seats become a first class lounge with maximum space, freer views and access to all the functions of a digital ecosystem.
The Exterior
The Grandsphere is about luxury. This car looks nothing like a conventional saloon, but rather more like a tightly drawn four-door GT with a line that comes straight from wind tunnel design. Electric of course, the vehicle features a short overhang, a flat bonnet (hood), with the windscreen projecting far forward.
We can forget about Jetson’s-like mobility however, unlike some electric cars, it does not look particularly futuristic at all, but rather emphasizes traditional automotive beauty ideals, that are characteristically Grand Touring. The top edge of the bonnet is drawn far into the side of the chassis in a horizontal line, suggesting a long engine box (although there isn’t one) while at the back that line continues at the same height across the rear wheel well, encompassing the whole cabin and emphasizing its size. A second horizontal line emanates from the bottom edge of the hood and runs under the side windows and likewise around the entire cabin.
The slender rear behind the massive C-pillar is another detail from traditional streamlining, and the dynamically sloping arc of the roofline reveals hints of the Audi Sportback tradition. Wheels will be, at the time of writing, 23 inches. With active air suspension, this should be one smooth ride.
The Interior
The interior appears particularly wide when the two individual front seats are pushed all the way back. The Audi Grandsphere is essentially a 2+2-seater. An upholstered, two-person bench with an armrest that goes around the side is integrated as a seating option in the back, while both front seats are designed for first class comfort and space.
The doors of the Grandsphere concept are reversed so front and back touch; there is no B-pillar. The whole world of the interior opens up to passengers as soon as they climb in. But even before that, the Audi Grandsphere has identified its passengers with a pathway identification – an innovative feature – that opens the doors and welcomes them with individually staged displays and ambient light. Not sure about the house plant featured in the images though.
The driver and passenger positions are automatically detected and an array of personal comfort features – such as the climate control settings and the seats – are adjusted for the individual. At the same time, the infotainment system accesses the passengers’ most recently used services and seamlessly resumes them inside the car. For instance, a video that a passenger was streaming on a tablet is automatically played back over the display surface in the Audi Grandsphere.
The Drive
The technology platform of the Audi Grandsphere has been conceived exclusively for battery-powered electric drive systems and therefore it takes full advantage of that technology. The key element is a battery module between the axles that holds around 120kWh of energy, in the concept version. A flat battery layout is possible because Audi uses the entire vehicle base between the axles.
Together with the large wheels, this produces basic proportions that are perfect not only from a design perspective. The core benefits include a long interior and therefore legroom in both rows of seats. Additionally, the absence of a gearbox cover and a transmission tunnel increases spatial comfort in electric cars.
The concept does not forego the quattro drive system, which is essential to the brand. That is because the concept car has separate electric motors mounted on the front and rear axles that use electronic coordination to deliver all-wheel drive on demand and execute a perfect balance between driving dynamics and energy efficiency. The Audi Grandsphere concept’s two electric motors are capable of delivering a total output of 530kW (710bhp and 720PS equivalent) and torque of a huge 960Nm.
The heart of the drive system is an 800 volt charging technology. Like the current model Audi e-tron GT, this technology ensures that the battery can be charged with up to 270kW in a very short time at fast-charging stations. This should make charging times similar to that of refuelling a car with a conventional engine. That’s a very bold claim. Audi say that just ten minutes are enough to charge the battery to a level sufficient to power the car more than 300 kilometres (186 miles). In less than 25 minutes, you can charge the 120 kWh battery from 5 to 80 percent. Range is suggested as in excess of 750 kilometres (466 miles) but this will of course depend upon prevailing conditions and how it is driven. It does though seem to bring us much nearer real world motoring. We’ll see.
Over the near future MHH International will be featuring more on this future tech and of course when these concepts become reality we will be there ready to take orders to enable importation from the UK to Kenya, New Zealand and other global destinations. Watch this space.
