The grandsphere Offers a Glimpse Into the Future of Audi's Flagship Sedan

[Steve Q]

This car is definitely a glimpse into the future of the automotive industry, and Audi made it to show what it is capable of and, of course, to brag about its ideas about how it considers a premium car should look. It's promising. 

 

Sure, some people will tilt their heads and cry about the old powerful gasoline engines. I am a petrolhead as well, and, as a former Audi owner, I do look down on this grandsphere concept car. It is not something that we'll see in a year or two, but some of the ideas showcased here will probably see daylight.

Audi was saved by Volkswagen in the late '60s when it needed more production capacity for the Beetle. Then, it said, "OK, Audi, you may build the model 80." Fast forward a decade, and Audi was running on full steam, chasing BMW and Mercedes-Benz. In the late '70s, the carmaker became famous thanks to the quattro, which brought the all-wheel drive system into the spotlight 

by winning the World Rally Championship.

But the chase was on, and Audi stepped into the upper segment. It did that with the 1998 V8 model and, from 1994, with the A8, which became its flagship model and a direct competitor for the 7-Series and the S-Class. But that wasn't all. Audi followed its German rivals in the crossover segment with the Q7 and, later on, with the Q8. The keyword here is "followed." But then, Audi charged and unveiled more and more vehicles that didn't have any direct competitor in neither BMW's nor Merc's stable. 

With the grandsphere, Audi takes another step forward. Maybe it's still behind the Mercedes-Benz EQS, but with its so-daring design and ideas, it might overtake it, provided Audi turns this concept car into production.

 

At the front, the grandsphere's grille sports a hexagonal pattern with a light above. Thus, the car shows a distinct front fascia, unseen on other cars. Its narrow headlights resemble a pair of focused eyes. Between them, the carmaker installs the illuminated four circles that form the brand's logo. The same idea repeats at the back, but with a red logo between the taillights. Particular detail is in the circles' intersections, which are mimicked on the headlights as well.

One of the biggest innovations brought by the grandsphere is on the sides, where the doors extend in an angular line towards the roof 

and feature a glass area. Thus, the interior receives more natural light from above. On the front doors, the design team placed a pair of cameras instead of rearview mirrors, similar to those from the e-tron range. Behind the greenhouse, the concept car features a roof spoiler with an unusual lower cut that allows the trunk's lid to open.

But, once the twin doors open, the car reveals a spectacular interior. Sure, the rear-hinged rear doors might not get into production, but they look impressive. The cabin looks more like a business lounge, with bucket seats at the front and a bench for two in the back, that looks like a love seat. Also, there is no steering wheel! If that's not shocking, then I don't know what it is. But still, Audi claims that the grandsphere is a Level 4 autonomous vehicle, not a Level 5. 

Between the front seats, there is a center console that covers a storage area for two glasses and two water bottles. Also, there is an additional space for a plant. I mean, a real plant, not that kind of plastic flower offered as an option on a 2000's New Beetle. In front of the cabin, the car features a wood panel that serves as a screen for a laser projector. Here it can display a large infotainment screen where the occupants can see movies, the navigation system, the on-board computer data, and even support video calls.

 

To activate various menus, the driver just has to look at a specific area, and a sensor placed in the upper middle section of the wooden panel will notice the eyes' 

movement. On the driver's door, there is a physical turning knob that serves as a controller for seat positions, a climate controller, and, next to it, a few buttons to open the menus selected by eye movement.

Suppose the driver wants to drive the vehicle. In a blink of an eye, the wooden dash panel opens and brings a steering wheel to the driver. Only now they can drive the vehicle the old fashion way, with feet on pedals and hands on the wheel. But it is quite uncomfortable, since the driving position is very low, and the lower edge of the windshield is very high.

As for the drivetrain, the grandsphere features a 120 kWh battery inside the floor, between the axles. Audi is well-known for its all-wheel-drive vehicles, and the concept car is no exception. Albeit, it uses two motors, instead of one on each corner, with a total output power of 530 kW (710 hp) and 960 Nm (708 lb-ft) of torque. Since the car is built on an 800-volt technology, it can be charged with on fast-charging stations. 

The car can charge from 5 to 80% in 25 minutes. With a full pack of batteries, it can travel up to 750 km (466 miles), but in 10 minutes can fill for 300 km (186 miles). Its 0 to 100 kph (0-62 mph) sprint is made in just over four seconds, while the top speed is capped, but the carmaker didn't say to which value. It might not be as quick as the Mercedes-AMG EQS, but still, it makes up a good impression for an electric car. 

 

Sure, some people will say that Audi will never build a production vehicle such as the grandsphere. But just remember, folks, more than three decades ago, there were a lot of nay-sayers who didn't believe Audi when it showed the ASF concept car, which eventually turned into the first A8 generation. Moreover, the Q7 was just a design idea, and it too turned into a production vehicle. 

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