Audi Grandsphere concept
Audi
Audi advertises its latest concept vehicle, the Grandsphere, as a “private jet for the road”. The vehicle may not be able to fly, but the German automaker said it developed the electric car with such luxury private travel in mind.
Specifically, the interior is designed in such a way that it can be transformed into a “first-class lounge” in self-driving mode, including a stowable steering column for more space for the driver and front passenger.
The concept vehicle represents what company representatives believe the Volkswagen brand could achieve when it comes to electric and autonomous vehicles. Audi plans to offer exclusively electric vehicles by 2033, after the last of its new gas-powered vehicles is launched in 2026.
Audi Grandsphere concept
Audi
“It’s the future of Audi,” said Hildegard Wortmann, Head of Audi Sales and Marketing, on Thursday during the car’s online unveiling. “We are at the beginning of a new era of mobility.”
To be clear, no vehicle sold today is self-driving. All current driver assistance systems still require the driver’s attention, but the Audi concept is designed to work autonomously without driver supervision.
The Grandsphere is the second of three concept vehicles of its kind. The first, dubbed the Skysphere, was unveiled last month as a performance roadster that combines Batmobile-like technology with aggressive design and luxurious amenities.
Audi Grandsphere concept
Audi
While the two cars share some exterior design traits, the Grandsphere looks less bleak and has a far cleaner and more luxurious interior, which Audi put an emphasis on with the car.
“It’s no longer just about driving,” said Audi boss Henrik Wenders when the car was unveiled. “Thanks to digitization, it’s about experiences – personal, immersive and very close to people.”
Perhaps the most surprising thing about the vehicle is that there are no obvious screens in the cabin when in self-drive mode. Instead, everything that is normally communicated through an infotainment system and more, including films, is projected onto the vehicle’s wooden instrument panel under the windshield.
Audi Grandsphere concept
Audi
While some of the vehicle’s debuts included computer-generated images, an Audi spokesman said the vehicle was real. It will be on display at the Munich Motor Show next week.
According to Audi, the term “sphere” in the names of the concept cars is intended to symbolize the interior of the vehicles for drivers and passengers. The third concept, called Urbansphere, is to be presented in the first half of 2022.
