Audi has unveiled the first of its three new concept cars, which preview the brand’s design direction for the next decade and beyond.
This one is called the Audi Grand Sphere and is expected to be the star of Audi at the 2021 Munich Motor Show. When it arrives, it will offer a preview of a luxury limousine that will replace the A8 and will be introduced in 2025.
Norbert Weber, head of interior design at Audi, said, “The Grand Sphere is clearly much closer to reality. Around the year 2025, we want to have a new offering in the upper luxury segment, and the Grand Sphere is definitely a perspective on that.”
Philipp Römers, head of exterior design at Audi, echoed his comments, saying, “We have plans for electric vehicles in the D segment in the coming years, so it is very likely that more than a few details and lines will be reflected in the production model. Audi does not just develop isolated show cars that have nothing to do with series production.”
The two Audi designers also mentioned how the Grand Sphere represents a shift in automotive design, moving from the relatively small cabin space and large overhangs of a traditional car to a much more spacious interior thanks to shorter overhangs, made possible by new electric platforms.
Audi’s vision for future car interiors is that they become an additional “living space” that complements the buyer’s home, and that lounge-style design attitude is evident in the Grand Sphere’s cabin.
The seats, for example, are like loungers, while the dashboard is much more minimalist than any of Audi’s current production vehicles. The central console also features a “refreshment area,” instead of the usual infotainment system controls or drive mode switches.
Römers made some key comparisons between the Grand Sphere and the Aicon concept from the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. He said, “Car concepts are different worlds. But looking at the similarities, both are luxury class vehicles with a footprint of a long-wheelbase A8, roughly, which means both feel at home in the D segment.
“The differences are that the Aicon was really oriented towards level 5 autonomous driving. The Grand Sphere will be level 4 automated driving, which means the driver still has the option of driving the car themselves, and this is something we want to find evident in the exterior design.”
Römers teased that the vehicle will be based on the Volkswagen Group’s PPE platform and said, “In any case, it is fair to say that the PPE platform has a very wide range in the vehicle market.
“So, cars from the B segment, which is the size of an A4, up to high-class vehicles like the Audi Grand Sphere can use the PPE platform as a technical platform. And this is our plan.”
The PPE platform is an evolution of the J1 platform that underpins the Audi e-tron GT. It is intended for use under cars like the Audi Q6 e-tron and the next-generation Porsche Macan electric SUVs.
