Audi Sphere trio previews brand’s future autonomous vision

These three concept design sketches, named the Grand Sphere, Sky Sphere and Urban Sphere, preview Audi's vision of future autonomous vehicles.

Published On Jul 07, 2021 09:00:00 AM

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Audi, one of the forerunners when it comes to autonomous driving technology, has teased three new concept cars, which the company bosses claim showcase its vision of future autonomous vehicles.

Audi teases three new concept cars to preview its vision of future autonomous vehicles
The concepts will spawn a two-door coupe, an SUV and a sedan
All three concept cars will be publicly showcased sometime next year

The three concept cars have been named the Sky Sphere, Grand Sphere and Urban Sphere. The teaser suggests the Sky Sphere to be a two-door coupe, the Grand Sphere as a sedan, and the Urban Sphere to be an SUV. All three models are due to be shown sometime next year. They were detailed in a video posted to LinkedIn by Audi sales boss Henrik Wenders and design chief Marc Lichte.

In the video, Wenders called them “breathtaking concept cars that will reinvent mobility as we see it today,” adding that they were designed to provide “unique first-class experiences”.

Audi Sphere trio: design

The sketch of the Sky Sphere depicts a long, low-slung car with, unusually for an EV, an elongated bonnet. Wenders called it “a driver’s car and an autonomous car at the same time”, suggesting that it could be some form of sporting two-door coupé.

The Grand Sphere sketch depicts the form of a sleek grand tourer, which also features an extended front, but appears to have a larger body section. Lichte said that this is “all about grand appearance, immersive and personal, a grand high-class experience for all senses.”

Lastly, the Urban Sphere has a more compact, boxy form that has similarities with both autonomous shuttles and is even reminiscent of Audi's recent AI:ME compact SUV concept. Wenders described it as “a private space in urban environments, digital and social, involving and perfectly centred around you”.

Audi has, however, shed no more details on when the three Sphere concepts will be shown or even how closely related the final production models will be to these concepts. The carmaker is currently working on expanding its e-tron range of EVs and is also working on Project Artemis, a software-driven project that will use the Volkswagen Group’s forthcoming SSP EV platform.

Audi: upcoming India launches

Back here in India, Audi is gearing up for the launch of their first all-electric offerings – the e-tron SUV and the e-tron Sportback. Slated for a launch on July 22, 2021, bookings for both the models are currently ongoing. Audi will also be further expanding their ICE range in India later this year with the launch of the all-new A3 and Q3, along with facelifted versions of the Q5 and Q7.

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