Audi invited us out to LA for a primary take a look at their new Skysphere idea, which they are going to be displaying at Pebble Seaside this week. The automotive, whereas solely an idea to this point, provides us a glimpse into the way forward for Audi design and engineering, and we’re significantly right here for it.
After we first heard concerning the Skysphere, Audi sounded somewhat cagey. They informed us it was a sports activities automotive, however in addition they informed us it was autonomous. It virtually appeared like they couldn’t get their story straight. Effectively… now it is sensible. It’s each.
The primary characteristic of the Skysphere is that it has two driving “modes” – Grand Touring and Sports activities mode.
The primary, Grand Touring mode, hearkens again to the traditional grand touring automobiles of the Thirties, a low two-seater roadster configuration with a protracted wheelbase, lengthy hood, inside luxurious, all designed for good efficiency, however primarily for lengthy drives on nation roads. This was the period the place individuals actually began to get pleasure from driving for driving’s sake, to see the place the street would take you.
The second, Sports activities mode, provides an aggressive and sporty trip, with improved dealing with and a extra commanding and related presence for the motive force.
However we’ve seen driving modes earlier than. They’re no large deal. The truth is, they’re usually somewhat foolish, simply altering the throttle mapping, trip peak, or just a few different minor elements of the automobile.
So what’s totally different concerning the Audi idea? The entire automotive modifications form, and fairly dramatically. Verify this out:
Whereas grand touring automobiles have been all the time sporty, they have been additionally considerably of a compromise, and the lengthy wheelbase and deal with a cushty trip hampered a few of the efficiency driving elements of those automobiles and made them really feel much less responsive than a smaller, roadster-style sportscar.
So Audi’s thought was: How might we make a automotive that features completely properly as a grand tourer or as a sports activities automotive, however with out having to compromise between the 2?
The Skysphere idea manages to deliver collectively the strengths of each varieties of automotive by having a modifiable wheelbase. In Grand Touring mode, the Skysphere is 201 inches (5.19 meters) lengthy, whereas in Sports activities mode it shrinks by practically 10 inches (250mm).
However the modifications don’t cease there. In Grand Touring mode, the steering wheel, pedals, and equipment shifter recess into the dashboard and supply a stage 4 autonomous driving expertise. That is meant to be a mode the place driver and passenger can take of their environment with out having to deal with the street.
In Sports activities mode, the inside shifts right into a extra driver-focused configuration, offsetting the motive force and passenger seat and bringing the sprint show nearer to the motive force to offer a extra related driving expertise. There’s even a small glove field above the steering wheel, sized simply giant sufficient to suit a pair of driving gloves.
Audi took inspiration from the traditional Horch 853 Roadster in designing the Skysphere idea, although wished that inspiration to stay restricted. Audi calls this “reverence with out retro” – a name again to the grand touring automobiles of the age, however utilizing fashionable expertise to make a brand new design in the identical spirit. The automotive’s lengthy hood recollects a few of the design of those outdated grand tourers, however as an alternative of an enormous engine, there’s a “frunk” giant sufficient for 2 golf luggage.
The automotive’s grille has variable lighting, which modifications based mostly on driving mode – which might evolve right into a helpful method of signaling different drivers that the automotive is driving itself.
In fact, since we’re Electrek, we wouldn’t be there if the automotive wasn’t electrical. Within the rear finish, the automotive is powered by an 80kWh battery good for 310 miles (500km) value of WLTP-estimated vary. This battery sits behind (and partially between) the low-slung driver and passenger seat. The load remains to be in entrance of the axle (just like a mid-engine sports activities automotive), contributing to a 40/60 F/R weight distribution of the automotive’s 3,968 lb. (1,800 kg) whole weight.
The automotive is only rear-wheel drive, a rarity amongst EVs. It’s powered by one 623hp (465kW) motor between the rear wheels which may push the automotive from 0 to 62mph (100km/h) in 4 seconds. That battery weight helps contribute to good traction for the 285mm-wide rear tires, which ought to produce a really planted feeling on acceleration.
This battery location deviates from what has develop into the usual – placing the battery on the ground of an electrical automotive. Whereas the Skysphere’s battery location loses somewhat when it comes to middle of gravity, it positive factors a decrease, extra aggressive seating place. And a battery strapped to the underside wouldn’t actually work very properly on a automotive with an adjustable wheelbase, anyhow. So the batteries ended up within the rear finish – which works properly sufficient for a rear-wheel drive automotive anyway (see the Tesla Roadster, which positioned batteries in the identical location).
To design the Skysphere, Audi used a brand new strategy of designing the automotive in VR. This was partially motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing designers to work at home, nevertheless it additionally diminished prices and allowed sooner iteration than conventional design work together with clay modeling, material swatches, and so forth.
After being designed in Audi’s Malibu Design Loft, the recordsdata have been despatched off to Germany for manufacturing, and the designers didn’t even see any bodily manifestation of their automotive till it was shipped again over to California upfront of its debut.
This variation in design methodology indicators a brand new course for Audi. Audi insists that this Skysphere idea – and the upcoming Grand Sphere and City Sphere ideas to be debuted within the coming months – are supposed to set the tone for Audi’s future. All are meant to be stage 4 autonomous autos with stowable pedals and steering wheels.
Electrek‘s take
After we drove the Audi e-tron GT, each Seth and myself felt that the automotive was nice for the precise buyer, however maybe somewhat too conventional for our admittedly iconoclastic tastes.
That’s not the case right here. This Skysphere idea is a giant change for Audi. It actually does obtain the “reverence with out retro” aim that Audi was searching for. Nothing about it feels notably conventional when it comes to design, however there’s simply sufficient reference to motoring heritage to make it somewhat extra fascinating.
Audi reps stated that this idea automotive was an intentional departure from the outdated methods, which was music to my ears.
And it’s fairly a departure from the everyday look of an Audi. I’m a giant fan of adventurous designs – for instance, I believe the i8 is the very best factor BMW has ever performed – so this one actually speaks to me.
We’ve seen just a few EV ideas which have comparable concepts earlier than. The BMW Imaginative and prescient Subsequent 100 can stow the steering wheel and endure some inside transformations, together with having a “versatile” pores and skin. The REDspace metropolis automotive idea has rotating seats to show itself right into a (small) dwelling or work house. However nothing to the extent of the Skysphere, which really modifies one of the vital vital elements of car dynamics, the wheelbase.
In fact, the Skysphere is only a idea. The opposite upcoming “sphere” ideas are presupposed to be nearer to manufacturing intent, however Audi isn’t even pretending the Skysphere will go into manufacturing. It’s fully potential that it’d ultimately make its method to changing into a manufacturing automotive, in some kind, possible with large modifications – however Audi has made no indicators but that that may occur.
And realistically, regulators would possible balk on the thought of placing a automotive on the street that may modifications dimensions. On the very least, it might must undergo two separate units of crash testing.
Audi had a whole lot of electrical ideas prior to now, together with one which I noticed close to the beginning of my electrical journey, again in 2009 – the unique e-tron idea, based mostly on an R8, which Audi stated on the time was manufacturing intent however then by no means actually did something with. After that, and a sequence of years of press releases and ideas that by no means materialized, I declared Audi “the king of electrical automobile press releases” out of my annoyance that none of it ever appeared to get off the web page and onto the street.
However that was the outdated Audi, and issues have been altering. VW Group bought in bother just a few years again, bought a brand new CEO who may be very critical about cleansing up VW’s act, and Audi says they’ve extra electrical fashions coming by the top of this yr than some other model – 5, by their rely.
They appear to be taking it significantly now, and this idea signifies a dramatic change for Audi. In discussions with Audi reps, they have been enthusiastic about these three “sphere” ideas and the brand new course they symbolize.
So the Audi Skysphere idea is simply an thought for now – or maybe eternally. But when Audi is true about it informing design and expertise selections going ahead, then it’s definitely a really cool concept that we wish to see extra of.
Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for unique movies and subscribe to the podcast.