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Audi Unveils Shape-Shifting Concept Sports Car That’s Also An Auto EV
By Ell Ko, 12 Aug 2021
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Image via Audi
“The future is wide open,” Audi declares. It has revealed the first of its new concept vehicles, the ‘Skysphere’, which combines the traditional sports car with autonomy.
As reported by Electrek, the vehicle’s main feature is its two driving modes: Grand Touring and Sports. Grand Touring pays homage to touring cars of the 1930s, enjoyed on long drives and used to enjoy the scenery of new places.
In the ‘Skysphere’, this is its autonomous driving mode, where drivers can sit back and enjoy the ride. Sports mode provides the driver with better handling for active driving.
But what steals the show and truly sets these modes apart from those of other cars is the “revolutionary redesign of the interior”: the whole car changes shape. It tucks elements away when unneeded in Grand Touring, opening up vast amounts of space in the car, and brings them back out in Sports with a single press of a button.
Image via Audi
When in Grand Touring mode, the steering wheel, pedals, and gear shifter retreat into the dashboard, and the car provides level-four autonomous driving. It measures 5.19 meters (17 feet), while Sports measures 4.94 meters (16.2 feet). This mode shifts the entire layout of the car to be more driver-focused by bringing the dash display closer to the drivers’ seat and offsetting it from the passenger side.
A rare occurrence among electric vehicles, the ‘Skysphere’ is a rear-wheel drive. It’s powered by an 80kWh battery, which is enough to take it 310 miles. Plus, it boasts a total of 465kW of power, and 750 Newton meters of torque.
Image via Audi
Its design was inspired by the Horch 853 roadster, another iconic car in Audi’s history, and defined luxury in the 1930s. Now, the ‘Skysphere’ hopes to define luxury in its own revolutionary way almost a century on.
‘Skysphere’ will make its public preview on August 13, 2021, as part of Monterey Car Week, on its home turf in California.
Image via Audi
Image via Audi
When bold visions come to life. Meet the Audi skysphere concept, heralding a new era of future premium mobility. #FutureIsAnAttitude #AudiSkysphereConcept
— Audi USA (@Audi) August 10, 2021
Watch the full live reveal and discover more at https://t.co/YrbIehi749 pic.twitter.com/gyh4HTOVlc
Designed to be a high-class experience. Shaped to redefine future premium mobility. The Audi skysphere concept, transforming sporty, emotional self-driving and scenic automated drive.
— Audi (@AudiOfficial) August 11, 2021
Discover more at https://t.co/44dAYqXq0B. pic.twitter.com/DL4M7JtvLq
[via Electrek, images via Audi]
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