Audi Reveals New 711-hp Grandsphere Concept

Audi once again previews its plans for a new flagship sedan featuring the latest in electric drive and Level 4 autonomous driving technology with the unveiling of the Grandsphere concept ahead of Monday’s opening of the 2021 Munich auto show in Germany.

The svelte 4-door design study previews an all-wheel-drive Mercedes-Benz EQS-rivaling replacement for the existing fourth-generation A8 currently under development as part of the German automaker’s Artemis project, which aims to place Audi at the forefront of the global premium-brand EV ranks by the middle of the decade.

At 210.6 ins. (5,349 mm) in length, the Grandsphere is 1.9 ins. (48 mm) longer than today’s long-wheelbase A8 and a considerable 15.3 ins. (389 mm) longer than the A6 e-tron concept revealed at the 2021 Shanghai auto show as a preview to the upcoming electric-powered replacement for today’s A6.

The new sedan is a radical departure from the existing range-topping Audi sedan both in proportions and in styling.

Packaging advantages inherent in its dedicated electric-car platform, the PPE (Premium Platform Electric) structure developed in partnership with Porsche, see the windshield set well forward, providing the Grandsphere with a relatively short hood and exceptionally long cabin.

The new concept’s distinctive front-end styling includes a number of traditional Audi touches, including a large grille set lower in the front bumper than on any Audi model of today, giving greater prominence to the slim-line headlamps. 

The sides of the Grandsphere are characterized by a lack of B-pillars, allowing uninterrupted access to the interior through conventional front-hinged front doors and rear-hinged rear doors. A high shoulder line and narrow glasshouse recall the look of Audi’s more sporting combustion-engine models.

The surfacing treatment throughout the body, meanwhile, is highly reminiscent of that seen on the A6 e-tron concept car with smooth unadorned forms in what Audi calls its “monolith” design lineage. A crease line is set within the sills, helping provide structure to the lower part of the doors. 

Large wheelhouses accommodate 23-in. wheels whose design, Audi says, was inspired by those featured on the Audi Avus concept revealed back in 1991.

The rear receives a characteristically flat C-pillar in a nod to the original Audi quattro as well as an unusually long overhang.

Grandsphere interior

The Grandsphere is the second of three “Sphere” concept cars to be shown by Audi.

The first Sphere concept, the Skysphere, was revealed in early August while a smaller, commuter-based Sphere concept, known to insiders as the Urbansphere, is to be unveiled in early 2022.

Audi says all three concepts are linked by their ability to drive autonomously using a Level 4 system being developed in partnership with CARIAD, parent company Volkswagen’s software think tank.   

Inside (pictured above and below), the Grandsphere does away with digital displays in place of projections upon wooden surfaces as part of what Audi describes as a “digital detox.” The steering wheel is stowed until the driver switches it into manual mode. The materials used throughout the new concept car, including the wooden trims and synthetic textile seat fabric, are sourced from sustainable material or are recycled.

Audi describes its latest concept as a 2+2, with two individual seats up front and a large bench seat in the rear. In keeping with the intended upmarket positioning of the A8 replacement, the center console between the front seats houses a cooler with two glasses and a bottle holder.

Hinting at the technical specification of its future flagship, Audi says the Grandsphere is conceived to house a large 120-kWh battery wholly within its floorpan between the two axles, giving the interior a flat floor.

Two electric motors, one mounted up front and another at the rear, provide the big sedan with a combined system output of 711 hp and 597 lb.-ft. (809 Nm) of torque.

The battery supports 800V charging at up to 270 kW, allowing an 80% charge in less than 25 minutes. The claimed range is put at “more than 466 miles (750 km)”.

Audi previously previewed its plans for a new headlining electric model with the unveiling of the AI:CON concept in 2017.

Grandsphere 2nd row