Audi grandsphere Concept – Vorsprung Durch Technik?
By Edward A. Sanchez – Sept. 6, 2021
Ahead of the 2021 IAA Show in Munich, Audi revealed its grandsphere concept. As silly as I think the European fetish with lower-casing proper nouns is, I’ll play along. Capitalization disputes aside, the grandsphere is Ingolstadt’s latest concept on its vision of full-size luxury.
Audi has always held an interesting position among the German premium brands, being generally perceived of as sportier than Mercedes-Benz (with the exception of the boisterous AMG sub-brand) but not quite as aggressive and purely performance-focused as BMW. There are always exceptions to the norm, and of course, Audi’s RS variants and its mid-engine R8 supercar, which shares its platform with the in-your-face Lamborghini Gallardo and Huracán, are standouts from the brand’s run-of-the-mill offerings.
The grandsphere would presumably fit in at or above the A8’s position in Audi’s lineup, with an overall length of 5.35 meters (211 inches) and a wheelbase of 3.19 meters (126 inches). These generous dimensions give it an open, airy cabin, further enabled by its fully electric powertrain, which Audi is claiming outputs 711 hp (530 kW) and 708 lb-ft (960 Nm) of torque. This gives the grandsphere a claimed 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) time of “just over” 4 seconds. Not Model S Plaid or Lucid Air Performance territory, but no slouch.
The 120 kWh battery gives the grandsphere a claimed range of 750 km (466 miles). However, it’s clear the theme of the grandsphere isn’t as much driving itself, but being driven, specifically in Level 4 autonomous mode.
Audi is proud of the fact that when the grandsphere is parked, there are no visible instruments or controls, with those being hidden under a translucent wood veneer. A steering wheel and gauge cluster are in front of the driver when in “manual” mode, although both fully retract and disappear when in autonomous mode. Adding to the lounge-like atmosphere is a large B-pillar-less opening when the front and rear doors are opened.
When in Level 4 autonomous mode, vehicle cabin controls such as infotainment and climate can be controlled with gesture controls, freeing the driver from having to tap or twist on a surface or knob. An active suspension system ensures optimal comfort regardless of drive mode, able to synthesize inputs from vehicle cameras as well as the dynamic navigation system.
While a fully autonomous future has been promised for the better part of five years, in truth, we’re not much closer to it now than we were then. The global legislative and regulatory landscape for fully autonomous vehicles is highly fragmented and fractured, with regulations and guidelines varying country by country and state by state. And edge cases of autonomous test vehicles getting confused and getting involved in accidents are still common enough that the general public’s trust of the technology is not quite to the point where there’s a great level of trust in widespread autonomous deployment.
It also makes me wonder what Audi’s brand positioning will be going forward in this brave new world of adopting autonomous technology.
While “Vorsprung Durch Technik” (literally “Advancement Through Technology” usually transliterated as “Progress Through Technology”) would broadly encompass the grandsphere’s mission, it’s a far cry from the brand’s IMSA and rally racing days. Truthfully, Audi isn’t alone in facing somewhat of an identity crisis in this brave new world where the relative importance of driving dynamics simply doesn’t have as much significance as it used to.
While the styling and specs of the grandsphere are subjectively attractive, it doesn’t pioneer any significant new territory from a conceptual or technological standpoint. How many show cars have pillarless door openings and retracting steering wheels? Also, the grandsphere’s performance and range specifications, while perfectly competent, aren’t anything shocking or noteworthy when there are many other premium EV sedans already on the market – some from within the Volkswagen Group family themselves – that out-perform it.
I get that the whole idea that the grandsphere isn’t about pavement-scorching performance, but more about the holistic, serene experience of an idealized autonomous future. Not to be too cynical, but the grandsphere strikes me as the latest seasonal car show concept. It’s pleasant, stylish, and elegantly futuristic, but in the context of Tesla, Lucid, the Mercedes EQS, and other models about to be in showrooms in the next 12 to 24 months, this concept is ultimately rather tame.
(Images courtesy Audi)
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