Photo: Audi
Audi is bringing three all-electric concepts to this year's IAA Mobility, the surrogate for the much more famous IAA Frankfurt that won't be held for reasons that have made themselves quite obvious over the last 18 months or so.
Audi isn't letting too much out of the jar so far, but people seem to think these vehicles are the culmination (so far, at least) of the not-so-secret Artemis project. Considering they are presented as a completely different entity from the rest of the brand's lineup, including the e-tron family, the assumption makes perfect sense. However, until somebody from Audi confirms it, officially or otherwise, that's all it is: an assumption.
The three vehicles included in the Sphere concept range seem to be some sort of coupe/sports car, a sloped-back sedan, and a big SUV/family car. After showing the three EVs under wraps, Audi is now beginning to reveal more and more of their styling, starting with the Grand Sphere sedan.
The Ingolstadt-based company resorted to the classic low-key images that hide most of the details in the shadows, yet it's plain to see the Grand Sphere concept looks like no other current vehicle wearing the four-rings logo. We might be going out on a limb by drawing conclusions based on a few dark images of a concept car, but it sure looks as though the EV transition is going to take its toll on Audi's design, and not necessarily in a bad way.
The Grand Sphere presents itself as a sleek-looking sedan with a very long cabin - so long, one might even suspect this is going to have an almost shooting brake-like silhouette - and massive rear overhang. Speaking of the rear, it gives off a very distinct "Jaguar E-Type meets Mercedes-AMG GT" vibe, and we can't say we're complaining about any aspect of that description.
The teaser also focuses on the interior, revealing Audi's possible take on the whole self-driving situation. The Grand Sphere retains a steering wheel, but it's a pretty small one. Add the fact no other instruments are visible, and you get the impression this car is only meant to be driven occasionally.
The absence of a B pillar (something we suspect could be done thanks to the added structural rigidity of the battery pack buried in the floor) and the suicide rear doors complement the lounge-like aspect of the interior, strengthening the idea that time will be spent doing lots of other things than driving inside the Grand Sphere.
If the purpose of a teaser is to get our attention and make us excited about the full reveal, then Audi has dosed the perfect quantity of information and mystery into this partial reveal. Not only are we eager to see the Grand Sphere, but the teaser has indirectly raised our expectations for the other two models as well, the Sky Sphere and Urban Sphere.
The three vehicles included in the Sphere concept range seem to be some sort of coupe/sports car, a sloped-back sedan, and a big SUV/family car. After showing the three EVs under wraps, Audi is now beginning to reveal more and more of their styling, starting with the Grand Sphere sedan.
The Ingolstadt-based company resorted to the classic low-key images that hide most of the details in the shadows, yet it's plain to see the Grand Sphere concept looks like no other current vehicle wearing the four-rings logo. We might be going out on a limb by drawing conclusions based on a few dark images of a concept car, but it sure looks as though the EV transition is going to take its toll on Audi's design, and not necessarily in a bad way.
The Grand Sphere presents itself as a sleek-looking sedan with a very long cabin - so long, one might even suspect this is going to have an almost shooting brake-like silhouette - and massive rear overhang. Speaking of the rear, it gives off a very distinct "Jaguar E-Type meets Mercedes-AMG GT" vibe, and we can't say we're complaining about any aspect of that description.
The teaser also focuses on the interior, revealing Audi's possible take on the whole self-driving situation. The Grand Sphere retains a steering wheel, but it's a pretty small one. Add the fact no other instruments are visible, and you get the impression this car is only meant to be driven occasionally.
The absence of a B pillar (something we suspect could be done thanks to the added structural rigidity of the battery pack buried in the floor) and the suicide rear doors complement the lounge-like aspect of the interior, strengthening the idea that time will be spent doing lots of other things than driving inside the Grand Sphere.
If the purpose of a teaser is to get our attention and make us excited about the full reveal, then Audi has dosed the perfect quantity of information and mystery into this partial reveal. Not only are we eager to see the Grand Sphere, but the teaser has indirectly raised our expectations for the other two models as well, the Sky Sphere and Urban Sphere.
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