Audi took advantage of Monterey Car Week and in particular The Quail event to bring together the three electric concepts of the Sphere family: grandpshere, skypshere and urbansphere. The brand also unveils a teaser for a 4th member, the activesphere.
Organized every year, Monterey Car Week takes place on the California coast and attracts thousands of spectators as well as many manufacturers. An unmissable event that takes place in several places and is divided into several events, such as the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance or The Quail. It was precisely on this occasion that Audi decided to bring together three of its latest electric concept cars before the eyes of the public, as detailed by the manufacturer in his press release.
Audi grandsphere concept
The latter was therefore able to once again have a glimpse of the future of the brand through these three style studies, from the Sphere family. Alongside the new Audi S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron, unveiled at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion held at the Laguna Seca circuit, visitors were able to admire the grandsphere concept, the first to see the light of day last September.
The latter takes the form of a large all-electric luxury sedan with a level 4 autonomous driving system. Under its hood, it has a 710 horsepower engine and 960 Nm of torque, allowing it to achieve 0 to 100 km / h in just over four seconds. Based on the PPE platform developed with Porsche, the concept embeds a 120 kWh battery allowing it to travel more than 750 km.
Audi skysphere: electric convertible
The public was also able to admire and approach the Audi Skysphere Concept, which takes the form of a large electric convertible. Taking advantage of a variable wheelbase, ranging from 4.94 to 5.19 meters, this amazing creation is equipped with a rear motor of 632 horsepower and 750 Nm of torque which allows it to go from 0 to 100 km/h in four seconds also, despite a weight displayed at 1,800 kilos all the same. The 80 kWh battery allows it to enjoy a range of around 500 km. Of course, level 4 autonomous driving is also included, allowing you to do without the steering wheel and pedals. Suffice to say that it is not yet tomorrow that we will be able to test this functionality in France, while only level 3 autonomous driving will be authorized from September 1.
Audi urbansphere: a long SUV
Finally, the latest concept, called Audi Urbansphere was also present on the lawns of The Quail: A Motorsport Gathering. This foreshadows an unprecedented electric and autonomous limousine, designed for large cities. 5.51 meters long, or 34 centimeters longer than an Audi A8, this latest addition offers many features, including a huge OLED screen integrated into the ceiling. Also based on the PPE platform, this style study, which should not see the light of day as is, is equipped with a 401 horsepower engine 690 Nm of torque, as well as a 120 kWh battery would allow it to travel up to 750 km.
Audi activesphere: a unique concept
But if Audi offers us a small retrospective of its latest electric concepts, it also takes the opportunity to announce the arrival of a fourth.
If it was not physically unveiled during Monterey Car Week, the brand has just presented a first teaser. This then shows the silhouette of the car, which presumably takes the form of a raised model. For the time being, it is difficult to know what the latter will really look like, while the front face is still hidden. No doubt it should remain in the same vein as the previous concepts of the Sphere family.
If no technical information has been revealed for the moment, this style study is logically powered by an electric motor whose power is not known. We will have to wait a few more months before knowing more, while its official presentation is not expected until next year. The resulting production version could then replace the current Audi A6 Allroad.
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