The new Audi Gradsphere concept anticipates the future of the brand with the four rings, starting from level 4 autonomous driving up to electric traction capable of guaranteeing over 750 kilometers of autonomy. Ready to debut at the first edition of the IAA in Munich, scheduled from 7 to 12 September, the Ingolstadt Gran Turismo was born on the PPE electric modular platform and presents a truly revolutionary style combined with level 4 autonomous driving where the motorist can travel saying goodbye at the wheel.
Audi Grandsphere, size and style
The dimensions of the Grandsphere represent the top of the Audi range, as confirmed by the 5.35 meters in length, 2 meters in width and 1.39 meters in height. Added to this is the wheelbase of 3.19 meters, even higher than the long wheelbase version of the Audi A8. The second of the brand’s three “ball” concept cars with four rings, after the summer debut of the Skysphere and waiting for the Urbansphere ready to be unveiled in 2022, the Grandsphere anticipates many elements of future Audi starting with the new front grille or interior designed to radically change the experience on board. Looking at the Grandsphere, the side doors stand out, with folding opening and without central pillar.
Loading…
Interior and level autonomous driving
Level 4 autonomous driving also radically changes the interior. The reason? Because Grandsphere is ready to bring the fourth level of autonomous driving to the road, where the car is able to handle any situation and the steering wheel becomes superfluous. Precisely for this reason, the four-ring electric touring car features interiors with or without steering wheel, thus emphasizing the technology on board. To arrive at level 4 autonomous driving, Audi is working with Cariad, a Volkswagen group company specializing in digital applications and software, with the aim of introducing this technology on the road by the middle of the decade.
Looking at the Grandsphere, the side doors stand out, with folding opening and without central pillar. The car is able to recognize oncoming passengers, open doors for them and welcome them with individually set displays and ambient light. The positions of the driver and passenger are automatically detected and a number of functions, such as climate settings and seats, are adjusted for individual passengers. At the same time, the infotainment system accesses recently used services and seamlessly picks them up inside the car. For example, a video that a passenger was streaming to a tablet is automatically played on the display surface. On the driver’s side, on the other hand, the projection surface automatically resumes the display of the news that the occupant was reading before boarding.
Audi grandsphere concept, range and battery
The new Grandsphere concept is based on the PPE (Premium Platform Electric) native electric platform, developed in collaboration with Porsche. The floor has a battery module located between the axles, with a capacity of 120 kWh. The quattro all-wheel drive is based on the presence of two electric motors: one at each axle. The overall power of the powertrain is equal to 720 horsepower, while the torque reaches 960 Nm. The sprint from 0 to 100 km / h occurs in just over four seconds. As on the Audi e-tron Gt, the battery is characterized by a nominal voltage of 800 Volts which allows charging in direct current (DC) with powers up to 270 kW. It is thus possible to absorb enough energy in 10 minutes to travel over 300 kilometers with Wltp approval, while in less than 25 minutes the charge level goes from 5% to 80%. Overall, the range is over 750 kilometers.