Sneak preview: Audi’s Sky Sphere, Grand Sphere and Urban Sphere concepts

Audi recently announced plans to reveal three new electric, level 4 autonomous concept cars that will set the future design direction for the brand. The Sky Sphere, a sleek grand tourer, will make its debut in California ahead of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August. The Grand sphere, a D-segment luxury sedan inspired by the 2017 Aicon concept, will bow in September at the newly minted IAA in Munich. The Urban Sphere, a crossover for metro dwellers will debut, according to Audi, “sometime next year.” Ahead of the unveilings, CDN got some insight from Philipp Roemers, Audi’s head of exterior design and Norbert Weber, head of interior, about what’s to come.

Car Design News: Last month Audi announced it would go all-electric by 2026. How has that changed the way you think about design?

Philipp Roemers: We designers have always been dreaming about proportions, meaning short overhangs, big wheels in the corners, and long wheelbases. The situation has been such that if you’ve got a combustion engine you have a long overhang with the engine and gearbox, but this can be omitted with electrification. We can really realise these dream proportions.

Norbert Weber: Interior design over the last 20 years has been geared towards the driver. If that is no longer the case due to autonomous driving capability, we have an opportunity to create a completely new cabin that resembles a lounge or living space. If you don’t need to drive, you can relax in the car, or work, or be entertained.

CDN: In a recent interview with Klaus Zyciora for CDN’s upcoming Car Design Review 8, he said Audi will be the “tech leader” of the VW Group brands. What are some design elements that specifically express this?

PR: Lighting design has been one of the areas where Audi has really excelled and doesn’t always get enough recognition. This is especially important for the Chinese market. In Beijing, where Audi has a satellite studio with 14 designers, lighting is very important. It can be seen all over the city, with the skyscapers and buildings lit up.

CDN: Tell us more about your philosophy on keeping the front grille open on an EV?

PR: We have a very distinct philosophy. Certain air intakes are still a necessity with EVs, and that face discussion is one we’ve had as many OEMs and startups have completely abandoned the front grille. But we said no, if we go in that same direction then we become interchangeable. Audi’s distinct face is the singleframe grille. We want to keep going with it and take it further. We have now created an electric face which is still very typical of Audi, but be assured that with the Grand Sphere and the following concept cars, we’ve got great ideas on how we can evolve that grille in the future. It’s a fact that the singleframe as a brand shape is one we will continue to retain.

CDN: What are some other signature design elements of an Audi that you think will never go away, even as powertrains and trends change?

NW: What is iconic for the interior is that you have this spaciousness in the cabin. We don’t have a singleframe in the interior as a reference point, but it’s the lines that we have, the way we treat surfaces inside the cabin. It’s like a grand gesture and a feature that will always make it distinct. So when you open the doors you will instantly know the car is an Audi.

PR: Obviously the proportion is super important. An Audi always has a slender cabin, big wheels, and a wide shoulder. But then you have the design language and the forms. I think an Audi will always have a certain timelessness, a design that survives the trend of the day. And of course the basic structure, as an Audi is very symmetric. We’ve got our Quattro emphasis, the “blisters” over the rear wheel arch where you can see some muscles, and the wheel is always center stage. All these elements are very typical for Audi, and we will carry them forward into the future.

The 2017 Audi Aicon concept pictured above influenced the upcoming Grand Sphere that will be unveiled at IAA 2021

CDN: What are some key elements of future Audi interior design?

NW: The Grand Sphere will be shown as a level 4 autonomous vehicle. This is a shift of paradigm; we are bringing comfort from the second row into the front row because of the technology. Sustainability will also be one of the key elements for the future. We are really looking at what material we are using and how that feeds into our environmental claim. Sustainable materials are coming with textures that are very distinct. We’re also working on vegan materials, and we are looking at surrogate leather and ways we can adapt it for an automobile. We’ve got an extremely high quality requirement that we want to stick to. These quality materials can be more costly, but they will have a higher level of sophistication.

CDN: Can you share with us the design brief for the new concept cars?

PR: Sorry, not yet.