X

Audi will follow up Skysphere with Grandsphere, Urbansphere concepts

The Grandsphere will debut in September.

Steven Ewing Former managing editor
Steven Ewing spent his childhood reading car magazines, making his career as an automotive journalist an absolute dream job. After getting his foot in the door at Automobile while he was still a teenager, Ewing found homes on the mastheads at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog and Motor1.com before joining the CNET team in 2018. He has also served on the World Car Awards jury. Ewing grew up ingrained in the car culture of Detroit -- the Motor City -- before eventually moving to Los Angeles. In his free time, Ewing loves to cook, binge trash TV and play the drums.
Steven Ewing
2 min read
Audi Skysphere Concept
Enlarge Image
Audi Skysphere Concept

This is only the beginning.

Audi

Audi's new Skysphere concept is quite a stunner, but it's only the beginning for the German automaker. Speaking to members of the media at an event on Monday, Audi AG brand head Henrik Wenders confirmed two more "sphere" concepts are on the way, though they won't necessarily be quite as radical.

"Next month we are going to present the Audi Grandsphere concept," Wenders said, which will be designed for "condensed urban areas." Audi did not explicitly confirm where or when the Grandsphere will debut, but the 2021 IAA Munich Motor Show is a pretty safe bet.

"And then there's the third chapter ... the Audi Urbansphere concept," Wenders confirmed. "This is taking it to the most condensed level." In other words, something even smaller than the Grandsphere, which itself is smaller than the Skysphere. Unlike the Skysphere, Wenders said the Grandsphere and Urbansphere will not use a variable-wheelbase design.

Why "sphere," exactly? Wenders explained, "It's my privacy, where I can experience what I would like to experience, and what I'm experiencing is different than what you're experiencing." You know, like saying it's your bubble.

Wenders said the trio of "sphere" concepts isn't just a forward-thinking exercise, either -- "not a concept car storyline for concept car's sake." There's real production intent for these cars, though Wenders admitted vehicles like the Grandsphere and Urbansphere might take priority over something wild like the Skysphere.

"The future is not waiting," Wenders said. "[This is] not concept car storytelling that you will never see on the road. We don't have time for that."

Audi Skysphere concept is for drivers and the driven

See all photos