Audis new Skysphere concept is a sleek, shapeshifting vision of the future of electric vehicles – British GQ

Anyone lucky enough to attend this weekends prestigious Pebble Beach automotive concours will be hoping Covid is firmly in the rear-view mirror, while keeping an eye on the Dixie wildfire which has decimated a chunk of northern California not so far from this gilded coastal enclave.

Pebble Beach is the culmination of Monterey car week, one of the greatest celebrations of the automobile in all its forms, since its inception 125-plus years ago. But for all the high-gloss and high-revving braggadocio, the industry itself is determined not to fiddle Nero-style while Rome and lots of other places burn. Take the Audi Skysphere, for example, a wild concept that alludes to the sort of Gatsby-esque roadsters that characterised the original Roaring Twenties. But this ones on a different mission. It wont save the planet, but it recasts the idea of an ultra-luxurious car in a vastly less hedonistic, pure-electric form. Plus, it has a significant party trick: its wheelbase can be physically extended by 250mm, to configure itself in either Sport mode or as an autonomous grand touring car. Neat.

Audi actually claims design inspiration from the 1930s Horch 853 roadster a former Pebble Beach winner, Horch being one of the four brands that constitutes the Audi four-ring logo but the Skysphere pushes the limits in every direction. The 853 has been benchmarked for its driving dynamics on one hand and for its comfort on the other, Audis design boss, Marc Lichte, says. The Skysphere is a modern, very progressive interpretation of these two characteristics.

The Skysphere pushes the limits of design in every direction

And then some. Created in Audis Malibu satellite studio, the Skysphere is the first of three new concepts that, says Audi, are no longer just about driving The [Skysphere] was designed with the clear objective of offering its occupants captivating and world-class experiences. On which basis, the interior is arguably more important than what envelops it, except that the Skysphere is purest aesthetic spectacle: elongated nose, enormous 23-inch wheels, ultra-low cockpit and roofline, abbreviated front and rear overhangs. The rear sweeps to a dramatic quasi-shooting brake conclusion, two bespoke suitcases sitting under the glass expanse. A matrix of LEDs enliven the front and rear end, as well as signalling whether the car is in Sport or GT mode.

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Audis new Skysphere concept is a sleek, shapeshifting vision of the future of electric vehicles - British GQ