Concept Audi Grand Sphere Concept Official Images

[Mr. Mercedes]

My sentiments as well. Of course, this is a matter of personal perception.


A good "ballpark" timeline. Innuendo indicates mid-to-late year


The upcoming M-B.EA and AMG.EA platformed cars (sometime around 2025-ish) should provide an answer.


While I'm almost certain that Herr Wagener is a highly competent designer, he's currently at the bottom of my personal "totem poll" (again subjective) when it comes to design chiefs of the German premium manufacturers. And I'm quite immune to his glib-unless, of course, it becomes genuinely annoying. To his defense, it may simply be a matter of liberties afforded to him by his employer.

AVH shouldn't even be on the poll. He should be under it far underground.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

Squint the eyes and jog the imagination-and one can see from where many elements of inspiration originated:

 

[klier]

I am in love with this car. It totally blows everything in the segment out of the water.

What segment are you talking about.
You guys have 4 pages filled with conversation about a concept that will never ever see the light of day.

This whole thread is a giant mirage.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

This whole thread is a giant mirage.

Well...no.

There is a real life, in-the-metal, in many aspects functional concept. Certainly, much will not see the light of day in production guise. However, Audi spokespersons have been alluding to a "production translation quotient" of some "approximately 80%" (according to an article in Autobild on September 2nd). Yes, the "remaining 20%" leaves a vast territory of yet unknown variables. Yet still, this is far more than "a mirage". And correct me if I am mistaken, but I cannot recall bonafide BMW spokepersons having ever alluded to a "production translation" of that jaw-droppingly stunning 2014 VFL concept. I Imagine they knew from the get go that nothing remotely similar would see the light of day as a production car. And by the way, can anyone remember whether relevant M-B spokepersons ever made precise statements regarding the "accuracy" VISION EQS concept in relationship to the eventual production car ? I don't, I'm afraid.

"Möglicher Nachfolger des Audi A8 startet 2025
Mercedes hat den EQS, BMW ab 2022 den i7. Und Audi? Steht aktuell noch ohne Luxuslimousine der nächsten Generation da. Doch auch die Ingolstädter tüfteln dran. Auf der IAA in München (7. bis 12. September 2021) zeigt Audi jetzt mit dem Grandsphere Concept, was man in Sachen automobiler Zukunft von den vier Ringen erwarten darf. Der Grandsphere ist die zweite von drei angekündigten Sphere-SAuch wenn der erst für 2025 angedacht ist, soll die Studie bereits zu 80 Prozent der Serienversion entsprechen. (Diese Elektro-Autos kommen bis 2026!)tudien und gibt einen Ausblick auf einen vollelektrischen A8-Nachfolger." *

*Autobild

 

[SKY]

What segment are you talking about.
You guys have 4 pages filled with conversation about a concept that will never ever see the light of day.

This whole thread is a giant mirage.

Well, the EQS one. A new segment of EVs larger than the S-Clas, 7er and A8.

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

You guys have 4 pages filled with conversation about a concept that will never ever see the light of day.

so? what's it to you if they want to talk about a car's design? are you saying whenever a carmaker puts out a design, concept or not, it shouldn't be discussed, especially in a car forum?

 

[constalation]

What segment are you talking about.
You guys have 4 pages filled with conversation about a concept that will never ever see the light of day.

This whole thread is a giant mirage.

Considering the fact that Audi has a good track record of faithfully translating their concepts into real models I think we can hope to see some good design carryover.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

Considering the fact that Audi has a good track record of faithfully translating their concepts into real models I think we can hope to see some good design carryover.

Although there are exceptions to the rule. The 2003 Nuvolari Quattro Concept, for example:

Bloody brilliant methinks. But save a few selected elements that found themselves in and on the C6 A6, little else survived in the form of a production automobile. An interesting sidenote: At the time, Audi and Maserati were being flirtatious and rumours persisted that a Nuvolari-based production automobile could be financially viable-if paired with the (modified) underpinnings of the then newly-developed Quattroporte V. Obviously, that never got off of the ground.

Or...this:

The 1991 Quattro Spyder Concept. It came within a hairs' breadth of actually being greenlighted by Audis' (VAGs') board of directors. Alas, corporate bean counters calculated that Audi would have to ask well in excess of 110K DM in order for the car to enter a profit zone. Too dangerously close to 964 911 Carrera territory for comfort apparently.

...and then there was...this:

Not unsimilar to the story of the Quattro Spyder Concept, there was a vocal faction within Audi upper-level managment that wanted this car, the 2010 Quattro Concept, to see production. And again, the corporate bean-counters reigned supreme regarding its' ultimate fate.

 

[klier]

so? what's it to you if they want to talk about a car's design? are you saying whenever a carmaker puts out a design, concept or not, it shouldn't be discussed, especially in a car forum?

Absolutely true. Just preparing people for disappointment I guess.

I believe I said it before, but I too think it's a pretty gorgeous concept. Corporate VAG will take care of it and dumb it down to something unrecognizable though.

 

[constalation]

Although there are exceptions to the rule. The 2003 Nuvolari Quattro Concept, for example:

Bloody brilliant methinks. But save a few selected elements that found themselves in and on the C6 A6, little else survived in the form of a production automobile. An interesting sidenote: At the time, Audi and Maserati were being flirtatious and rumours persisted that a Nuvolari-based production automobile could be financially viable-if paired with the (modified) underpinnings of the then newly-developed Quattroporte V. Obviously, that never got off of the ground.

Or...this:

The 1991 Quattro Spyder Concept. It came within a hairs' breadth of actually being greenlighted by Audis' (VAGs') board of directors. Alas, corporate bean counters calculated that Audi would have to ask well in excess of 110K DM in order for the car to enter a profit zone. Too dangerously close to 964 911 Carrera territory for comfort apparently.

...and then there was...this:

Not unsimilar to the story of the Quattro Spyder Concept, there was a vocal faction within Audi upper-level managment that wanted this car, the 2010 Quattro Concept, to see production. And again, the corporate bean-counters reigned supreme regarding its' ultimate fate.

Wow. Its in times like these I wish Audi had not been part of the VAG group.

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

Just preparing people for disappointment I guess.

That's par for the course for most that go from initially presenting a concept and then churning out something for production. While I like to believe that at least 80% will be preserved for the eventual production-ready car, I think it's still a bit optimistic. Unless a concept is near production-ready, rarely is the production car not a disappointment as compared to its concept predecessor.

That said, the GrandSphere was a bright light in an otherwise dim outlook on what future design could look like.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

That's par for the course for most that go from initially presenting a concept and then churning out something for production. While I like to believe that at least 80% will be preserved for the eventual production-ready car, I think it's still a bit optimistic. Unless a concept is near production-ready, rarely is the production car not a disappointment as compared to its concept predecessor.

That said, the GrandSphere was a bright light in an otherwise dim outlook on what future design could look like.

A production models' design topping that of its' concept prelude is indeed seldom. Off the top of my head, I could cite the M-B C208 CLK that followed that 1993 "Coupe Concept". The C208 was presented some 4 years after the concept coupe was revealed though. Still, the actual production car was far more visually compelling IMHO.

 

[Centurion]

That's par for the course for most that go from initially presenting a concept and then churning out something for production.

Maybe I am getting old but this concept doesn't excite me. We have seen similar ones får too many times:
-Looong body
-Sleek silhouette
-Long rear overhang
-Skin headlights
-Super skinny tail lights.

It's a generic looking concept that could have been a Citroën, Cadillac of Peugeot.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

Maybe I am getting old but this concept doesn't excite me. We have seen similar ones får too many times:
-Looong body

I imagine that the production versions' length would be shortened to approx. 5200-5250mm

-Sleek silhouette

Hopefully, that will remain relatively intact-although reduced length will diminish the impression of "sleekness" I also suspect that height will be increased to approx. 1440-1450mm from the concepts' 1390mm.

-Long rear overhang

That will almost certainly be truncated somewhat.

-Skin headlights

Hopefully, they'll stay.

-Super skinny tail lights.

Hopefully, they'll stay too.

It's a generic looking concept that could have been a Citroën, Cadillac of Peugeot.

Let's agree on "less polarizing" (in comparison to, say, M-Bs' "One Bow" design paradigm).

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

It's a generic looking concept that could have been a Citroën, Cadillac of Peugeot.

When this was presented, Citroen is what first came to my mind.

Maybe I am getting old but this concept doesn't excite me. We have seen similar ones får too many times:
-Looong body
-Sleek silhouette
-Long rear overhang
-Skin headlights
-Super skinny tail lights.

Those are generally things I find appealing, so I am sure that's what struck me about this. It's thematically similar to the BMW VFL concept, of which I am a big fan.

I think also what struck me about this is that compared to Audi's current design is that they can actually design something that is decidedly different than what they are currently offering. After the Sky Sphere concept, which was pleasant enough, this felt pleasantly surprising. However, how it'll translate into production form, I don't know.

And compared to the current slate EVs turned out by the Germans, this is certainly less appliance-like. It looks like something I want to drive (or be driven) rather than something somewhat ungainly that is foisted upon me.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

One of the more extensive articles regarding the Grand Sphere concept:

So (ungefähr) sieht der elektrische Audi A8 aus – Puls Magazin

Das Batmobil lässt grüßen: Der Grandsphere Concept ähnelt zu 80 Prozent der späteren Serienversion des Audi A8.

www.dmt-puls.de

"Audi erlaubt einen ersten Blick auf den elektrischen A8. Denn das Showcar Grandsphere Concept entspricht zu 80 Prozent der Serienversion, die 2025 auf den Markt kommen wird."

The production model will feature B-pillars-but it will not feature conventional door handles.

 

[SKY]

They just need to keep the overall shape of the car and, most importantly, the front end.

 

[dalab]

They just need to keep the overall shape of the car and, most importantly, the front end.

I also consider the rear 3/4 very seductive, so well sharpened, it takes it out of the pile I hope they keep it too exactly like that

 

[Centurion]

They just need to keep the overall shape of the car and, most importantly, the front end.

That would be a new change from the currentlt pretty, but very busy front ends of Audis.

 

[J.E]

It better have an 1000 Km range to beat Lucid Air and Tesla.