Star of the 2022 Audi Christmas commercial, the 2024 Audi Grandsphere Concept is a design study that hints at what the nextflagship Audi could look like.
The Audi Grandsphere Concept previews an electric car that will replace the company's Audi A8 flagship saloon and will likely cost well over £100,000. The final production car is likely to go on sale in 2024 and will take on rival cars like the Mercedes-Benz EQS EV and the recently announced Volvo EX90.
2024 Audi Grandsphere Concept: styling and interior design
At 5.33m long, the Audi Grandsphere Concept four-door GT is longer than a long-wheelbase Audi A8 and has the flowing lines of an American saloon from the 1950s.
You won't find a long bonnet on the Audi Grandsphere Concept, though. It's short, so most of the car's size can be devoted to the passenger space. A crease that flows from the bonnet and along its body to the tapered rear end disguises this cab-forward design.
The body's shape is very aerodynamic. It gets a large rear spoiler that smooths the air flowing over the rear windscreen and cameras that replace conventional wing mirrors that produce too much drag. A large diffuser that pokes out the back and a flat underside make the Audi stable at speed.
Slim headlights – inspired by Audi's four-hoop logo – and massive 23-inch wheels are two more talking points.
At the heart of the Grandsphere's design is an interior that looks and feels like a plush living room.
Access is excellent. Doors that swing open like a mother's arm's leave a pillarless entry and, once you're in, large windows and skylights make the Granshpere feel bright and airy. The car can recognise who's sitting where and adjust the seating, lighting and ventilation to you and your passengers' preferred settings. The space inside is generous.
Vast swathes of wood, wool, textiles and metal mean the cabin also feels posh. In keeping with the car's green credentials, you won't find any leather anywhere.
2024 Audi Grandsphere Concept: infotainment and tech
The Audi Grandsphere Concept's interior feels so posh because there are no infotainment screens. Well, not conventional ones.
Instead of physical displays, the infotainment is projected on the interior's large surfaces. When the car is in Level 4 autonomous mode, the steering wheel disappears, and you can treat the Audi like a four-seater, moving cinema.
2024 Audi Grandsphere Concept: battery range, performance and comfort
The Audi Grandsphere Concept is an electric car with a 120kWh battery giving it a range of up to 466 miles (750km). Charging is quick, using the car's 800V charging system, a 10-minute charge equates to 186 miles of range, 25 minutes is enough to charge the battery from 5-80 per cent.
Performance is also impressive. An electric motor in the front and rear axle makes the Audi four-wheel drive, and the two motors produce 720PS and 960Nm of torque. The 0-62mph dash takes around four seconds, while top speed will be limited to preserve the battery.
The Audi gets a five-link front and multi-link rear suspension, along with an active suspension system first seen on the current Audi A8. The active suspension can read the road ahead – using a camera mounted in the windscreen – and can lift individual wheels over bumps to smooth out the ride. Meanwhile, information sent from the car's sat-nav can adapt the suspension to deal with inclines and corners. Rear-wheel steering makes the Audi Grandsphere Concept very manoeuvrable for a long car.
Why now is a good time to buy a used Audi A8
While the development of a new Audi A8 is well underway, the current Audi A8 model is still one of the best luxury cars you can buy – and huge depreciation means it makes lots of sense as a used purchase.
Less than £30,000 gets you a 2018 car with 80,000 more-than-likely-easy motorway miles under its wheels and Audi's excellent 286PS 3.0-litre diesel under the bonnet. Want something a bit fresher?
Around £55,000 buys you a 2020 car fitted with Audi's 449PS petrol-electric hybrid engine. Running costs will be tiny if you charge the battery between short trips and it gets the same posh cabin and plentiful cabin space of a petrol or diesel model.
Looking for more new car news?
We have the latest 2023 new car news on upcoming models. Like the look of the Audi Grandsphere Concept but don't want to wait? Then check out the very avant-garde looking Hyundai Ioniq 6, while if you're looking for something smaller, then the upcoming 2024 MINI Electric, might be of interest.
Watch Audi's 2022 Christmas advert with the Grandsphere Concept
Titled 'Santa's gift: The Audi Grandsphere Concept', the latest 2022 Audi Christmas advert features the Audi Grandsphere Concept electric car.
The Audi A8 L (L standing for long wheelbase) is the longest Audi you can buy – at 5302mm long, it's 130mm longer than the standard model.
The Audi A8 is priced from £73,785. That buys you a Sport model with a 286PS 3.0-litre diesel engine.
Not out the box, no, but the Audi A8 Security – on sale in countries including Russia – is bulletproof. It can resist explosives and its windows can shrug of a direct hit from a large-calibre rifle.
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