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Audi Skysphere 2022.

Audi Skysphere: electric roadster with variable wheelbase.

A few months ago, Audi set a course to accelerate the electrification of its model lineup.

According to the plan, the brand will present its last new car with an internal combustion engine in four years, thus opening the next chapter in its history.

To show its vision of a bright electric car future, the Germans have built a luxury concept roadster Audi Skysphere, the first project in a future series of prototypes (the two-door will be later joined by Grandsphere and Urbansphere models) that embody the brand’s new ideology.

The main feature of the electric concept car is variable distance between the axles, which depends on the choice of mode.

The idea is not new — earlier the company Renault has already managed to embody a similar idea on a prototype of Morphoz.

However, the new roadster, unlike the Renault presented a year and a half ago, does not require a visit to a special station to transform the body: Audi can open and close the section between the front wings and doors (they, incidentally, open counterclockwise) without assistance.

In driver’s preset Sport, Audi Skysphere has impressive 4,94 meters from a nose to a tail, though creators assure, that there should be no problems with maneuverability thanking full steerable chassis.

At transition to Grand Touring mode the wheelbase increases by 250 mm, and the general length of a body already reaches 5,19 m.

All the increase falls on the space in the legs of the driver and passenger who can rest on a long journey — the pedals, steering wheel and one and a half meter display (it combines the functions of virtual dashboard and media system) are hidden in the depths of the front end, and the control of the car in GT-mode takes over the autopilot of the fourth level.

Together with the wheelbase, the ground clearance also changes, although in a much more modest range, which is only 10 mm.

The only electric motor located on the rear axle (it absorbs about 60 percent of the two-door’s weight because of located aft batteries), gives 632 hp and 750 Nm: with it 1800-kilogram Skysphere picks up 100 km/h in four seconds.

Battery capacity is more than 80 kWh — on a single charge in economical Grand Touring mode electric car can travel more than 500 km under the WLTP standard.

Adaptive suspension is responsible for the comfort in the cabin, which with the help of a navigation system monitors the quality of the road surface — not an easy task, because Skysphere is equipped with huge wheels with a diameter of 23 inches!

Designers tell us that they were inspired by classical cabriolet Horch 853: they share very short front overhang and shifted back interior.

Besides, «stretched» Skysphere is only a few centimeters shorter than the pre-war model with 5,23 meters length.

Thus, the concept car is appreciably wider (200 sm vs. 185) and half-meter lower (123 sm vs. 177) than Horch.

Audi Skysphere will be shown live at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance next weekend.

Of course, this electric car will not reach the assembly line, but we will probably see some elements of the exterior and interior design in a slightly modified form on Audi production models in a few years.