The first major auto show in a long time is just around the corner as the IAA Munich event in Germany is scheduled to start next week. Audi will be there to display the Grandsphere concept, following an online world premiere scheduled to take place in the coming days. The fully electric showcar has been subjected to a lengthy teaser campaign, but this is our first opportunity to see the front fascia.
Audi has vowed to keep the corporate Singleframe grille alive in the EV era, and the luxury brand is living up to that promise judging by the latest teaser photo. We’ve fiddled with the image’s brightness and exposure in our attempt to unlock more design details, and to our surprise, the front grille is rather massive. Even though it’s not as wide as on the recently unveiled Skysphere concept, it’s still large enough to dominate the front end.
The sleek LED headlights are similar to those of the aforementioned Skysphere and lend the concept a sporty, futuristic look. The front angle shot reminds us the showcar will have side cameras instead of conventional glass mirrors to enable a cleaner profile and help deliver better airflow for greater efficiency. While the concept before it had no top whatsoever, the Grandsphere will come with a fixed metal roof.
But what is the Grandsphere concept anyway? Well, sources familiar with Audi’s agenda claim it will serve as an early preview of the company’s next flagship, a car that could potentially replace the A8. Rather than being a traditional sedan, the production version due in 2024 will be more along the lines of a five-door grand tourer with a liftback configuration.
Technical specifications are not known at this point, but it’s safe to assume the new concept is quite large considering previous teasers. Its road-going equivalent will ride on the VW Group’s all-new SSP platform, which will utilize bits and pieces from both the MEB and PPE dedicated electric car platforms. That will usher in unified battery cells with enough energy for 600 kilometers (373 miles) of WLTP-certified range, with fast-charging at 350 kW to be supported.
We will find out everything there is to know about the Grandsphere when Audi will reveal it online this Thursday, September 2.
Source: Audi
