New footage released this week by Sony shows not one, but two prototypes undergoing driving tests in Frankfurt, Germany. The emphasis is on fine-tuning the acceleration performance and refining the interior to create a “comfortable cabin space while ensuring stable driving at high speeds in various conditions.” The company goes on the mention on-road testing is “essential to complete the vehicle,” and yet Sony doesn’t have any intentions to sell the car. What gives?

Surely there’s more to the story than Sony is willing to reveal for now, especially since the Vision-S looks like a proper prototype with a full interior and everything. The EV is being developed with Magna Steyr, which is already responsible for assembling an electric vehicle, specifically the Jaguar I-Pace. It also puts together the iconic Mercedes G-Class off-roader as well as the BMW Z4 / Toyota Supra, Jaguar E-Pace, and the BMW 5 Series.

One plausible scenario is that Sony and Magna Steyr are perfecting an electric car platform they intend to sell to third parties instead of rolling out a production-ready Vision-S. When the concept debuted last year, it had a pair of electric motors enabling an all-wheel-drive system and a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.8 seconds en route to 149 mph (240 km/h).

We’ll remind you the Vision-S is 4,895 mm (192.7 in) long, 1,900 mm (74.8 in) wide, 1,450 mm (57.1 in) tall, and has a long wheelbase measuring 3,000 mm (118.1 in). It rides on huge 21-inch wheels and employs an air suspension giving it a variable ground clearance (120 to 135 millimeters / 4.7 to 5.3 inches).

We are fairly certain there’s more to come from Sony and its Vision-S project seeing as how a lot of work has been invested into the development of what would be an appealing Tesla Model S competitor.

Source: Sony

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The Vision-S has since evolved to prototype status and Sony has brought it to the online-only 2021 CES. While the Japanese company still isn’t committing to a production car, development is progressing and public road tests have commenced in Europe. Specifically, it’s being tested in Graz, Austria where Sony is engineering the electric sedan together with Magna Steyr.

New details about the Vision-S remain shrouded in mystery, but we’ll remind you the original concept had dual electric motors for an all-wheel-drive system. Mounted at the front and rear, each motor was good for 268 horsepower (200 kilowatts) enabling a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint in 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 149 mph (240 km/h).

The four-seater sedan sat on large 21-inch wheels and was conceived with a double-wishbone suspension at both front and rear axles. To ensure a silky-smooth ride, Sony and its partners have envisioned the Vision-S with an air suspension providing a variable ground clearance of 120 to 135 millimeters (4.7 to 5.3 inches).

The images and footage don’t necessarily tell the true story regarding the car’s size, so we’ll remind you the Sony EV is quite large: 4,895 mm (192.7 in) long, 1,900 mm (74.8 in) wide, 1,450 mm (57.1 in) tall, with a generous wheelbase stretching at 3,000 mm (118.1 in). The prototype eschews conventional side mirrors in favor of cameras to improve visibility and lower the body’s drag coefficient, also helped by the recessed door handles.

The work-in-progress car showcased by Sony appears to carry over the concept’s all-digital dashboard with screens from one corner to the other. The setup echoes what another Japanese company has implemented inside its EV. We’re talking about the cutesy Honda E where the side displays show the footage grabbed by the cameras and flank the digital driver’s display and a dual-screen infotainment system.

We’ll be keeping an eye on the Vision-S as we’re getting the feeling Sony has big plans for the electric sedan considering they’ve already invested a lot of time and effort into the project.

Source: Sony

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