The Audi Skysphere previews the future of the Audi R8 Spyder where e-tron models will dominate the Audi lineup. While it doesn’t have neither the aesthetics nor the excitement of the V10 powered R8 Spyder, it does come with design and technology from the future. The rear is what you expect to see on a sci-fi movie and the interior is straight from a spaceship.
The Skysphere is a 2 seat roadster with a full electric drivetrain. An electric motor located on the rear axle generates all the power needed for its mobility. The output is rated at 623hp and 750nm of torque. At 1800kg, it’s quite heavy for a roadster but generally within acceptable range for an EV, as a result the 0-100km/h time is 4.0s – a bit slower than most ICE powered competitors.
But once you dive into the functionality of the Skysphere, everything finally starts to make more sense. It’s more than just a future electric R8 Spyder, in fact it combines the excitement of a roadster and the comfort of a Grand Tourer all in one.
It does this via two modes, the Sport and Grand Touring modes. In the Sport mode, the driver will enjoy a thrilling drive while in control of the Skyphere’s driving dynamics. The wheelbase reduces to 4.94-meters to maximize agility and the feeling of being in control. Tap the Grand Touring mode and the wheelbase increases to 5.19 meters. This is because the steering wheel and pedals all retract to a hideout and the interior space increases by a considerable amount. The Grand Touring mode is fully autonomous and the car’s AI will take control of the drive allowing the two passengers to enjoy being chauffeured around in this self-drive mode.
When it comes to design, the interior is focused more on luxury than sports, utilizing the latest Audi multimedia technology. The exterior on the other hand is dominated by LED and Audi’s own lighting technology that has dominated the industry in the last few years.
The Skysphere has two characters folded into one, Sports and Grand Touring. Audi’s main focus right now is luxury and alongside the Skysphere they will also launch a new Audi Grandsphere in 2021 while the Audi urbansphere will come in 2022.
The new Skysphere will make its public debut at the Monterey Car Week 2021 this weekend.
