Audi’s car of tomorrow is a transformer

Next-generation luxury models could combine electrifying performance, bold new looks and shape-shifting structures inside and out.

Audi’s Skysphere is a coupe, convertible, limousine and sports car.

This is Audi’s shape-shifting vision for the car of the future.

Called the Skysphere, it offers a glimpse at the brand’s next-generation models.

The concept car has huge touchscreens offering unfettered access to movies, online content and video conferencing, as well as fresh lines that, according to the brand, “lead directly to the Audi design of tomorrow”.

Audi’s Skysphere concept is a shapeshifting marvel

You can also bet that the Audi’s 465kW, 750Nm electric motor and 80kWh battery – or something like it – will also feature in upcoming models such as the new e-tron GT.

Drivers can take control when the mood strikes.

A hands-off autonomous driving system is another feature the brand is keen to introduce.

But the boldest feature is something we are unlikely to see on the road.

The Skysphere is a shapeshifting transformer that caters to a driver’s mood.

It’s the same size as Audi’s RS 5 sports coupe if the pilot is in a sporty mood, allowing precise control of its 23-inch rims through a dramatically sculpted steering wheel.

The Skysphere’s steering wheel tucks out of sight when the car is in self-driving mode.

But the car takes on a different form if its occupants want to relax.

It grows by 250 millimetres, giving it the same dimensions as Audi’s long wheelbase A8 limousine.

Its suspension rises, adopting plush settings that make the car more comfortable on the road.

Better still, the steering wheel disappears into the dashboard, the pedals slide out of sight and the seats slip back to deliver luxuriant leg room.

The roadster has a retro-futuristic style.

It’s Audi’s vision for a self-driving future that allows drivers to have their cake and eat it too – a sports car when you want to take control, and a limousine when you have other business at hand.

Audi promises the vehicle will park itself and take care of charging when you’re not on the move, making it easier to live with than conventional cars.

Audi says the Skysphere’s exterior styling will carry over to other models.

Key electrical gear is in front of the driver, so the boot is free to accept twin golf bags custom made for the far-fetched concept car.

Fittingly, the car was unveiled on a golf course at the Pebble Beach concours event in California, not far from the manufacturer’s Malibu design centre.

Originally published as Audi’s car of tomorrow is a transformer