Audi Sky Sphere Takes its Inspiration From Horch

Audi’s new “Sphere” vehicles act as concept cars for the future of mobility. One such Sphere is the Audi Sky Sphere, which is designed to be equal parts sports car and autonomous luxury car. In the concept sketches of the Sky Sphere, it looks like a classic GT car from the ’20s or ’30s, with a very long hood, short rear deck, incredibly short overhangs, and massive wheels. That’s no accident, either. According to Audi design boss, Marc Lichte, the Audi Sky Sphere took its inspiration from the Horch 835A of the 1920s.

In this new video from Audi, Lichte and Henrik Wenders, Senior Vice President Audi Brand, discuss the design of the original Horch 835A and how it inspired the new Audi Sky Sphere. If you look at the Horch, its stunning proportions, classic style, and incredible attention to detail still make it a shockingly impressive luxury car today. Its design is as sporty as it is luxurious and that same duality is something that Marc Lichte wanted to give to the Sky Sphere.

According to Lichte, the Audi Sky Sphere will be “on one hand a real sports car and it can transform, in a few seconds, into an autonomous lounge.” That sounds very like like a grand touring car; something that can be genuinely fun to drive but also incredibly comfortable and premium. The only difference would be that, when it’s time to relax, the car can take over for you.

We don’t know exactly what this Audi Sky Sphere concept will end up becoming but we do know that we’ll get a better idea of Audi’s vision for it soon enough. The world premiere of the Audi Sky Sphere will debut on August 10, finally giving us a better understanding of Audi’s plans for its electric and autonomous future.