British magazine Autocar recently sat down with Audi’s user experience chief Sid Odedra to talk about the next-generation A8 flagship. Due to make its debut next year upon the 30th anniversary of the groundbreaking original A8, which ushered in aluminum space frame (ASF) construction, the all-new model looks to depart from convention with a sleek new shape and a host of future-forward technology.
The next A8 will be built on the large PPE (Premium Platform Electric) co-developed by Audi and Porsche. Designed specifically for electrified powertrain configurations, the chassis should be up to the task of handling the 700+ horsepower and lb-ft figures suggested by the 2021 Audi grandsphere concept on which the A8 will be based.
While final performance figures remain unknown, expectations are that extended driving range will be a central feature. The final production version should be good for more than 400 miles of range (the concept claimed 466 mile) out of a possible 120 kWh lithium ion battery pack capable of charging at speeds up to 270 Kw.
Helping the cause will be a slippery shape similar to the grandsphere’s, which leaves the traditional three-box sedan form factor in the past in favor of a progressive, more fluid silhouette to minimize drag.
As far as interior styling, Autocar claims the later Activesphere concept is a better indicator. Both ’sphere’ concepts featured ultra-minimalist cabins with very few physical controls and displays. Odedra suggested the concepts’ sensor controls and holographic projections might be closer to production than merely a fantasy. As Odedra told the magazine, the digital minimalism of the next A8’s cockpit design will deliver more with less: more functionality with less physical architecture.
