Yahoo Autos The Audi Activesphere Concept Is a Rugged, Transforming Off-Road Sports Car
I’ve had a problem with concept cars ever since the Nissan IDx concepts broke my heart way back in 2013. To me, most concept cars usually seem like a massive waste of resources, ridiculous exercises in ego. But once in a while, a concept comes out that I can’t help but love. Audi’s Activesphere concept, which was designed in Malibu and debuted today, is one of those rare concepts that makes my heart stop. But why?
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The best part about the Activesphere concept is just how plausible the whole thing seems, with a few small exceptions. It looks like a car, and it’s meant to do car things, like haul your e-bike or drive you up to your favorite trailhead. The Activesphere seeks to prove that real, rugged capability doesn’t have to look like a big, chunky SUV.
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Off-road mode raises the ride height. And check out the front skid plate and side skirts, which expand to protect the body from off-road damage.
The Activesphere’s overall styling lies in the sweet spot triple-Venn-diagram overlap of the Audi Allroad, the S7 and the E-Tron GT. It has the long, swooping lines of the S7 and the GT, coupled with the lifted stance and unique side skirt treatment of the Allroad, all resting on 34-inch tires. The rear opens up like GM’s weird GMC Envoy XUV, and a divider goes up behind the rear seats to isolate the cabin, not unlike a Chevy Avalanche. In the bed, there are outlets to charge your e-bike and plenty of cargo tie-downs to hold those bikes in place.
Speaking of driving, Audi envisions this concept as being mostly autonomous, while retaining the option for people to take the wheel themselves. As with the cargo area, the interior is capable of a physical transformation in layout when you activate human driver mode. The dash rises up out of the floor in front of the front occupants, and a steering wheel folds out from underneath. It’s pretty rad.
