Two cars in one – from Audi – the brand that knows how to do it best.

Audi might be powering toward an electrified future, but the brand still draws much inspiration from its storied past.

In preparation for the exclusive Pebble Beach concourse this month, Audi has created a radical new battery-powered concept vehicle. It is called the Skysphere and although that sounds like a James Bond movie title, this Audi is a modern interpretation of the brand’s gorgeous 1937 Horch roadster.

Despite the electric drive configuration, Audi’s designers have opted to create a classic long-nose design with Skysphere. It is awash in new design details, showcasing where the brand could be heading with its future styling.

With its internal combustion vehicles, Audi has been one of the champions of oversized grille design, and Skysphere could indicate how the brand is planning to keep a robust identity when the grille becomes non-functional with electric vehicles.

The most impressive technical feature of this Skysphere is its adaptive wheelbase. This allows the car to transform from a hugely stable high-speed cruiser to a nimble city sportscar, at the touch of a button.

Actuators behind the front wheels can shorten the wheelbase by 250 mm, by moving the fore axle rearwards.

Outrageous cabin design sees no animal materials being used. The Skysphere is finished with vegan leather and microfibre everywhere, so if you drop your Smartphone inside, it will probably be cleaner when you pick it up.

Powering the Skysphere is an 80 kWh battery pack, delivering 465 kW. Audi has not claimed a mass rating for the Skysphere, but says the car should be good for 500 km of range and capable of 0-100 kphin only 4 seconds.

Production likelihood? Low. But you can expect to see some of the more minor design elements eventually translating into Audi’s future passenger cars. However, that adaptive wheelbase function could be too heavy, complex and costly to ever become a reality.

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