The Next Audi A8 Flagship Will Be a Production-ready Grandsphere Concept

With rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW already ahead of the game with their respective EQS-Class and i7 electrified flagships, Audi looks set to follow a similar path with its next-generation A8 flagship saloon.

All signs point towards the next A8, likely dubbed the A8 E-Tron, being a production-ready version of the four-ringed marque’s Grandsphere concept that debuted back in 2021. Described by Audi as a "private jet for the road," the Grandsphere Concept has been designed from inside and out fitted for its self-driving tech.

Adding on to that, Audi also offers a lounge-style environment where no human input is needed to drive it as the steering wheel and pedals retract into the bulkhead when the car goes into full autonomous mode.

Scheduled to make its debut next year, the luxury all-electric sedan was the only one with a production-friendly bodystyle compared to the more radical two-door drop-top Skysphere grand tourer, the Urbansphere, and raised four-door coupe Activesphere.

The production model is also anticipated to maintain the Grandsphere's roomy footprint, which measures 5,350 MM in length with a 3,190 MM wheelbase. These measurements are 48 MM and 62 MM longer than the fourth-generation Audi A8L currently on the market.

Under the hood, the Grandsphere concept came fitted with dual electric motors juiced by a 120 kWh battery to produce combined outputs 711 HP and 960 NM plus offering a range of 750 KM. Those figures could be mirrored by the next-gen A8 E-Tron, or at least in its most powerful trimline. Additionally, the concept also featured all-wheel-steering plus a sophisticated adaptive suspension suite.

Furthermore, the next-gen A8 will reportedly keep most of the concept car's styling cues, albeit with the usual scaled-back details. This includes smaller-diameter wheels, a slightly taller roof, and a more conventional-looking greenhouse with thicker pillars could all be modifications for production.

Although the A8 E-Tron is likely to retain more than a hint of the Grandsphere's four-door GT bodystyle, the rear end's design is another area that could change.