Audi unveils a shape-shifting concept car
The concept car’s long hood extends forward and the steering wheel and pedals fold away. The driver’s side of the dashboard, really a glass display panel, and the gear selector also pull away, creating a more comfortable space for the driver to relax.All this is possible because the skysphere is an electric car powered by a motor that’s mounted behind the seats. That means there’s not much under the hood to get in the way as the front end moves forward and backward.With its long hood and the rearward opening doors, the skysphere is loosely modeled on the Horch 853 roadster of the 1930s. Founded in 1904, Horch was Audi founder August Horch’s first car company. He founded Audi in 1909 after being forced to leave Horch. (Audi is a Latin translation of Horch’s name which means “listen” in German.)Both companies later became part of Auto Union, which was formed in 1932 from the merger of four different German automakers. Of those four, Audi is the only one that survives and it still uses Auto Union’s logo, four interlinked rings. Today, Audi is part of the Volkswagen Group (VLKPF), which also still owns the Horch brand name.
