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Auto Blog
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Audi Is About To Change The Look Of Every Car It Makes
Audi Wants To Make 'A Bold Step' Forward A couple of months ago, German automaker Audi launched a new Chinese sub-brand called AUDI, and its creations will look unlike anything the mothership in Ingolstadt builds. But soon, even the cars created for Europe and America will look completely different, according to Audi CEO Gernot Döllner. Speaking with Autocar, the CEO confirmed that the first concept under new design boss Massimo Frascella will be revealed this year, and this 'bold step' will not just be a fantastical idea of what could be; future concepts will only be shown to the world if they have true production intent. Audi Is Looking Forward, Not Back 'We won't show design studies anymore,' said Döllner. 'When we show things, [they] will be substantial. Every concept we show will have a product decision behind it.' The CEO added that the brand 'would look to the future and the strengths of Audi design, for clarity and to bring that to the future, not copying the past.' He went on to praise the work that Frascella has already done in his first year, saying that he and the designer agree on 'a clear vision for Audi design.' It will be interesting to see how Audi maintains its individuality while moving its design forward. Its Singleframe grille outline has defined many a vehicle since the mid-2000s, and LED lighting design has been a big part of the brand's identity. LED and OLED lighting will only get more complex, and Audi has always been at the forefront of the tech, but how it will use its innovations in a novel manner will surely be a challenge. Why Audi Needs A Fresh Approach Source: Kyle Edward/Autoblog Audi's recent designs, including the 2026 Q3 that launched this week, have all been moving in the same direction over the past few years, drawing at least some inspiration from the e-tron GT EV. While the latest A6 sedan also embraces some of those styling tropes, most of its styling remains derivative of past designs under the nameplate. As for SUVs, while these have almost all adopted a split headlight design and a full-width taillight bar that was once very impactful and trendy, the playbook has been overused, and with so many nondescript SUVs of all descriptions adopting similar styling strategies, Audi's look is no longer as unique. Just naming an automaker that doesn't incorporate these elements is difficult. Thus, it's time for a fresh new concept to inform all future cars, regardless of body style. Döllner didn't say what size or sort of car would be used to introduce the conceptual design language, but given their popularity, we suspect a crossover/SUV will debut the new looks. Audi managed to adapt elements of the original R8 supercar to several mainstream models, but we doubt Audi's vision of the future will be grounded in something as niche as a sports coupe of any description. Whatever we see and whenever we see it, any cosmetic changes will take time, and not all of the automaker's range has fully evolved yet, so much of the current design language will survive for a few years to come. The Q7 three-row SUV, for example, still needs to adopt the current look. Audi's previous design boss, Marc Lichte, was in the job since 2014 until last year, so Frascella's perspective will certainly shake things up. Responsible for cars like the modern Defender, the Italian designer knows how to blend old with new in an authentic manner. Here's hoping he can inject just as much appeal with the Audi design concept. About the Author Sebastian Cenizo View Profile
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Original TT could inspire new Audi sports coupé
Audi is tipped to return to the sports coupé segment with a TT successor Audi is considering a new halo model that rekindles the spirit of some of its most iconic sports cars - and the original TT is cited as a key potential source of inspiration. Having retired the TT and R8 supercar in the past 18 months, Audi is currently without a dedicated two-door sports car in its line up for the first time in decades. But CEO Gernot Döllner has suggested that a re-entry into this segment could form part of an extensive overhaul of the company's product line-up and positioning. Asked at the company's 2024 financial results presentation whether he would consider re-adding a sports car to the brand's portfolio, Döllner said: 'For sure. That's part of the brand's DNA, and we have to find the right way, timing wise, to integrate it into our portfolio.' He suggested it wouldn't be appropriate to hint at a portfolio expansion while the company is in the midst of a wide-reaching restructuring programme that includes 7500 job cuts but said he has a "broad view on where Audi should be and where Audi is heading - and thinking in that direction, sports cars are an integral part of such a set-up". He emphasised the important role that sports cars have played in Audi's past, citing 1980's four-wheel-drive Quattro as a car that "really started a new era of automotive". He also highlighted the continued relevance of cars like the aluminium-based second-generation A8 and efficiency-focused A2 supermini on Audi's current line-up. But he also mentioned the original TT as a car of particular importance and said Audi's new design boss, Massimo Frascella (who arrived in Ingolstadt last year following a long career at JLR), is a particular fan of the late-1990s coupé. "I've discussed that car so much with Massimo. That was an inspirational car for his whole career. When he was a young designer at Giugiaro, he took a day off when the TT was launched in Italy, went to the Audi dealer in Milan and sat in the showroom for a day just looking at the car. "The absolutely fantastic aspect is that it seems that he somehow had Audi in his mind for his whole career. Now is the time to let Audi out of the mind of Massimo Frascella." Notably, Frascella was heavily involved in the rebirth of the Land Rover Defender in his previous role, which nods to the legacy of its long-running 4x4 namesake while embracing a modern, minimalist new design ethos. Döllner believes this approach to styling makes him a logical fit at Audi. "I would say he tries to optimise as much as possible, to take everything away that you don't need for the expression, and I think that's a unique talent." Notably, minimalism and functional design are defining tenets of the Bauhaus art movement that so heavily influenced the original TT, suggesting that some of that car's defining characteristics could be reinterpreted for a new age. However, Döllner was emphatic that "you can't copy your past" as a car manufacturer, saying: "You really have to analyse what the essence of Audi is and use the essence to come up with something absolutely new." "These copies of successful cars of the past are definitely the wrong way," he added, although he did say it was "thinkable" that Audi could bring back some historic model names. The TT was launched in 1998 and sold more than 650,000 units across three generations over a 25-year production run, which came to a close in November 2023 with no successor in the frame. The V10-engined R8 supercar retired soon after, leaving Audi with no two-door coupés in its line-up for the first time since the Quattro was launched in 1980. Even if Audi is planning a return to the sports car segment, however, it isn't expected to be for some time. The firm's immediate priorities – following a turbulent 2024 in which its volumes reduced and its profit margin was squashed – are to bring a "future-proof" software architecture to market, benefitting from the Volkswagen Group's new joint venture with Rivian, and to successfully ramp up production of crucial new models (including the A5, A6, Q3 and Q5) in 2025. After that, said Döllner, "then is the time to talk about the right portfolio in these niche areas". "The transition takes all our energy right now, and that definitely starts in the core segments," he added. "That's where we have to make Audi robust as the first step." He wouldn't be drawn on a potential launch date for a new sports car and when asked if Audi planned to preview its plans in this segment said only: "Not yet." Asked whether Audi could offer a dedicated sports car with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, rather than as a pure EV, Döllner said he is "open-minded" but suggested that electric power makes more sense in an "everyday use" context. "There's so much uncertainty that all this discussion delivers to the market that I would say in the long-term, in the sports car segment, there will be a place for fully electric sports cars," he said. "Not for the track but for crossing the Alps and having fun on a country road, there's nothing to say against an electric car. You have a coffee break, the cars recharge and everything is perfect." Döllner spoke about the need for Audi to lean on "synergies" within the Volkswagen Group in certain segments – particularly at the lower end of its EV line-up, where it shares platforms with Volkswagen, Skoda and Cupra – and said there's scope for technical collaboration with Audi's premium siblings in more niche segments too. "I was head of group strategy when the set-up was defined: for Volkswagen to lead the A0- and A-segment, Porsche and Lamborghini to lead some areas for D-segment platforms and Audi to cover B-, C and D-minus platforms. We have that set-up and we will use it intelligently in the future." Döllner stopped short of giving any technical plans, but any compact Audi sports car would be a logical candidate to share components with Porsche's upcoming electric 718 Boxster/Cayman. As recently reported by Autocar, Audi also has plans for a third-generation R8 supercar, which would be based on the new Lamborghini Temerario plug-in hybrid. ]]>
