Audi is aiming to create a new design strategy through greater differentiation between model series, announcing that future model generations will show more technical aspects in the design. The new design strategy will also seek to have the exterior and interior form an even more cohesive unit, as demonstrated in the Audi Crosslane Coupé.
Wolfgang Egger, Audi’s head of design senses that automotive design is ready for a change. “We need something new without breaking with tradition.”
As such, Audi Design has been reorganized, and Egger and his team are redefining their focus. They are placing more emphasis on the creative process and are thus exerting a substantial influence on the design of future Audi products.
Technology Integrated into Design
The refined Audi design language and philosophy will focus on a strong link between technology and design.
“Only when design and technology mesh perfectly does an automobile make a statement for the Audi brand,” says Egger.
Technology will therefore no longer be enclosed, but rather exposed. The union of technology and design is meant to create a new dimension of product authenticity by emphasizing internal technical elements.
Pure technology and innovative combinations of materials are reflected in the design of the Audi Crosslane Coupé, in particular the ‘multimaterial space frame’ – a joint development of designers and lightweight construction experts.
The space frame is visible at multiple locations in the show car: in the single-frame grille, through intakes in the hood, at the sills when opening the door, at the A-pillar and as a load-bearing element in the form of a functional carbon strip in the cockpit.
Interior and Exterior Intertwine
Thanks to the holistic design, the interior and exterior of future model generations are more closely intertwined than ever to create a seamless unity that makes it easier to distinguish the models by their interiors as well. This additional differentiation further accentuates the unique character of each model in the cabin. The stronger link between the exterior and interior is also visible from behind the wheel of the Crosslane Coupé.
“The cabin opens in the direction of travel and continues as an unbroken line in the engine hood,” says Karl-Heinz Rothfuss, Head of Interior Design. Clear, clean surfaces and fewer control elements in the interior enable a greater concentration on the driving experience with a design that’s focused on the driver.
“Our refined strategy at Audi Design emphasizes clarity and a focus on the essentials,” says Egger.
