Audi head of design Wolfgang Egger is set to leave Ignolstadt for a new role at Italdesign Giugiaro in the 2014, according to a report published by Germany’s Auto Bild magazine.
Egger was appointed head of Audi Group Design (which included Lamborghini) in May 2007, following in the footsteps of his mentor Walter de’Silva, who had been promoted to head all of the Volkswagen Group’s design activities earlier that year. Egger had worked with de’Silva while at Alfa Romeo and SEAT in Spain, developing a number of cars for both brands.
Building on their long established history, Egger continued to lead the development of numerous vehicle design programs at Audi, including the new A1, A3, A6 and A7 production models as well as a number of concept cars.
Egger’s tenure at Audi will certainly be remembered for the long line of Audi e-tron concepts, which span the A1 through to the R8. He also spearheaded the creation of several Quattro concepts, leading the design of the 2010 concept and overseeing the most recent Quattro Sport Concept shown in the video above. He was also instrumental in defining the Audi ‘Toronado line’, which can be seen gracing the flanks of the current A5 as well as other vehicles in the company’s range.
In 2012, Egger took charge of Audi Brand Design when Stefan Sielaff moved on to head interior design for the Volkswagen Group and the company’s Design Center in Potsdam. Later that year he revealed a new design strategy with the creation of the Concept Studio in Munich, Germany.
Egger’s design career has seen many successes since he graduated from the International College of Arts and Sciences in Milan, Italy, in 1989. He is credited with the design of the Alfa Romeo 147, 156 and 166 as well as the first generation SEAT Ibiza, Cordoba and Altea during his time at the Volkswagen Group’s Spanish subsidiary. Egger left SEAT to become head of design at Lancia in 2001, returning to Alfa Romeo later that same year to design the 8C Competizione.
The 50-year-old German designer will now move to a senior design role within Italdesign Giugiaro, in which the Volkswagen Group acquired a majority stake in 2010. Many of the Volkswagen Group’s brands have teams within Italdesign working on future products. As former Bentley exterior design director Raul Pires now heads Italdesign’s transport studio, Egger’s new role has yet to be specified.
Egger will be replaced by Marc Lichte, currently head of exterior design at Volkswagen.
Audi, and parent company VW, have yet to confirm his departure.
