This is just the beginning

When Audi presented its sleek vision of the future, the Concept C, in Milan last week, the unveiling was not completely a surprise. Audi CEO, Gernot Döllner, had hinted in the lead up to the event that a new design direction was on the way. He had previously said that concept cars were essentially a thing of the past and that only designs with a production future would see the light of day, saying ‘we won't show design studies anymore … when we show things, [they] will be substantial. Every concept we show will have a product decision behind it’.

As good as his word, the Concept C was the result and that the direction of Audi’s design has taken on a very appealing direction under the watchful eye of its Chief Creative Officer, Massimo Frascella.

Appointed in June last year, Frascella brings a wealth of design experience to the brand, having studied at the famed Italian design studio, Stile Bertone, before working with Ford in the UK, Kia in California and ultimately moving into senior positions with Jaguar Land Rover from 2011 until his move to Audi.

His extensive and varied experience, as well as a deep seated passion for design in general and the automotive world in particular, place him in the perfect position to oversee Audi’s new brand evolution. 

Of course setting off on a new direction is not for the fainthearted, particularly in a world that is often fickle. But drawing on the brand’s strong design past, Fascella believes is the key to its future success.

“Audi has always been a daring brand,” Fascella says of the new direction. "The brightest moments in our history have involved daring leaps of imagination and innovation, cutting-edge technology and groundbreaking design. Now it is time to dare again.”

“Our vision is a call to action for the whole company – and is essential for making our brand truly distinctive once again,” says an excited Massimo of the Concept C and the new direction it represents.

“It is the philosophy behind every decision we make, and we aim to apply its principles across the entire organisation. We call it ‘The Radical Next’.

Not only will the ‘Radical Next’ shape future vehicle design but it is in fact a driving force that will effect every aspect of the Audi brand.

“We understand design in its broadest sense – embracing every aspect of the Audi experience. We want to shape a brand capable of inspiring desire and creating cultural impact.”

Obviously, the Concept C and the vehicles that will follow it into production will make a strong statement and first impression from their design and presence on the roads of the world. They must immediately be identifiable as ‘Audis’ – literally embodying all that the brand stands for in their design.

“Our most recognised models share a common DNA,” says Fascella. “A meticulous focus on simplicity and geometry but with an intelligence that can stir emotion. We have used these qualities from our past to create a design philosophy that will set a clear path for our future.”

Of course this focus on design in the future will not diminish the core elements that have always been at the heart of the brand. Cutting-edge technology, or Vorsprung durch Technik, will remain a central brand promise says Massimo.

“In the 1980s, when the Audi 100 quattro drove up a ski jump, it was a symbol of technical advancement and the will to make the impossible possible. For us, technology is a means to progress, not an end in itself.

“We neither want to hide it nor show it off – it should inspire without being dominant. For Audi, technology is a given, unobtrusive and yet functional and present when the customer wants it. It is a seamless part of the experience.”This, as they say, is just the beginning.