A New Design Structure

Audi held its press conference first thing on the morning of the press day. They may have generated the most buzz at this show.

The main stage featured three vehicles: the design concept "Prologue," the fuel cell concept model "A7 Sportsback h-tron," and the "TT Convertible." Of these, only the third-generation TT Convertible will actually go into production. However, the other two models are extremely important in predicting Audi's future.

Ulrich Hackenberg, board member in charge of design (left), and designer Marc Lichte (right)

Audi Prologue

First, the Prologue is said to represent the future of Audi design. Since the unveiling of the previous-but-one A6 with its Singleframe grille, created by Walter de SilvaSatoshi Wadaand myself, Audi's design has seen refinements but no revolution. Needless to say, design plays an extremely significant role for them as they expand their sales, catching up to and surpassing Mercedes-Benz and BMW in recent years.

Consequently, Martin Winterkorn, head of the Volkswagen Group, instructed Ulrich Hackenberg, who currently oversees Audi's technical and design departments, to overhaul the design structure. In response, Marc Lichte, a designer, was brought over from Volkswagen.

The Prologue of New Audi Design

The Prologue as a Concept Car

Lichte, who took over as chief designer in February, immediately began work on the designs for the next-generation "A6," "A7," and "A8." The Prologue, unveiled as a concept car this time, is a synthesis of these elements into a single vehicle.

As you can see from the photos, it employs a design language clearly different from previous Audis, while also incorporating elements that make it instantly recognizable as an Audi. A separate article is planned to introduce Audi's new design strategy in detail. Please refer to that for more information.

Audi A7 Sportsback h-tron

Audi A7 Sportsback h-tron

Meanwhile, the A7 Sportsback h-tron is a fuel cell vehicle, similar to thoseToyotaandHondahave recently announced. However, while the two Japanese models are intended for production (Honda's is a concept car intended for production), the A7 Sportsback h-tron is purely a concept car with no prospect of being released in its current form.

When asked for the reason, a VW Audi representative cited "the lack of infrastructure." Nevertheless, the technology itself is quite interesting: it combines a 100 kW fuel cell with 85 kW electric motors on each axle, realizing Audi's signature quattro all-wheel drive system electrically. We have driven this vehicle and interviewed its representatives, so a detailed report will be published at a later date.

Audi A7 Sportsback h-tron

Audi TT Roadster

The TT Roadster is a new model that may be introduced to Japan as early as next year. At first glance, the exterior may not seem significantly different from the second generation, but like the "A3," the sense of quality has been greatly improved. Furthermore, a new approach using a liquid crystal display for the driver interface has been adopted.

With the Prologue showcasing its next-generation design and the A7 Sportsback h-tron presenting a candidate for its next-generation powerplant, Audi has laid out its future direction. We eagerly anticipate their next move.