behind the scenes at the AUDI concept design studio

behind the scenes at the ‘AUDI concept design studio’ in munichall images © audi

earlier this month, designboom was invited to audi’s concept design studio in munich, taking an exclusive behind the scenes look into the development of the company’s future automobiles and the design strategy offering better differentiation between model series. during the tour, we got a sneak peak of one of audi’s latest conceptions: the ‘audi crosslane coupe concept’ – which we originally featured here during the 2012 paris international motor show.

recognizing the need to introduce a new vision of what their cars will look like down the road, each of the A, Q, and R model lines will adopt significant changes in production methods, styling and personality, while still maintaining audi’s signature form methodology and approaches. while this progressive ideology is usually not accepted by customers, a reflection of these decisions demonstrates how the direction of their automotive design will evolve over the coming years.

view inside the audi concept design studio in munich

by embracing and integrating technology and innovative combinations of materials into the production process of the ‘audi crosslane coupe concept’, a ‘multi-material space frame’ is introduced – where its construction can be seen in the single-frame grille, through intakes in the engine 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.

also, the interior configurations become fully unified with the exterior styling, showcasing a transition between aesthetics and functionality, further accentuating the unique character of each model in the cabin.

audi crosslane coupe concept alongside the ‘multi-material space frame’

this link between the exterior and interior is also visible from behind the wheel of the crosslane coupe. “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. the cabin design is focused on the driver. “our refined strategy a audi design emphasizes clarity and a focus on the essentials.”

clay and production audi crosslane coupe concept views

detail of the clay model of the audi crosslane coupe concept

front view of the clay model

driver’s side view of the clay model

detail of the ‘multi-material space frame’

wolfgang egger, head of audi design, holding the three dimensional grille for the crosslane coupe

views of the grilles

the studio with views of the powerwall projection view in the back

explaining the new focus of the ‘Q’ family using a virtual sketch of the crosslane coupe projected on the powerwall.

using the powerwall, audi renders a full sized scale model, where they then manually draw the contour lines of the vehicle, making adjustments in real time. when finished, the lines are then digitized and transferred as rendersfor full-scale production.

achim badstübner, head of exterior design, taping on the powerwall