Continuing on my e-car design rant since Jay didn’t want to write this one. Unfair! That should be the title of this article. But apparently, if I name it that it will offend the SEO gods. Forcing the article to the cold dark edges of the internet abyss. But it is unfair and in multiple ways too. Mainly, it’s unfair to other cars that I happen to be the one writing about this. Staying neutral can be hard for me with Audi. There are times when I feel like they could design a steering wheel out of dried cat turds, and my response would be “I like the fit and form of the steering wheel, but maybe don’t use the heated steering wheel feature”. I have been known to completely ignore their faux pas in the past. But on the other hand, I guess I can also be a massive critic due to my high expectations. I’ll be sure to aim for the middle on this one… maybe!
Eased in with the e-tron
Back in 2015 Audi teased its e-tron concept. It took four or so years before it made it to the market. The beauty was that when you looked at this “EUV”, it didn’t scream “I was designed by a hand soap company”. It was a SUV like every other SUV on the road, it just had those dashing Audi good looks. Most importantly it blended with Audi’s overall design scheme. Which is pretty successful currently. There was just enough new geometry and angles to make you say “wait, thats not a Q5”. The interior especially plays on this concept, and it looks good because of it. It’s a prime example of solid ground level e-car design and it blows away the likes of the XC40 or Mach-E.
RS e-tron GT, “shh” Look, don’t Talk.
The RS e-tron GT and e-tron GT. If you look long enough you might feel like you have seen this body shape somewhere. “Cough, 8 Series, cough”… Ok, that’s not totally fair, although it’s not like that’s heiracy to say either. When I first saw the 8 I almost smacked Jay’s sunglasses off his face. It was that good. So for the GT to stir up those same feelings speaks volumes about just how good it looks.
It’s not an understatement to say that this car was the single catalyst that made, nigh I say for “forced”, me to do an about-face on my Taycan opinion. It forced me to re-evaluate my level of acceptance for nonsense e-car designs. I shouldn’t have to say “I’ll have to get used to the aesthetics for these new electric cars”. Good design falls into place easily; fits in our lives; gives off that “It just feels right” vibe, and man does this one feel right. The front end that feels like a front end, wheel arches that say “take that Porsche”, and an interior that, well, is more like “a car” than “a 55-year-old father-in-law with an iPad air vent mount”. Of course, it’s loaded with tech and has a range that just beats out its Zuffenhausen cousin. But we expect that, along with outrageous maintenance costs. But that kind of doesn’t matter here. This is about what a car says to our mind and heart when we see it. Just take a second and soak it in, maybe it will speak to you in some way as it spoke to me. If electric cars truly belong here, with us today and now, then maybe this is the best example of making them fit in.
A6 e-tron, That new baby smell!
So this baby isn’t even born yet. But its gestation is almost complete with very few changes coming before its pushing time. Meaning… “The concept is very close to production actual”. I referred to “bar soap design” earlier and this one is just a notch closer to that than the others discussed here. BUT! I think this does that style a saving service. I’m not a fan of the rear height, coming too close to “cross-over” territory for me; but that might change after seeing it in person. The front-end sales an otherwise somewhat generic design. Side indents and a Sportback top, not much to see there, but “simplicity” works, always. And it helps in keeping the design planted in reality. At first sight of the A6 e-tron, I was impaled by the feeling of being forced to chew on food that should be served in 2030. But in this case, it didn’t taste bad and if Audi has their way, we will be dining on this feast in late 2023. If this is the future for Audi e-car design, then I’ll more than likely have to find something else to complain about. Because this seems like a pretty good starting base.
So Audi has a few other e-tron vehicles I didn’t cover here. Namely, the Q4 and Q6, both of which should hit the market before the A6. But as seen in the release of the Q4, the looks are similar. It makes it easier to swallow a larger leap in design when the whole fleet wears the same jackets.
I feel good about how Audi is propping up their end of the industry design tent. It’s something other companies could glean some good points from. Does it get me on the e-car bandwagon… no. I mean you might see an e-tron GT in my driveway but that doesn’t mean I’m not extremely pessimistic about the whole thing.
Photos provided by:
Audi USA
