Yannis

Audi R8: the design

Audi has released new images and information about the R8, including design sketches and details about the development process.

Below we report some selected excerpts from the official press release, regarding the exterior and interior design and the aluminum body. The complete image and video gallery (121 pictures and 6 videos) is available on Virtual Car.

Exterior Design

As the first mid-engine sports car of the Audi brand, the R8 interprets Audi's design in a new, extreme form: the R8 emerges as a formal statement of sheer dynamism.

"Our aim was to create a powerful sports car – but with an exceptional quality of elegance," remarked Walter de'Silva, Head of Design of the Audi brand group.

In the case of a sports car, the challenges facing the designers are more demanding than for other vehicle concepts. Here, the shape needs to be even more emotionally charged and captivating.

On the other hand, the design here has to fall in line with severe functional requirements: a sports car in the 300 km/h league needs to have perfectly balanced aerodynamics.

Audi R8 - Design SketchThe large air apertures at the front and rear of the R8, for instance, naturally serve as important design features. Their size was however initially determined by the considerable amount of cooling air required by the high-performance engine, and also of course by the brakes.

The shape of the Le Mans-winning R8 was created by the same design team that was behind the exterior design of the R8 road version of the sports car.

"The issue of aerodynamics needs to be handled with greater subtlety on an elegant, roadgoing car that is intended for every use than on a competition car."

Eye-catching spoilers on the body were for instance immediately ruled out, and directional stability is maintained by the complex diffuser underbody in conjunction with the visually restrained, automatically extended rear spoiler.

The basic idea behind the vehicle body is based on the tension-filled contrast between the calm and flowing surfaces that give the Audi R8 its elegance. The technology is exhibited just as overtly: the car's sculpture is opened up at the decisive points, revealing its technology for all to see.

The surfaces are explicitly tactile. They are stretched between the lines and edges, and describe a muscular sculpture whose quality resides in the permanent interplay between concave and convex surfaces. The R8 adeptly plays with light. This enhances its corporeal qualities and introduces movement into the flow of lines and surfaces.

The R8 is instantly recognisable as an Audi: this is evident both from the single-frame grille and from the entire powerfully elegant formal idiom, with its neatly placed lines and minimal number of meticulously crafted details.

"Take for instance the line running around the entire vehicle known as the "loop": it starts at the front spoiler, swoops over the shoulder, encompasses the clearly structured tail end and then returns down the other side to the nose. It particularly accentuates the four wheel arches as symbols of quattro four-wheel drive."

The proportions are of course dictated by the mid-engine concept: the driver's seat is positioned well forward, with the V8 engine located behind it – as on the racing car that shares the same name.

The sideblade is a characteristic feature of the side view: in addition to performing the function of directing induced and cooling air to the engine, it divides the vehicle body up into two sections: the occupant cell and the assemblies zone.

The front end is dominated by the trapezoidal Audi single-frame grille, flanked on either side by large air inlets. For the first time, the four rings of the logo are positioned not over the grille, but on the lid above it.

This makes the front end look even more poised and focused on the road.

The flat strips of the headlights lie flush with the upper edge of the air inlets. The headlight covers enclose a microcosm of intelligent technology and innovative design.

The xenon plus headlights with their 70 millimetre diameter glass lenses lend the R8's face a clear, demanding gaze – framed by the unique daytime running lights comprising twelve light-emitting diodes that infuse the R8 with an added, unmistakable character.

The small lens in front of the turn indicator lights exemplifies the designers' attention to detail: it sports a finely engraved R8 logo that is only perceptible upon closer inspection.

The tail end is defined by the horizontal spoiler edge. The area beneath it gives the R8 a wide, dominant effect.

As at the front end, the tail is dominated by two large air apertures with their substantial transverse struts. And as at the front, the light units are embedded flush with the body panels at their upper edge...

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The Emperor

Audi R8: Kick @$$ design and a car!

Thanks for the article, Yannis.

Bruce

Interestng article. Thanks, Yannis.


Personally, I think the R8 is one of the best designed vehicles in a long time

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