New Audi design chief desires vehicles with out “superfluous ornaments”

Audi on Thursday named Massimo Frascella as its new design chief.

He replaces present chief Marc Lichte who held the position since 2014, and has been assigned a brand new job throughout the Volkswagen Group.

Frascella, who formally begins at Audi on June 1, was beforehand concerned with design at JLR courting again to 2011, together with his most up-to-date appointment being head of design for each the Jaguar and Land Rover manufacturers. Throughout his time on the British automaker, he was answerable for the designs of key fashions like the brand new Defender and Vary Rover SUVs.

Frascella studied design on the prestigious Istituto d’Arte Applicata & Design in Turin, Italy, and commenced his profession at former Italian design home and coachbuilder Stile Bertone. He is additionally had stints at Ford and Kia.

Massimo Frascella

In an announcement, Frascella mentioned his objective for Audi design within the coming years can be to depend on a “timeless and complex” design language that eschews “superfluous ornaments” and does not “observe developments.”

Audi additionally famous that altering expertise, particularly electrical powertrains, will lead to new shapes and features for its future automobiles, and that Frascella will make sure the automobiles preserve the Audi model id with a design language centered on readability, precision, and ideal proportions.

Frascella’s earlier work with the Defender will probably show useful for Audi and its rumored plans to develop a rugged SUV to rival the Defender and different luxurious off-roaders. Frascella’s predecessor, Lichte, was the primary to say the opportunity of the automobile throughout an interview final yr.