…and Andrew Thomas should be fired! He should win John Grubers, Jackass of the Week Award. Andrew, you just slapped a whole generation of new designers in the face. You slapped 400k facebook users. You’ve alienated yourself from the auto industry. You probably drive a BMW, more than likely a 325.

To call these designers basement dwelling nerds, bottom-feeders and an outfit spewing crap is low. I have no idea if you even have design experience or even social media experience aside from getting traffic via your ridiculous article.

In terms of social interaction, brand awareness, brand loyalty and more, Audi just proved it works. Who wouldn’t want the opportunity to try and maybe get their work or idea noticed. It’s one channel to go through out of many. These are way future designs and thinking. That’s how concepts work. Throw it on the wall, see what sticks, revise etc.

I highly doubt Audi has the intentions to save cash and hire talent or buy designs on the cheap. If it was to be true, would they be this obvious?

The complete article is after the jump and please post your thoughts on this.

Audi, the car manufacturer that unexpectedly gave BMW new street cred by poaching all the crap and inconsiderate drivers who used to give Beemers a bad name, has asked basement-dwelling nerds and other bottom-feeders to come up with new designs for its 2030 model range, thus saving loads of cash.

In a frankly-ghastly video, a selection of Audi design gurus (you can spot them by their black clothing and tragic facial hair) extol the virtues of ‘engaging’ people who have no idea about designing cars to, err, design cars.

And before you reach for the green crayons to tell me that I’m an idiot, please consider the following statement from Audi and then ask yourself who is the idiot here:

“As part of the design process, the Audi design team leveraged social media as an interactive forum through which to solicit consumer insights.”

Do you really want to buy a car from a company that can come out with bullshit like that?

400,000 Facebook users responded to Audi’s design challenge and came up with, well, bugger all, to use a good old Anglo Saxon term.

Let’s just allow Audi’s official statement to speak for itself for a bit here:
“As part of the design process, the Audi design team leveraged social media as an interactive forum through which to solicit consumer insights. Using the Audi Facebook page as a central hub, the team was able to engage Audi fans – and regular Facebook users alike – in a variety of ways, including discussion threads, polls and feedback on photos and videos. This resulted in an active conversation between the Audi designers and the consumers they were targeting.

“With its nearly 400,000 fans, the Audi Facebook audience is composed of passionate brand enthusiasts who have a mutual affinity for automobiles. They yielded feedback for the design team that proved uniquely thoughtful. Additionally, the broader Facebook community was welcome to participate as well, increasing the potential input. Collectively, Facebook participants played a key role in shaping the design and functionality of the Audi models submitted for the competition.

“Case in point: the prevalence of communications tools in the final Audi designs. When engaging with Facebook users for input on the topic of connectivity, the Audi Design Team received overwhelming demand to stay in touch with users’ digital worlds – even behind the wheel. Taking this insight to heart, the design team developed a driving experience that, while solitary, enabled seamless communication through a host of channels including messaging and social networking integration via mobile broadband.”

God help us all. Who, in their right mind, would want to buy a car from an outfit capable of spewing such absolute crap?

The theme of this year’s competition, titled YouthMobile 2030, asked the world’s five-year olds to ‘envision automobiles appealing to young people of the future’. The Audi Design Team has apparently taken the ideas submitted by these pre-pubescents and designed ‘next generation vehicle control logic’, that takes ‘even the smallest body movements and gestures of the driver into consideration to provide an unsurpassed command of the drive’.

Let’s see if you can guess which gesture this writer currently has in mind. Hint: it only involves raising one finger.

And just in case you think a jaded old Jaguar driver is making all this crap up, check out the video here. If you even consider buying an Audi after watching it, we’d really like to know why.

- TG Daily

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Could this be the rumored Audi R4? A cross between the Audi R8 + e-tron + VW Concept BlueSport? Auto Express has put out a few renderings of what could be the Audi R4. It is heavily borrowed from the Concept Blue Sport but thats pretty obvious as the chassis would probably be shared across brands.

With petrol versions being offered, this could become a wicked track car and an e-tron like R4 would knock the Tesla right out.

Pics and more on the possible Audi R4 at Auto Express

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Speechless! Mark Wells has some amazing work especially the Audi R8 renders. Look closely and you will see the different details on these. Mark specializes in motorcycle design but his overall portfolio is outstanding.

Click here for the Audi R8 images and here for his complete portfolio

© Mark Wells

Graduated from the University of Northumbria’s Ba (hons) Transportation Design course with a first class honours degree in 2000. Directly after graduation established Xenophya Design to specialise in design and development for the motorcycle industry. We are proud to have developed a client list of some of the best known brands in the industry for product planning and concept design in the motorcycle and scooter markets.

http://www.xenophya.com/

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Volkswagen Group has unleashed a wicked array of automobiles at this years Frankfurt Motor Show. Their portfolio is so diverse now and so full of vigor it is amazing. Think of the other brands out there and name one that is like or better than than that of the Volkswagen Groups. From the Volkswagen E-Up! to the insane Bugatti Sang Blue Veyron. Electric to gas guzzlers! Small to huge, speaking about Scania here.

We’ve put together a great gallery with all these and more from their debuts on stage so have a look!

Some 2,000 representatives from national and international media enjoyed a unique evening of world premieres at the Volkswagen Group Night on the eve of the Frankfurt International Motor Show.

The motto of the evening was that a successful group has the answer to all mobility issues, and the nine brand chairmen presented their latest models and ground-breaking technologies. The newcomers made their debuts on an impressive ‘Via Vision’ pathway that wound its way through the specially converted Kuppelsaal of the Jahrhunderthalle in Frankfurt

The elegant Škoda Superb Combi with clever detail solutions and a very impressive cargo volume, the new Multivan from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, the SEAT Ibiza IBZ concept car, the Bentley Mulsanne with its luxurious fittings, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport ‘Sang Bleu’ – a special model celebrating the brand’s centenary –, the 525 HP Audi R8 Spyder and the Lamborghini Reventón Roadster. Ulrich Hackenberg, the Volkswagen brand board of management member for development, presented the Volkswagen E-Up! Depending on driving style, the 135 km/h zero emission study can cover a driving distance of up to 130 kilometers. Scania was present at the Group Night for the first time, too. A live link to the gigantic exhibition vehicle parked outside the hall presented the new generation of the R truck series with ‘Scania Driver Support’ to the media. This system supports drivers en route and brings a significant cut in fuel consumption.

Stephan Grühsem, Head of Group Communications, was the moderator for the evening, and once the vehicle presentations were over he was delighted to welcome Michael Macht, CEO of Porsche AG, on stage. Following a brief chat among auto experts, it was the turn of Group Chairman Martin Winterkorn to say a few words. Winterkorn drew the attention of his audience to the fact that the Volkswagen Group knew better than any other automaker how to meet the wishes of drivers both today and tomorrow. ‘Here in Frankfurt, Volkswagen is making a strong and positive statement in favor of the car and in favor of Germany as a nation of car-makers and car lovers,’ Winterkorn said, and continued: ‘The future belongs to sustainable, low-emission mobility.’ He added that the Volkswagen E-Up! was a prime example of this – everyday utility, affordable and safe. Large crowds gathered round all the vehicles at the end of the presentations – a sure sign that each Group brand knows how to inspire!

- Volkswagen AG

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Audi has launched a new ‘Electricity Untamed’ microsite, which refuels rumors of a possible R8 ePerformance Concept.

The site, ElectricityUntamed.com, boasts several viral videos as well as a countdown to the Frankfurt Motor Show. This likely means Audi will introduce some kind of electric vehicle (or hybrid) at the show, and all indications point to the long rumored R8 EV as hinted by the attached image.

Check out all the videos after the jump!

The site, ElectricityUntamed.com, boasts several viral videos as well as a countdown to the Frankfurt Motor Show. This likely means Audi will introduce some kind of electric vehicle (or hybrid) at the show, and all indications point to the long rumored R8 EV as hinted by the attached image.

As we have previously reported, the R8 ePerformance Concept is expected to be an electric vehicle which is powered by a massive lithium-ion battery and a series of electric motors. While Audi has vehemently denied its existence, the original rumors suggested the car would debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

If the R8 EV does exist, and is planned for production, it would square off against the Mercedes SLS AMG eDrive. As Mercedes has already confirmed, the SLS AMG eDrive features four electric motors with a combined output of 392 kW (526 hp) and 880 Nm (649 lb-ft) of torque.

- Worldcarfans

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Don’t look for the all-new 2010 Audi A8 at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show next month. The redesigned luxury flagship sedan isn’t expected to make its official world debut until January at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.

Last month, guests of Audi’s 100th anniversary celebration were treated to their first look at the 2010 Audi A5 Sportback, but the 2010 Audi A8 did not make an appearance.

Although future A8 test mules have been spotted on German roads for some time, they were cloaked in current A8 bodies, so it’s been difficult to predict the level of style changes for the new aluminum sedan. IL has now learned that the big A8 will receive more evolutionary styling rather than a radical update. With the debut of the rakish Audi A7 concept already set for late 2009, the A8 will continue to play the part of a grown-up sedan, leaving the production A7 to challenge the Mercedes-Benz CLS while it remains a Mercedes S-Class competitor.

“Appetizer” sketch (World Premiere of the new Audi A8 in late autumn 2009)

Audi enthusiasts should expect to see a new range of engines and an eight-speed automatic transmission when the A8 hits showrooms next year.

Inside Line says: Even with a new BMW 7 Series and S-Class now on the road, CEOs should continue to hold calls to their car brokers until after the Detroit show.

Michael Dick – Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development at AUDI AG with a next generation Audi A8 under a car cover (World Premiere of the new Audi A8 in late autumn 2009)

Edmunds Inside Line

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Not the best looking render…

“There are many rumors regarding Audi right now, most of them having to do with what the German automaker will show at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. This one, though, is of a different nature. It concerns a special-edition S5 supposedly dubbed the Project Anniversario.

According to Britain’s CAR magazine and their sources inside the four-ringed automaker, Project Anniversario is envisioned as the modern-day evolution of the famous ur Quattro and the Quattro S1 Rallye. Like the others, it will be a lightweight, hopped-up version of the midsize Audi meant to showcase the company’s sporting credentials and, in this case, celebrate the company’s centennial. Unfortunately, it won’t. Sources say that the project has been pushed back due to the economy and won’t debut until late next year, just in time for the original Quattro’s 30th anniversary, but only if a business case can be made for it.

- Motortrend

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During the Spring of 2009 we had the Ultimate Driving-project at the Umea Institute of Design. Here we looked at the human six senses to create the ultimate driving experience.

My idea for this is an Icekraft powered by a computerized sail thats connected to an electrical engine. the power comes from solar cells covering the entire icekraft.

The driver is positioned facing forward on his stomach to give him or her the ultimate feeling of flying low.

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Official video of the Volkswagen Concept BlueSport on the road!

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Click image to view gallery

Volkswagen is starting the new year by presenting an automotive dream – an affordable, uncommonly economical and highly agile mid-engine roadster. Its name: Concept BlueSport. Status: concept. Dynamics: pure. Fuel consumption: an average of 55 mpg / 4,3 l/100 km; less than any other sports car. Positioning: genuine, low-emissions roadster (113 g/km CO2) that makes every kilometer, every mile a driving experience.

• Comeback of the Compact Roadster
• World premiere of the Volkswagen Concept BlueSport:
• Sports car offers the most driving fun with the least fuel
• 140 mph fast Concept BlueSport has exceptional 42 mph fuel economy
• Made in Germany – Concept car is a reflection of modern carmaking

Comeback of compact agility

Behind the two sport seats of the 3.99 meter long Concept BlueSport (axle load distribution: 45:55) is an exclusively charged TDI or TSI engine that delivers dynamics – these are high-tech engines that consume little but put out a lot. In the case of the Concept BlueSport version now being presented in the USA it is a 132 kW / 180 PS strong Clean Diesel (TDI) with common rail injection and downstream NOx storage catalytic converter. At a low 1,750 rpm – i.e. right from the engine speed ‘cellar’ – the 2.0 liter turbo engine develops its maximum torque of 350 Newton-meters. That matches the power response of an approx. 300 PS strong six-cylinder gasoline engine! A 6-speed dual clutch transmission – the most economical and agile transmission system in the world – transfers this power to the rear wheels. It is shifted either automatically or via shift paddles on the steering wheel. In just 6.2 seconds the sports car is moving at a speed of 60 mph (0-100 km/h: 6,6 seconds); its top speed is 140 mph (226 km/h).

These are the key parameters of a new and at the same time classic European sports car philosophy. The Concept BlueSport is evolving into a car that is a lot of fun to drive and at the same time makes an unmistakable statement in terms of sustainability. The fact is: if the Concept BlueSport were to go into production it could herald in a renaissance of the compact roadster. Another fact: this car handles just as well in the urban environment of metropolises as it does on very curvy country roads and long expressway routes.

Concept without compromises

Volkswagen defined just two objectives in the car’s development: maximum driving fun and minimal fuel consumption. And so a mid-engine sports car was implemented that makes no compromises, that aims at low weight and maximum agility right from the start. Although it is best in its class when it comes to body rigidity, the Concept BlueSport weighs in at less than 1,200 athletic kilograms. The results: performance that is more than impressive for every life situation, in addition to the cited fuel economy and emissions advantages. Low weight was attained by consistent application of lightweight construction methods (among other things, the soft top – at 27 kilograms – is the lightest in its class, and the hoods are made of aluminum), and by a body layout with crisp and compact dimensions.

Despite all of the sports car fascination included on board, it still offers a respectable level of everyday utility. In the cargo area under the front hood, for example, the Concept BlueSport can stow 112 liters of luggage; its counterpart in the rear can handle an additional 70 liters of cargo volume. Altogether that makes 182 liters – enough for working documents or an extended weekend trip for two. Also extended, by the way, are the distances between any two fuel fillups. With a fuel tank volume of 50 liters and the noted fuel economy of 42 mpg (consumption of 4.3 liters per 100 kilometers), the theoretical range is greater than 710 miles (1,150 kilometers).

Making a positive impact on the car’s range, fuel economy and emissions are two technologies that could become more and more commonplace in the future and are part of the so-called Eco mode on the Concept BlueSport: an automatic start-stop system and braking energy regeneration. The place where automatic start-stop shines is in city traffic. When the Concept BlueSport stops at a red traffic light, for example, it automatically shuts off its engine. As soon as the light turns green again, just tapping on the gas pedal is enough to start the engine lightning fast. Its entire operation is absolutely intuitive and saves up to 0.2 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers in the city. Furthermore, primarily when the Concept BlueSport is braked, energy is generated by the alternator (regeneration), which relieves the engine and further improves fuel economy.

Design without gimmickry

The Concept BlueSport – painted in Flex Silver painted and sporting an orange colored fabric roof – was designed by the team led by Klaus Bischoff (Director of Design for the Volkswagen Brand) and Thomas Ingenlath (Director of the Design Center in Potsdam). “The design of the Concept BlueSport,” says Klaus Bischoff, “represents a perfect synthesis of technology and aesthetics. Its form is very clear and is reduced to essentials; the car body itself has a lean and linear structure.” Thomas Ingenlath adds: “Emanating powerfully from this car body are the circular wheel housings, flared out in three dimensions as in a sculture. The radial surfaces, edges and blending of forms emphasize the wheels and thereby the agility of the BlueSport concept car. The lateral air intakes are identifying features of the mid-engine layout, their volume-reducing design offers visualization of the car’s sporty low weight.”

Powerful proportions

The proportions of the Concept BlueSport give it an exceptionally powerful and impressive appearance. Besides its low height of 1.26 meters, the car’s image is shaped by the fact that the wheelbase (2.43 meters) appears large compared to the car’s overall length of about four meters, and the sumptuous track widths that are large relative to the car’s width (1.75 meters). In front, the sports car exhibits a track of 1.49 meters; in the rear it is 1.52 meters.

In the sum total of its dimensions, it is clear, first of all, that the powerfully styled body of the Concept BlueSport is significantly shorter and flatter than that of the Scirocco already launched in Europe, yet it is longer and a lot wider than the current Polo, for example. And with precisely these proportions, the roadster makes an especially powerful impression on its custom designed 19 inch alloy spoke wheels.

Front end design

At its front, the Concept BlueSport is characterized by a new Volkswagen design language introduced for the first time on the Scirocco and the new Golf. It is based on a ‘design DNA’ that will leave its mark on all new Volkswagens. This design DNA was developed by Walter de Silva (Director of Design for the Volkswagen Group), Flavio Manzoni (Director of Creative Design for Volkswagen AG) and Klaus Bischoff. On the one hand, it preserves historical elements, but on the other it represents a re-interpretation of Volkswagen design. Familiar from the Golf and Scirocco are the dominant dual cross beams that are formed by the narrow radiator grille and the painted bumper. In the lower area, large air inlets in black extend across the entire vehicle width, and integrated in them – under translucent, dark-tinted plastic covers – are the LED flashers.

Meanwhile, the car’s interpretation of individual features shows just how broad the range of vehicles is, in which these style elements can be implemented. Take the headlights and taillights, for example: Although the Concept BlueSport with its bi-xenon headlights and LED taillights is obviously a Volkswagen of contemporary times, it is still extremely independent. The roadster look is evident in details such as the daytime running lights designed as a narrow, C-shaped light strip (in the main headlamp housing) or – in the style of high-performance sports cars – the distinct outward flare of the fenders whose forms are charged with energy.

Thomas Ingenlath, lead project designer for the BlueSport concept car, sums it up this way: “The concept car looks into the viewer’s eyes with a powerful, masterful look; everything is clear and precise. Standing here is an agile athlete who has no need to display an aggressive attitude.”

We have taken a systematic approach to everything here, emphasizes Flavio Manzoni: “Unique, simple, universal – that is the authentic spirit of Volkswagen: clear design features in a complex world – this is the philosophy currently guiding Volkswagen design. These are cars like the Up! and Space Up! concept cars or the Scirocco and Golf, which reflect the concept of aesthetic clarity without compromise. And we are now carrying this forward with the Concept BlueSport.”

Rear end

The rear end is distinctive at first glance. Lines emanating from the contour of the rear fender here frame a shoulder section that would be hard to imagine any greater dynamism or clarity. In the center, there is a large strip painted in car color, and in the upper section a narrow black line that separates the bumper from the engine or trunk hood. Prominent on this line, which also joins the taillights, is the VW logo. The shapes of the taillights themselves were intentionally designed to be similar to those of the headlights. Inside, the lights both have a C-shaped LED component that radiates far and extremely brightly into the night with each brake actuation. The third brake light was integrated in the rear trunk lid, above the VW logo.

In the lower section, a horizontal surface in black is the defining visual element; the tailpipes are located at its outer edges – right next to the contour of the fender lines. The end of the bumper – together with the lateral fender and wheel housing panels – forms a virtual surface painted in car color. At its center the bumper exhibits an area that is aerodynamically designed as a diffuser.

Side profile

On its sides, once again it is the circular-shape of the wheel housings and outer fender edges – typical of Volkswagen – that are part of the clear, precise, powerful and highly aesthetic line-work. In addition, the extremely short overhangs define the car’s side profile styling. Moreover, the ten-spoke alloy wheels with tires in the sizes 235/35 ZR19 (front) and 245/35 ZR19 (rear) – that completely fill out the large wheel housings – create a look that would otherwise only be offered in the realm of super sports cars.

Interior

The interior of a sports car should fit as though it were tailor-made. Everything must be ideally set up to reach, operate, control, and must exhibit a high level of aesthetics. This is precisely what Volkswagen has done with the Concept BlueSport. Klaus Bischoff: “The interior shows finesse in details and conveys a high level of technological fascination. The special flair of the interior expresses itself in the architectonic purity of its components.”

Climb in: Immediately eye-catching is the touchscreen – an intuitively operated human-machine interface in the style of its counterpart in the Volkswagen Up! concept car. It is located right at the imaginary transmission tunnel. All information and entertainment functions are controlled from the touchscreen. Right in front of it – on the level where a gearshift lever would be – there is now a multifunctional steering wheel that is used to intuitively operate the dual clutch transmission.

Above the touchscreen are the three large control dials for the dual-zone automatic climate control system. They are located on a cockpit section traversed by vertical slats. These slats simultaneously serve as both air vents and style features. When the control dials of the automatic climate control system are turned to the left, in the “colder” direction, the control unit’s display becomes increasingly more blue; when higher temperatures are set the display turns “reddish”.

Visually similar to the climate controls is the light switch located to the left of the steering wheel. In terms of color, the orange of the convertible top is repeated in the basic illumination of the cockpit switches. The designers also redesigned the large round instruments and the multifunctional steering wheel. It is equipped with keys for controlling the audio system, telephone, on-board computer and dual clutch transmission (DSG).

Perfectly adapted to the interior are the lightweight, leather-upholstered sport seats with their one-piece seatbacks. Behind the integrated head restraints with embossed VW logo is the Concept BlueSport’s roll bar. Directly behind this is the opened convertible top; the soft top is actuated manually here. Thanks to a classic Z-fold and low top weight, this can be done in a matter of seconds – sometimes less is more.

Technical data of the Volkswagen concept car Concept BlueSport

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