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Tired of the modern car's busy design? Audi has a cure.

2027 Audi Nuvolari

Photo by: Audi

Adrian Padeanu

By: Adrian Padeanu

Jun 8, at 6:25am ET

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THE BREAKDOWN

The Nuvolari and Concept C lead the way for Audi's new design direction.
Audi design boss Massimo Frascella wants cars to 'exude extreme solidity and absolute simplicity.'
The simplified exterior will be paired with a minimalistic cabin.

Audi surprised us all last September when it took the wraps off the Concept C, previewing a completely new design language. It did it again last week when it unveiled the Nuvolari as the first production model to embrace the fresh aesthetic. The supercar subsequently made its dynamic debut over the weekend, with Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto taking turns behind the wheel ahead of the F1 Monaco Grand Prix.

The Lamborghini Temerario–derived model will start reaching customers from 2027. Later the same year, the Concept C will evolve into a production model as an electric sports car with a retractable targa roof and close ties to the Porsche Boxster/Cayman EVs. Both performance vehicles are the first models fully designed by Chief Creative Officer Massimo Frascella after he joined Audi in June 2024.

The former design boss at Land Rover and Jaguar spoke to Car Magazine about what the Audi of tomorrow will look like. He believes that future models bearing the iconic Four Rings “should exude extreme solidity and absolute simplicity.’ The man in charge of design in Ingolstadt goes on to claim he has found the “secret sauce” for designing next-generation cars.

Photo by: Audi

‘The secret sauce is the perfect coexistence of radii and tensions, incredibly controlled but never organic, a strong sense of solid metal supported by very precise geometric shutlines.’

Much like the Concept C before it, the Nuvolari also signals radical changes inside, where the Volkswagen Group luxury brand is moving away from the screen extravaganza of today’s cars. Whether other high-end automakers will follow suit remains unclear, but in Audi’s case, a reduction in screen real estate will bring another benefit: a resurgence of physical controls. A jump in the quality of materials used throughout the cabin is also planned.

Audi's New Design Will Spread Across The Whole Lineup

The new direction may have been previewed on a couple of niche products, but the wave of change will spread across the entire portfolio. Audi was able to fast-track the development of the two cars thanks to tie-ups with Lamborghini and Porsche, but the usual “A” and “Q” volume models won’t embrace the new look anytime soon. The next-gen Q7, first-ever Q9, and the return of the A2 were designed by the old team, so we wouldn’t hold our breath for major Concept C or Nuvolari influences.

However, Car Magazine alleges that Massimo Frascella left his mark on the RS5, Q4 facelift, and the aforementioned A2, Q7, and Q9 to a limited extent. The British magazine reports the design boss also applied last-minute tweaks to the yet-to-be-announced return of the A6 Allroad. Although not mentioned, it’s reasonable to expect the future RS6 Avant (and RS6 Sedan comeback) to be on the same list.

The indirect replacements to the R8 and TT come at a time when archrival BMW is also completely changing the design of its cars both inside and out. The Neue Klasse tones things down similarly, with fewer creases and angles, but the interior contrasts with Audi's by largely focusing on screens. Mercedes is also a big fan of dashboard-filled displays, while its exteriors remain evolutionary with an increasing number of stars.

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Motor1's Take: It doesn’t happen very often for a car company, luxury or mainstream, to change its design direction in such a striking manner. It takes courage to start fresh and create what Audi calls “The Radical Next.” It increasingly looks like an antidote to frustrating modern car trends with busy exteriors and screen-packed interiors.

The Nuvolari is a near-production prototype, so those 499 cars heading to customers will look borderline identical. The Concept C might undergo bigger changes, but it’s unlikely to change much either. Beyond these two low-volume products, what matters more from a sales perspective is how Audi will execute its new design language on regular models like SUVs and sedans.

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