Audi Styling - They've Turned That Corner

[KNS]

For the longest time I've admired Audi's handsome styling, truly nice looking cars. Unmistakably German. But I knew that one day the following generation would lose a little bit of that Audi uniqueness until finally they'd be lumped in with all the other "Amorphous Blobs" (as Jeremy Clarkson describes contemporary automotive styling).

I think that day has arrived - I was behind a new Audi A5 in traffic the other day and it looked like any other Japanese or Korean import. The rear end was such a let down. The rest of the car wasn't much better, nothing about it said "Audi". Clarkson is right, there's something missing in today's cars - not just Audi styling - that used to excite so many automotive enthusiasts.

I caught a YouTube video the other day (can't remember who it was...) and I think he made a very good point. All of the founders of cars we lusted after are gone and have been replaced by committee. Ferdinand and Ferry Porsche, Enzo Ferrari, Ferruccio Lamborghini, William Lyons (I'm going to include Soichiro Honda because of his pioneering spirit and first Japanese entry into F1). There are other I'm missing. There's no one founding individual at the helm saying "This is my company and we're straying from my original intent".

Of course part of the reason too is that the market has changed so much with the demand for a "do everything" single vehicle in the form of an SUV. Other than impressive performance numbers cars today are a disappointment.

[RANDY P]

SMH.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

This is really sad.

2026 Audi A5 Photos

[Alan A]

Didn’t Hyundai hire Audi designers out from under them?

I mean if you want to say Korean cars look German now you might be a bit more accurate…

[Shaun @ Tru6]

The Hyundai Genesis GV80 has a somewhat Italian design to my eyes.

[917_Langheck]

Originally Posted by KNS

I think you could slap a Toyota badge on that and no one would notice the difference.

[zakthor]

For past few decades i thought audis all looked like amorphous blobs.

Quite surprised by a rs5 i saw last year - it kinda sorta looked ok to me.One of the first new cars ive seen in a while that i didnt hate. Reminded me of the rapide.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Audi has been on the random angles for the sake of angles theme for several years now, I don’t think most of their new stuff looks very good. Still better than BMW with their constantly evolving massive kidney grille from hell styling theme. I think Porsche is still doing a good job except for some of their SUVs looking entirely too similar to their VAG siblings. Mercedes also isn’t bad except for most of their models looking like a rounded bar of soap, but boring is better than flat out ugly.

If you thought the outside was bad, look at many of the interiors….

[Zeke]

The biggest challenge in automotive styling is to avoid using the \___/ shape everywhere, reversed or that way. You will have to look far and wide to find a car w/o it and before you will be a classic.

[jyl]

The BMW concept Neue Klasse sedan was/is a fine looking car. Some stylists still know, but something happens between concept and production. Chasing every 0.01 Cd? Mouth breather focus groups? Marketing wants more pizzaz?

Honestly I think my E28 looks better than any new BMW for decades, since Bangle.

[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by 917_Langheck

I think you could slap a Toyota badge on that and no one would notice the difference.

Or Honda


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