Hot! Audi: What's Next?

[Design FIRST]

Innuendo:

A further example of the incoming Massimo Fraschella brand design paradigm will be presented sometime during the course of next year in the form of an SSP+ based Audi A8 segment vehicle. Not quite a "concept", but more of a "statement of intent".

 

[Tuffode]

Innuendo:

A further example of the incoming Massimo Fraschella brand design paradigm will be presented sometime during the course of next year in the form of an SSP+ based Audi A8 segment vehicle. Not quite a "concept", but more of a "statement of intent".

Where did you read this?

 

[Tuffode]

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/audi-s-cheapest-e-tron-caught-posing-as-a-volkswagen-257593.html

Hoping this was designed under Massimo Fraschella, but I doubt it.

 

[Design FIRST]

Where did you read this?

NOT an official statement by Audi AG. But rather innuendo that bases speculation on a frequently estimated arrival of an A8 succeeding electric vehicle, presumably SSP+ architecture, due for official presentation in 2027 or 2028 for a respective following 2028 or 2029 MY. Hence, a stylistically accurate prelude in the form of a concept designed under the supervision of Massimo Fraschella sometime during the second half of 2026 seems highly feasible if not likely. This has been alluded to more recently in Neckarsulm/Heilbronn region online local newspapers (ST+).

 

[Tuffode]

NOT an official statement by Audi AG. But rather innuendo that bases speculation on a frequently estimated arrival of an A8 succeeding electric vehicle, presumably SSP+ architecture, due for official presentation in 2027 or 2028 for a respective following 2028 or 2029 MY. Hence, a stylistically accurate prelude in the form of a concept designed under the supervision of Massimo Fraschella sometime during the second half of 2026 seems highly feasible if not likely. This has been alluded to more recently in Neckarsulm/Heilbronn region online local newspapers (ST+).

Would be neat, I'm worried they might just kill the large sedan since they barely sell.

 

[Design FIRST]

Would be neat, I'm worried they might just kill the large sedan since they barely sell.

The question remains: Will it actually be a 3-Box "sedan" ? Some speculation indicates that Audi is considering combining the characteristics of the etron GT with the future A8 etron and hence making the etron GT superfluous. That would concentrate VAG's segment effort solely on the successor to the Porsche Taycan. It could possibly make the A8 etron a "Sportback" or 4 door shooting brake rather than a classical sedan. That could avoid head-on confrontation with future M-B S-Class and BMW 7 series luxury sedans, Audi creating a somewhat different niche for itself and it's potential customers.

Only innuendo and nothing chiseled in stone as of yet.

 

[Design FIRST]

An interesting presentation:

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And...can always turn the volume down in order to muffle some of the loud, theatrical brouhaha.

 

[tristatez28lt1]

An interesting presentation:

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Accept third party cookies

And...can always turn the volume down in order to muffle some of the loud, theatrical brouhaha.

Xiaomi did 200.000 SU7 orders in three minutes...

 

[Design FIRST]

Apparently, the new Xpeng P7 achieved what SAIC AUDI achieved with the E5 Sportback in 7 minutes.

It's all relative.

And Xiaomi is simply one of automotive history's epic phenomenons.

 

[Rolf]

Independant automotive illustrator sugar-design tries his hand at a fictitious SAIC-AUDI RS E5:

IMHO, this looks far better than ANYTHING that has come out of Audi's Ingolstadt design studios for quite some while.

Wow that looks fantastic and a huge improvement on the current stale boring Audi designs.

 

[Design FIRST]

Would be neat, I'm worried they might just kill the large sedan since they barely sell.

It would be feasible that Audi leaves the development of a traditional large luxury 3-Box sedan in the hands of a cooperation with one of Audi's Chinese partners. SAIC AUDI E8L sedan, for example ? Especially the EU and perhaps North American market successors to the current A8 could conceivably go the less conventional route. A fastbacked, low slung sport luxury 4 door coupe or perhaps a form of 4 door shooting brake that would succeed both the A8 as well as the Audi etron GT. This could equate to Audi occupying it's own niche in the German luxury "Big 3" segment without directly confronting the more traditional 3-Box M-B and BMW luxury sedans.

Just sayin'.

 

[Tuffode]

It would be feasible that Audi leaves the development of a traditional large luxury 3-Box sedan in the hands of a cooperation with one of Audi's Chinese partners. SAIC AUDI E8L sedan, for example ? Especially the EU and perhaps North American market successors to the current A8 could conceivably go the less conventional route. A fastbacked, low slung sport luxury 4 door coupe or perhaps a form of 4 door shooting brake that would succeed both the A8 as well as the Audi etron GT. This could equate to Audi occupying it's own niche in the German luxury "Big 3" segment without directly confronting the more traditional 3-Box M-B and BMW luxury sedans.

Just sayin'.

That would be my worst nightmare. Hopefully they can keep all the AUDIs to China only.

 

[SCOTT27]

Wow that looks fantastic and a huge improvement on the current stale boring Audi designs.

Since it’s an AUDI not an Audi will it be an R/S?
Or an ARSE?

 

[Rolf]

Xiaomi did 200.000 SU7 orders in three minutes...

Lol then 500000 people want their money back due to the many problems that occurred with the first production cars. Check some of the videos, scary shit with the suspension breaking loose and brakes catching fire, etc.

 

[Rolf]

It would be feasible that Audi leaves the development of a traditional large luxury 3-Box sedan in the hands of a cooperation with one of Audi's Chinese partners. SAIC AUDI E8L sedan, for example ? Especially the EU and perhaps North American market successors to the current A8 could conceivably go the less conventional route. A fastbacked, low slung sport luxury 4 door coupe or perhaps a form of 4 door shooting brake that would succeed both the A8 as well as the Audi etron GT. This could equate to Audi occupying it's own niche in the German luxury "Big 3" segment without directly confronting the more traditional 3-Box M-B and BMW luxury sedans.

Just sayin'.

Audi needs to be more adventurous with their A8 flagship, in a way like the original first gen A8, which was the first aluminium production car and still looks fantastic to this day. They need to be different to the norm and bring out a car that stands out from the crowd. A 4dr shooting brake would do wonders.

The great Avantissimo Concept from 2001 should have made production:

 

[Design FIRST]

I clearly remember large crowds flocking around the Audi ASF (prelude to the D2 A8) at the 1993 IAA in Frankfurt. Alot of "ooohhing" and "aahhing" and heads nodding in approval. The D2 A8/S8 was a successful car for Audi. It even managed to nab the top spot on the luxury sedan unit sales chart in Germany on several occasions. My local Audi dealer graciously let me have one for a weekend back then. I loved it.