A5/S5/RS5 Walter de Silva explains the design of the A5 during dinner.

[Yperion]

Talk about a great experience. Audi held a dinner for American journalists while in town for the Geneva Motor Show. Two Audi AG board members Ralph Weyler and Michael Dick attended, along with outgoing head of Audi Brand Group design Walter de' Silva.

The Audi A5 was de' Silva's baby, and it was most interesting to chat with the Italian designer about his thinking behind the car. As he spoke in his heavy Italian accent, he looked frustrated and made a drawing motion. "I need a pen and paper to explain," he said.

I've learned not to pull out your notepad in casual conversation with execs over dinner, but decided to break that rule in this case. Before anyone else had the table had a chance, I slapped my ballpoint and spiral bound in front of him.

He proceeded to draw a simple profile and rear view of the car, explaining that a clean and subtle design can be identified from just a few profile lines (mainly the shoulder). He further emphasized with two more drawings of an Alfa Romeo Guilietta and an Alfa Romeo Duetto. the latter Alfa drawing he presented to Michael Dick (Audi AG's board member in charge of development), though he was kind enough to leave the A5 designs firmly in place in my soon-to-be-retired notepad. He was even kind enough to sign it.

Source: http://forums.fourtitude.com/zerothread?id=3117943

 

[phaeton]

George is lucky

How cool is this

 

[Yperion]

That's true but at least we get to share his experience from our PC.

 

[SDNR]

There is a sensuousness to the A5 that we have not seen in Audi before.

The more I have looked at it, the more I think it works very well.

I think it is a carefully calculated balance between Audi's traditional formal Teutonic-functionalism, with a more emotive use of subtle forms and shapes.