Q&A: Audi’s design boss on the E-tron GT concept

Audi E-tron GT concept Q&A with design chief Marc Lichte tells us why the sports coupé is his biggest achievement yet

Audi’s flagship electric model, the E-tron GT, has been revealed at the LA motor show. The sports coupé concept, which will arrive in production form in 2020, promises Audi Sport performance and radical developments in charging times. 

We talked to Audi design chief Marc Lichte about the project.

What was the biggest challenge with this car? Packaging. The challenge is always the battery pack in the floor. This car is 138cm high – that’s lower than an A7. There is no compromise here. The E-tron GT is my biggest achievement so far.

How important is the E-tron GT for Audi’s broader design? Every three years, we have a step [change] in design. The latest one was last year with the A8. The next step will be this. This car is the next evolution in our design in 2020, both exterior and interior.

Tell us about the grille. For Audi, it would be a big mistake to remove the grille. For our customers, it’s the Audi DNA. Before 2004, we didn’t have a unique face. It is very important that we don’t desert our face. So we said, why not invert it? It’s body colour. For me, it’s still an Audi but not with a combustion engine. This is the face of all our future EVs.

Will the touch-glass door openings make production? They could be too expensive… Us designers love designing concepts without door handles. We present the design of every new car to the board without handles!

Why have you shown this car so far ahead of the production car’s launch? There’s no predecessor so we thought: ‘Why not present the car?’ It makes sense. 

Read more

Full details of the E-tron GT concept

Audi plans to launch 12 electric models by 2025

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BTCC 2018: Neal wins Diamond Double at Snetterton

Image
Neal clinched victory in the extended Diamond Double race Jack Goff stars in qualifying and race one, while veteran Neal clinches glory in double-length finale Triple British Touring Car champion Matt Neal clinched victory in the special extended Diamond Double race at Snetterton, held to mark the 60th anniversary of the series in his Honda Civic Type R . Rising stars Jack Goff and Ashley Sutton also took race wins at the Norfolk track. Instead of the usual reverse-grid finale, the third race at Snetterton was extended from 12 laps to 20, with double championship points on offer and no success ballast. The race also featured its own separate qualifying session. Picture special: 60 years of the BTCC That was good news for Eurotech driver Goff, who went fastest in both qualifying sessions to claim two pole positions in his Civic Type R. He made the first one count, pulling out a big lead in treacherous wet conditions.  The young guns of the BTCC Behind Goff, reigning champ...
Read more

Top 10 Autocar galleries of 2017

Image
Autocar's vast selection of galleries celebrate everything from the most beautiful cars of all time to the cars that have been forgotten. We run down Autocar readers' favourite car-themed galleries from the year Everyone loves a gallery of shiny images to scroll through, and Autocar readers are no different.  This year, we've published more galleries than ever for our lovely audience, covering everything from the weird and wonderful to the world's most beautiful cars . Take a look at our wider selection here , and scroll down for the top 10 of the year.  Autocar’s ten most popular galleries of 2017  10. In pictures: the greatest Toyotas ever made Exactly what it says on the tin. Toyota  is one of the world’s largest car makers, but aside from landmark cars like the Supra and 2000GT , it's easy to forget many cars in the brand’s history. We take you through Toyota’s greatest hits, from its first smashes to its latest greats.  9....
Read more