Q6 e-tron, the first fully electric model produced by Audi in Ingolstadt, also draws attention with its special design and craftsmanship. Dressing made with special accents on the body in order to reflect and visually strengthen the character of the model takes on the task of transforming technology into a visual language.
One-of-a-kind of each design type. Since launching the Audi e-tron in 2018, the four-ring brand has been outfitting prototypes and one-off models with special trims. Audi calls this "exterior design". He showed his latest example in the S1 Hoonitron and Formula 1 show car. The four-ring brand has so far introduced over 20 vehicles with this special cladding designed by Marco dos Santos, Head of Dressing Design at Audi. Its most recent vision now graces the Audi Q6 e-tron prototype.
Stating that Audi's design language has gone to the next level with the Q6 e-tron, Marco dos Santos said, “We wanted to emphasize this with the dressing. The architecture and character of each vehicle is unique, and so is each skinning design. work every zamThe moment starts with deciding which elements you want to highlight and highlight in the car.” said. According to Marco dos Santos, the new project draws on previous design elements, such as the neon red color used on the Audi Q6 e-tron, which is actually quite familiar from the trim on the 2018 Audi e-tron, but every new model is the same. zamalso opens a new page. Marco dos Santos said: “At Audi, technology and design are inextricably linked and form a single entity. As our technologies become more powerful and precise, this is reflected in our design, choice of materials and storytelling.” said.
According to Dos Santos, the skinning translates the technical elements of the vehicle into a catchy visual language: “Basically, we want to start a conversation with the skins. The fact that this conversation is global makes the design language unique. Some things may be perceived differently in different countries.
Design works in any situation, anywhere.”
Smooth flowing shapes to highlight key elements When it comes to the Audi Q6 e-tron, large graphics identify the vehicle as a prototype at first glance. According to Marco dos Santos: “This is zamthe moment creates a very special excitement. In the prototype example, the cladding actually opens up opportunities for us to talk about design, which is still largely hidden. Thus, there is a balance that shows certain elements while hiding certain elements.”
Sharp lines and high contrast: Large-scale radial graphics in Gloss Fierce Fuchsia meet detailed geometric weaves and stripes in Silver. The shapes merge seamlessly, emphasizing key elements of the vehicle's architecture. The lower sill panel is separated from the body with its white color. This highlights Audi's e-tron philosophy, which places emission-free driving at the center of the design. The Singleframe and five-spoke dynamic wheels that define the Audi look are also all white. Neon red trims called “e-tron Powerstripes” accentuate the upper area of the sills. This area is the heart of the all-electric vehicle as the seat of the battery.
Another neon red stripe runs along the back and highlights the quattro bubbles. These are the body lines that support the straight curved D-pillars. The bubbles are reminiscent of the original Audi quattro and form the core element of Audi's design DNA. The four-ring brand interprets this central design principle as “making technology visible”. The dense mesh grille along the upper edge of the body gives the vehicle its technoid profile. The glass areas are completely black except for the D pillars and are separated from the body.
“The dress up has to work 360 degrees.”
The skinning design process is similar for each vehicle. Using detailed drawings from the exterior designers, the team works together to decide which elements make up the model and what parts of the body to focus on. The dressing aims to reflect the character of the model abstractly and to reinforce it visually. “The original idea zammoment remains the guiding principle.”
At this point, the design process of Marco dos Santos really begins. In this process, which Marco dos Santos interprets as “I need the connection between the head, pen and hand”, many hand-drawn sketches on paper are adapted to the vehicle using image and graphic software. While the car is completely covered with cladding, the process takes several days due to the delicate and meticulous process. Again, according to dos Santos: “This is the moment of truth. Because lines that used to look straight no longer look straight on the body because of their corners and edges.” Marco dos Santos explains this process: “A lot of things are thrown away, rethought and redesigned at this stage of the work.” Marco dos Santos, all the way through zamThe moment has to think about how people will see the design next: “You never know from what angle anyone will see the Audi Q6 e-tron for the first time. It's not like in a movie with a camera where you decide to focus first here and then there. The car is a sculpture. Dress ups each zamThe moment has to work 360 degrees around the entire car.”
At the end of the day, when the exterior design is perfectly matched to the car's different geometries, dos Santos has created a special costume for the model: "There's only one in the whole world, just for this model."
About Marco dos Santos: Marco dos Santos was born in Munich in 1987 to a German mother and Brazilian father. After graduating from high school, she studied interdisciplinary design in her hometown. Since 2014 he has been working in Dressing Design for Audi focusing on e-tron, artificial intelligence and motorsports. Same outside the automotive world zamCurrently working as a freelance designer. He designs logos, products and posters as well as album covers for gold and platinum artists in the music industry.