Ugh! The retro look!
07-10-2002, 06:22 PM
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Ugh! The retro look!
Some people have been complaining about the wood trim in the new A8 cockpit. I generally hate any wood trim in cars, but there's something more insidious than wood going on in there...it's the dreaded retro look!
Audi has made a name for itself with its super-high-quality, forward-looking, *modern* interiors. But now they've hitched on to this hideous retro movement that's resulting in cars like the new Thunderbird and PT Cruiser.
When I look at the dash of the new A8, I'm reminded of some horrible 70's station wagon. They've even gone out of their way to make the steering wheel look like something from those terrifying years.
This is a much bigger problem than just an ugly species of wood. Trim strips in an otherwise modern-looking cockpit can be replaced with metal or carbon-fiber or something more appropriate to a sporting vehicle. But I can't see how they can possibly redeem the new A8's interior into something fitting for the S8. The entire design of the dash is dated, faddish, horrible.
I can only hope this doesn't signal where Audi is headed with the rest of their line.
Audi has made a name for itself with its super-high-quality, forward-looking, *modern* interiors. But now they've hitched on to this hideous retro movement that's resulting in cars like the new Thunderbird and PT Cruiser.
When I look at the dash of the new A8, I'm reminded of some horrible 70's station wagon. They've even gone out of their way to make the steering wheel look like something from those terrifying years.
This is a much bigger problem than just an ugly species of wood. Trim strips in an otherwise modern-looking cockpit can be replaced with metal or carbon-fiber or something more appropriate to a sporting vehicle. But I can't see how they can possibly redeem the new A8's interior into something fitting for the S8. The entire design of the dash is dated, faddish, horrible.
I can only hope this doesn't signal where Audi is headed with the rest of their line.
07-11-2002, 04:25 AM
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Maybe it looks better in person.
Pictures often do injustice for a lot of things. I agree the light wood (which is maple) is ugly. It will probably only be offered in Europe. Americans will probably get dark wood only. I am hoping dark cherry with the black and grey interiors and mahogany (which is dark) wood with the beige interior(s).
07-11-2002, 12:16 PM
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EXACTLY what I thought
The speedo and tach cluster especially look retro - terrible. What's with the wood wrapping up right against them? I think if there was some separation, it would look a lot better. I hope they fix it before production.
Don't like the steering wheel either.
Don't like the steering wheel either.
07-11-2002, 06:23 PM
#6
Let's face it...
All of Audi's good designers left the company over two years ago :-(
Whoever designed the new A8 doesn't understand that modernism is a way of thinking, not just a style of design. Modernism is a nearly religious belief in technology and the future. It is inherently optomistic.
Until the release of the new A8 press photos, Audi had always been truly modern in their design. Now I feel like they are just another nameplate in the sprawling, confusing, aimless VW kingdom. I can't help but be a little pessimistic.
Nirad
'01 A6 2.7t
Whoever designed the new A8 doesn't understand that modernism is a way of thinking, not just a style of design. Modernism is a nearly religious belief in technology and the future. It is inherently optomistic.
Until the release of the new A8 press photos, Audi had always been truly modern in their design. Now I feel like they are just another nameplate in the sprawling, confusing, aimless VW kingdom. I can't help but be a little pessimistic.
Nirad
'01 A6 2.7t
07-11-2002, 07:55 PM
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It is very possible that changes could be made to the A8 before production
The reason car manufacturer's show these new or redesigned models at auto shows as concepts before they go into production is to see what kind of feedback they will receive from spectators and potential buyers. If the feedback is negative, the employees representing that particular car brand will ask what changes should be made to the car before it actually goes into production. Sometimes these changes delay production a bit, sometimes they don't. So don't get your hopes down just yet.
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07-11-2002, 08:12 PM
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I don't think it's a concept car.
It's the standard press release put out to introduce a new *production* model. Look through the Model Guide on this site and compare the A8 press release with those for all previous models. Notice phrases like "at introduction [the car will have such and such]".
Besides, they call it "the new A8". Concept cars always have new or at least modified names to distinguish them as such.
An edge case would be something like the M3 CSL, which was a one-off study of a direction to take an existing car (though now it looks more like a serious study for a future production car). Note that they modified the name. They didn't call it the plain-old "M3".
The Avantissimo is a concept car, but by every indication, the press release in question is about the next production A8.
Besides, they call it "the new A8". Concept cars always have new or at least modified names to distinguish them as such.
An edge case would be something like the M3 CSL, which was a one-off study of a direction to take an existing car (though now it looks more like a serious study for a future production car). Note that they modified the name. They didn't call it the plain-old "M3".
The Avantissimo is a concept car, but by every indication, the press release in question is about the next production A8.
07-11-2002, 08:45 PM
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Then the A8 shown at the Geneva auto show will be a prototype
And maybe last minute changes will be made to the new A8 before it goes into production, especially if the spectators and potential buyers give the incessant amount of negative feedback like that from ultradub, acadia and others on this board.
