The Surprising Two Details Audi A5 Designers Fought For

The 2018 Audi A5 was recently unveiled, and although the general reaction has been split, designers poured their souls into this redesign.

Although this is a second-generation model, the changes on the inside are more significant than on the outside, and critics are saying Audi didn’t push the envelope far enough in terms of design, so the A5 looks more like a refresh than an entirely new model, despite being built on a totally new platform.

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But when asked which design details they fought for, the answer was surprising. No, it wasn’t the new “power dome” hood bulge or the angular new headlights. Audi designer Jakob Hirzel said he fought the engineers really hard to keep these two details: the silver trim on the c-pillar that gets wider towards the bottom, and the split aluminum badge that straddles the door and front 3/4 panel.

Why those two seemingly tiny details that barely anyone would notice? Hirzel’s answer was simple: “They were just cues we didn’t have before on the A5.”

Hirzel said trim on the c-pillar gets wider near the bottom because it gives off the impression of luxury and accentuates the coupe profile. The split badge straddling the door and front 3/4 panel, however, was to him an immediate visual cue to tell people that this was a new A5. “People will see that and think right away that this is a new model,” Hirzel said.

Designers had to fight so hard for it because it is affected by the door opening, and it was an engineering challenge to make it work and look right. They had to make sure the panel gaps were tight, that it wasn’t affected by the door hinges and that it still looked like a continuous piece of trim.

What do you think of the Audi A5’s redesign? Do you think the designers should have looked at the bigger picture instead of the little details? Let us know in the comments below.