They formed their new design language and are applying it to all their models. That is a good thing to me. I don't understand why you called it "running out of ideas".

I agree.

Audi design could be more creative. Eg. they could do single frame grille in different sizes / proportions, eg. do different headlight & rearlight cluster designs - with leaving eg. the curvy DRL LED strip as a trademark, and eg. four LED rings / squares as position rear light. They could define & choose some design trademarks and use them across the line, while diversifying the other design elements simultaneously. Eg. like BMW, MB or Lexus do.

I'm not calling for more daring & wild design (ala BMW - although it would be very fine with me if Audi did that), but for more diverse (yet still typical simple & elegant Audi) design between separate models.

Right now all Audies look way too similar.




Attack of the clones.

But I guess that's fine with most of Audi customers.
Yet I can't imagine having eg. 2 or 3 Audies in a home garage - all looking almost the same.

^^ To add to the above comment - Audi design exists in a detail-dependent space that derives its appeal from minute and incremental styling deviations. I'd liken it to what Apple does with its product range.

While this "details as fashion" mentality works great for Apple, which has product cycle through every 18 or so months, it doesn't work wonders for a car brand, whose products must retain our attention for roughly 8 years.

I still think Audis are gorgeous cars though, and with every automotive brand under the sun gunning for the title of "most distinctive" I'd feel rather tepid about Audi going bonkers a la BMW in the early '00s. I just feel like there's there's a pebble in Audi's exterior design shoe that they'd do well to rid themselves of.

It sounds well thought out, but it seems as if Audi's design age's slower then it's rivals. Take the RS4 for instance, it's about to be replaced but it still looks more inspiring to most media outlets then the E92 M3. I'm not saying I'm right and your wrong, I believe the problem isn't Audi's design aging badly or model simularites, but more so a design that a few of you simply don't care for, from a brand you probably aren't to fond of!

Sooner or later Audi will hit the same wall MB & BMW hit in the not so distant past. Eg. in some specific era MB & BMW design teams managed to produce likable & classic design - and since it worked it was applied across whole core model range, with only slight modifications & evolutionary touch. But the aftermath was a fleet of clones.

Audi has the same problem today. Yet nobody is complaining about it. But that can happen over night: like it did in MB & BMW case. And I'm sure it will soon in Infiniti case.

Yes, I'm aware Audi detail trademarks are simplicity, purity, and gorgeous details. No need to change that - if that's a design philosophy behind the brand. And like I said: many people adore such design. But more flexibility would be nice. Constant evolution of same theme leads to the dead end - where the theme is completely worn out, and designers run out of maneuvering space.

I call for more diversity within Audi model portfolio. I'm sure Audi design team is able to do that: keeping the simple & pure design, using some unifying design elements (eg. trapezoid single frame grille, specific roof line / C-pillar design etc), yet diversifying the design of individual model lines. I hope future will bring that. And I really hope A5 rearlights & Cross Coupe headlights won't be applied to the whole model line. Yet A3 cabrio spy shots are not a good sign - showing A5-like rearlight design.

I so hope this is not the correct image:



And this one posted before

Another image from photochopper extraordinaire Andrei Avarvarii: the next Audi A6. Ingolstadt's due to release the mid-size model around the end of the decade. The new car continues the usual A6 features like six side windows and relatively short deck, along with Audi's now trademark gaping maw grille. The new A6 will be a bit more angular than the current model, incorporating styling cues from the new A4 and A5 models, with a touch of R8 in the headlights. In Europe, a range of diesel and petrol engines will motorvate the Audi. There's no official word on which powerplants Audi will offer its American clientele. Expect to see similar but sleeker styling on the soon-to-follow A7 "four-door coupe."
- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

What the current A6 misses out on, is the front. So I hope they will give the C7 a more agressive one.

2011 Audi A6: Via Artist's Eyes
Walter da Silva’s continuous march toward design legend seems currently unstoppable. Our artist renderings show the next A6 to be more butch in its delivery, yet still friendly at the same time. As these pictures show, the larger front grille is likely to mirror that of the concept Q7 V12 TDI which exhibits sharp air ducts, while the sides have kinks reminiscent of recent Bangleism.

The A6 is perhaps no longer the design icon of Audi sedans it once was, relying now on other models to redefine itself. A lot of A5 is evident also, as well as new A4 cues. Audi is working on making the A6 much more dynamic as a driver’s car, something that current and previous generations have sorely lacked. To that end a number of gismos will be put to use, including a multi-link rear suspension.

Interior will raise comfort levels by employing such devices as touch-screen LCD to be used with a revised version of Audi’s MMI. The new A6 will be bigger than its current form and will feature a wheelbase that measures around 3 metres and a total length of over 5 metres.

Engines are where a lot of interest could be generated. Volkswagen/ Audi family engines will do duty, including V6, V8, V10 and V12 versions. But the spark, so to speak, could be ignited by Audi’s obsession with diesel, via a rumoured, very powerful but small diesel motor. Sources indicate the motor may be twin charged, using both a turbo and a supercharger to make at least 150kW/ 201 bhp, with over 400Nm of torque on tap.
http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080129.005/2011-audi-a6-via-artists-eyes

i hardly think the new A6 will break the 5 meters barrier unless the A8 break the 5.3 barrier, and the huckfeldt frontal design is interesting, but i concur, Audi is in high need of a redefinition of its design approach
the sausage approach can only lead so far, audi has succesfully established itself as a recognizeable brand, it needs to start thinking outside the box now, an A3 cannot look like an A6,muhc less an A8