Tumbo

Weird....

donau

You got me curious: what's weird?
Still a great looking car....

Michael

You know for some reason it doesn't look that bad. In some way or form if you look at the picture really fast you can get confused for the current A8. That shows how well Audi has evolved their models.

Giannis

each car should be kept like it was made. No such changes. They ruin the look of the car, like the above one.

Tumbo

My point.

It looks best original:

klier

Yeah, I don 't get it either. It looks almost as a 2006 Audi now, with this grille.

So you like the current A8 better without the single frame too, since it was first designed like this:

vabboud

this shows a lot about audi design
there was no major steps taken in their "Bauhaus" direction for a very long time
every new design was a subtle evolution of the earlier
the major points being the headlights which screamed 90's in the D2 for example and now aremore in lign with current trends
the grill was the biggest change, and even unto itself it wasn't major from a design perspective because all they did was join the upper and lower segments (check the B7 A4, and the D2 A8)
it is an interesting direction, but one that is not vouched for success on the longer term, except with Audi purists, unfortunately, as far i know, Audi does not have ahuge base of purists, unlike other mega brands
and this si not the correct way to build a cult following, a strong nucleus of recurring buyers.
you need to impose character and create a string brand identity
right now all audis are impecabbly an Audi, given the strong in brand and cross generational similarity.
the next step would be to ditch the paralleloogram headlights and gaping grill system for something that would give more character to each individual model while retaining common grounds accross the range to enhance individuality
the grill could remain as the audi trademark, like the BMW kidneys et al, but there is dire need for something more chracteristic and differentiable

BMW_Dude

It doesn't look as bad as I thought, but still, a waste of money on an old car!

Michael

Like I said this really shows Audi's Design Evolution. I don't think it looks that bad. It looks as if you can grab something from the past and put in the present or vice versa and see no problem with it.

Tumbo

Actually when you see a early D3 model of the A8, without the single-frame grille, it really looks older. And it screams about the new grille. So my answer, no, I don't like that better then the current A8, which imo is the most beutiful car Audi has ever built.