Any specific reason why?

I personally think it looks great - modern, elegant and oh-so Audi. Not to mention it's of the highest quality and it's extremely ergonomic. It is just head and shoulders above the rest. Especially with tan leather.

The 5 Series is awkward and while modern, it doesn't seem to be as accomodating as the others. It's cold and well, bland.

The E-Class is supremely comfortable and ergonomic, but I just don't think it's modern enough and lacking in quality compared to the A6.

the pic on the 5er Robeto posted dont look good but I seen better combinations that look much better than this.

a6
5 series
e class

The a6 and all audi interiors just look perfect to me. Things just seem so driver oriented and in the right place. And there is just so much quality. Next 5 series ....i love this car and everything and the interior is great but it just isnt as good as the a6. And lastly the e class. This interior does nothing for me it it has no passion no feeling nothing..imo

You have some very strong and provocative opinions there EniLab, but I don't entirely agree with your arguments.

I will say that Audi has more in common with Neo-Modern design than BMW. BMW is, as you correctly say, Deconstructed. Also I agree with you that Mercedes is classic - a kind of Post-Modern Classicism.

I fail to see any connection with Art Nouveau in the design of the Audi's interior - it owes far more to the work of Dieter Rams (one of Germany's greatest designers of the 20th century) and his work for Braun over several decades. The Audi's interior also has a very similar aesthetic to the products from Bang & Olufsen, even down to the red LEDs on the switches and instruments.

The Mercedes interior is designed to appeal primarily to the American taste - since the merger with Chrysler, Mercedes interiors have become more and more like Lincolns and Cadillacs - if a bit better executed.

BMW's interior is interesting in some ways but looks a little unfinished in places - I just don't feel it's as well executed as the other two.

So just to give some pictorial examples of Audi's design language as I see it.

Audi takes inspiration from the best of Modern design and carries on the tradition of German functionalism.

Alarm clock by Joe Colombo 1970


Beosound 3200 by B&O


Bague table light by Patricia Urquiola & Eliana Gerotto 2004


Audi's design philosophy is sophisticated and restrained. The focus is on purity and functionalism - this is a continuum of the high ideals of Modernism that have dominated industrial design for over a century.

Interesting reading. For me it's a toss-up between E and A6. The A6 looks more fresh since it's a later design, and therefore very appealing. It's also the more sporty looking interior. But the E interior is very harmonious and appealing in it's own way.

To me the E class interior looks a little dated, it is between the A6 and the 5er for the top spot!

For me the A6 has the best interior because it has clean lines and driver oriented! The 5er looks good in black and silver, but looks cold and not as good as the A6!

I sat in all of the three cars recently at a local auto show in Celje.
While in Zagreb I had time to study external MB / BMW / Audi design, this time I focused on interior.

I used the "Neo-Baroque", "Art Nouveau" and "Deconstructivism" terms to illustrate the "timeline" difference between the 3 interiors. MB still doing neo-styles, Audi wanting something new - but not that new, while BMW jumps into distant future using ultra-modern styling.

As I said earlier - I do not like Audi A6 interior styling. It looks like facelifted interior design from the 90's. Looks very old fashioned. Still very nice, functional, clear & simple shapes, visually pleasant, but not exciting. Kind a cold & mechanical. The interior style does not follow the "Apple" or "B&O" styling way of exterior. While Audi exterior looks modern - pure, sleek, simple, elegant, functional - like I said very "Apple" or "B&O", interior design lags behind: being too mechanical and old-fashion looking.

MB & BMW interiors are more passionate - MB being classical, BMW modern - but both scream emotion, while Audi feels mechanical. I can't say Audi interior is ugly - it is not. It's very visually pleasant, but lacking some added value, lacking emotions.

But we are talikng about tastes here, guys.
So, we are all righr, and all wrong at the same time.

I'd like to think so too....although some tastes seem to be more skillfully articulated and justified than mine for example....

Even though from a visually pleasing aspect I prefer the E over the A6, if I was in a position to get another car at this stage for a daily driver, I'd probably take the Audi this time. It just looks more exciting than the others. Part of it may have something to do with change being good every now and then. And, the bottom line is: One should probably experience the ownership of all these cars (MB, Porsche, BMW & Audi) at some point in ones life.

I understand what you are saying EniLab, but I still insist that Audi's interior is not "old fashioned" - it is the most academic design of the three vehicles - by this I mean it is the least populist design of the three - the design is more directed by issues of function and purity. Modernism has always had it's critics - but it has endured and seen the passing of many fashions and stylisms - BMW's current design direction is driven more by fashion than by ideology - Mercedes is driven purely by the tastes of it's consumer base. Audi has remained true to it's German heritage.

Modern design (Modernism) AUDI

Barcelona Chair by Mies Van der Rohe 1929


Stelton insulated jug designed by Erik Magnussen 1970's


Table by Lord Norman Foster 1984


Post-modern Classicism MERCEDES-BENZ

Chair by Michael Graves 1980


Tea and Coffee Piazza by Charles Jencks 1983


Piano designed by Hans Hollein


Deconstructivism BMW

Cannaregio Sofa by Gaetano Pesce 1986



Ron Arad rocker 2005


Table by Jean Nouvel 2004

Great explanation Roberto Its always a joy to read your parallelism with furniture, buildings and objects.

Karma given.