Audi Grilles Will Probably Stop Growing, Designs Likely To Change Dramatically

Audi design chief Andreas Mindt had some interesting things to say on the subject of grilles at the Los Angeles Auto Show
Default Image
Default Image

Over the last few years, it feels like many car designers have been on a relentless grille upsizing campaign. Although none of its products can quite compete with the Toyota Avalon - arguably the new king of grilles - it’s felt for a long time that Audi has been leading the charge in this design trend. But, that could be set to change.

Speaking to Audi exterior design boss Andreas Mindt shortly after the reveal of the electric E-Tron GT concept - which has a silver painted grille like the E-Tron SUV - at the LA Auto Show, we got the sense that the company has pushed the grille boundaries as far as it ever will do in terms of size.

“It’s not the big mouth anymore,” Mindt said, adding, “It’s not growing growing growing, it’s not like this”. Instead of further growth, we can expect Audi to play around with the concept of the grille itself in ways that haven’t really been seen before.

Audi's electric cars like the production version of the E-Tron GT concept will still need grilles to cool batteries and motors
Audi's electric cars like the production version of the E-Tron GT concept…

“When you paint the frame black, it looks bigger. When you paint the frame body colour, it looks smaller…there are a lot of things you can do architecture-wise to change that and we have a lot of good ideas for that,” he said.

While the single-frame grille has been a prominent feature in Audi design in the last few years, it could be for the chop as the company seeks to play around the idea of the grille as a concept. “Maybe the border between grille and no grille will meld together - the frame is not like a border any more. Just think about what you can do in the future to make it meld together,” he said, concluding, “It would be interesting to see.”

Sponsored Posts

Comments

CleremyJarkson

Swag

11/30/2018 - 08:27 |
18 | 0
3 Wheels Is Enough (MadJoeMak)(ReliantRobin)(e46)

I’m looking forward to this

11/30/2018 - 08:37 |
0 | 0
Anton 3

Audi: “We won’t make our grills bigger.”

BMW: “Hold mein Hofbräu!”

11/30/2018 - 09:26 |
164 | 0

the new cars look so damn ugly with the big grilles… I am amazed how the majority likes these designs

11/30/2018 - 16:10 |
10 | 2
London

Snore….. 🤤😴

11/30/2018 - 09:32 |
2 | 4
Tomislav Celić

TBH I like the big grills.

11/30/2018 - 09:42 |
12 | 2

And you can not lie?

11/30/2018 - 10:06 |
38 | 0
TheStigsAmerican Cousin

Is it really possible for them to grow from here? Its like saying you won’t refill my soda because it’s already full.

11/30/2018 - 10:03 |
28 | 0

But if you’re Toyota, you’d just start sucking the soda that’s spillt on the side.

Aka, they make it bigger

12/01/2018 - 03:26 |
0 | 0
Klush

Volvo: we want to dicuss the concept of a car

Audi: we want to discuss the concept of a grille

Mercedes: we want to discuss the concept of a door

Toyota: we want to discuss the concept of a towing hook

Ford: we want to dicuss the concept of a glove box

Renault: we want to discuss the concept of a fuel filler flap

11/30/2018 - 10:50 |
86 | 0
ᴶᵘˢᵗᴬᴿᵃⁿᵈᵒá

In reply to by Klush

Now who wants to discuss the concept of automobile as a whole?

11/30/2018 - 10:57 |
8 | 0
woulditfitonmyhonda

In reply to by Klush

Dodge: We want to discuss the concept of a rubber bushing

11/30/2018 - 19:59 |
4 | 0
Chewbacca_buddy (McLaren squad)(VW GTI Clubsport)(McLaren 60

I like the old design language better

11/30/2018 - 10:56 |
10 | 2

Especially 10 years ago

11/30/2018 - 11:59 |
4 | 0
Anonymous

audi: we’ll stop huge grilles

BMW: keeps sipping beer without asking anyone to hold it

11/30/2018 - 11:54 |
0 | 0
Basith Penna-Hakkim

Hey where was that pic that GeoBaz posted on Instagram on Audi grilles?

11/30/2018 - 12:23 |
0 | 0