Audi announced on Thursday that Massimo Frascella will take the position of its new design chief. He will be succeeding Marc Lichte. Lichte served this role since 2014. Lichte will transition to a different job within the Volkswagen Group.

Audi's New Design Chief

After a decade leading Audi's design, Lichte is stepping down to pursue a new role within the company, details of which are undisclosed. As shared on Motor1.com,  effective June 1, Frascella will take charge of styling for all forthcoming Audi models. Renowned for his work on Land Rover's Defender, Discovery, Velar, and Range Rover designs, Frascella will now focus on shaping Audi's upcoming electric vehicles.

The new Audi Chief of Design envisions crafting vehicles that are "devoid of unnecessary embellishments and not simply dictated by current fashions. He further emphasizes that forthcoming models will embody a timeless and refined design ethos.

CEO Gernot Döllner expresses assurance in Massimo Frascella's ability to establish a "distinctive and evocative design language," ensuring the brand's continued innovation and appeal. According to Motor Authority, starting June 1, Frascella officially joins Audi after previously serving in design roles at JLR since 2011, culminating in his recent position as head of design for both Jaguar and Land Rover brands.

While at the British automaker, he played a pivotal role in shaping the designs of significant models such as the new Defender and Range Rover SUVs. Frascella pursued design education at the renowned Istituto d'Arte Applicata & Design in Turin, Italy, and commenced his career at the former Italian design house and coachbuilder, Stile Bertone. He has also gained experience at Ford and Kia during his professional journey.

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Frascella expressed in a statement that his aim for Audi's design in the upcoming years is to embrace a "timeless and sophisticated" design approach, avoiding unnecessary embellishments and steering clear of trends.

As Motor1.com shared, it's uncertain if Frascella will make a significant impact on production vehicles using these concepts. Regardless, the Italian designer who has a background at Bertone, Ford, and Kia, emphasizes his preference for simplicity. This suggests that Audi might pursue a contrasting strategy compared to its rival BMW, which has recently garnered criticism for overly intricate designs, much to the dissatisfaction of some fans.

Audi's Forthcoming Models

Audi has pledged to introduce exclusively electric vehicles starting from 2026. Since the designs for models with combustion engines slated for release before that time have already been finalized, Frascella will focus on developing zero-emission models.

However, this doesn't imply neglect for internal combustion engine (ICE) cars; Audi still intends to introduce updates for gasoline, diesel, and plug-in hybrid models. The company has stated its commitment to manufacturing conventionally powered vehicles until 2032.

Recently Audi has been offering sneak peeks into the design of its forthcoming models via different "Sphere" concepts. Featured is the Grandsphere, expected to transition into an electric vehicle positioned as the successor to the flagship A8 in the full-size luxury sedan segment.

In addition, there are intriguing concepts such as the open-top Skysphere, the minivan-inspired Urbansphere, and the high-riding Activesphere fastback, with potential for development into a pickup truck.

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