Milan Design Week may have roots in fashion, but over time it’s also become a must-attend for brands seeking to show off the latest in design. Among this group are both Audi and the Audi-owned design studio of Italdesign. While Ingolstadt debuted an Audi exclusive tailored take on the new A6 Avant, Italdesign shared a concept coupe designed in partnership with the IED Torino design school.
Audi exclusive A6 Avant
Created in 1995, this year marks the 30th anniversary of Audi exclusive. To celebrate this occasion, Audi’s in-house tailoring division chose to premiere new colors and materials while using the new C9 A6 Avant as their canvas.
The A6 Audi chose to display showed off a unique specification. Its sports seats were finished in Baikal Blue and Neodymium Gold with contrasting Baikal Blue stitching.
“Neodymium is a metal that occurs naturally in combination with minerals. Our selection of colors was inspired by this luxurious element,” said Color & Trim Designer Nadine Wolfinger. “Combined with the intense hue of Baikal Blue, the interior takes on a particularly elegant appearance. In bright light, the blue appears vibrant and radiant, but in subdued light it takes on a soothing, almost mystical depth.”
Audi exclusive Material Bar Including Added Available Materials
At an event like Milan Design Week, one doesn’t just park a car on a stand and call it an auto show. The tailored experience is also part of the process, and it’s in pursuit of this that Audi presented a “Material Bar” where exhibits such as seating islands with different colors of leather and contrast stitching can be encountered and examined.
Several new materials now available from Audi exclusive were also on display. A second design package on display focused on textiles. It featured a light grey fabric known as Kaskade with Neobdymium Gold accents. Partially manufactured from recycled materials such as selvedge and recycled polyester, the fabric itself has the visual texture of wool and uses no additional dye.
Beyond that, some line item changes are also shown for the first time. First was the addition of Bright Orange contrast stitching, joining colors such as Iguana Green and Ocean Blue already on offer. Next, decorative inlays capabilities were also expanded with the addition of poplar and also a linen that features a fiber structure which includes recycled polyester.
Other exhibitions beyond these also showed off engineering technologies focusing on aerodynamics and light design.
New Audi exclusive Configurator Tool for Audi Deutschland
Part of the rollout at Milan Design Week also includes the announcement of the expansion of the Audi exclusive configurator tool. Audi states that they’ve added the full color portfolio in its entirety, confirming availability of the tool at the Audi Forum Ingolstadt and Audi Forum Neckarsulm. They also shared a link HERE to their online tool (in German), though that appears to not include all colors and also doesn’t include all models just as it did before. The new C9 A6 Avant has been added though, joining the A5 Sedan, RS Q8 performance, RS e-tron GT performance, SQ6 and RS 3 Sportback.
See the full press release form Milan following the gallery below.
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PRESS RELEASE | AUDI EXCLUSIVE UNVEILS UPGRADED A6 AVANT AT MILAN DESIGN WEEK
- Tradition unites: for the twelfth time, Audi brings personalization to life at the Italian design fair
- Perfection in detail: business flagship A6 Avant impresses with an upgraded interior in Baikal Blue and Neodymium Gold
- New colors and materials for Audi exclusive’s 30th anniversary: “Material Bar” shows the variety of personal design
Having set standards in the personalization of premium vehicles since 1995, Audi is celebrating the 30th anniversary of top-level customization this year. For the occasion, Audi exclusive is premiering new colors and materials that give the business flagship A6 Avant a unique character. At Milan Design Week from April 7 to 13, the master of upgrades will unveil a special representative of the luxury model. In addition to the wide range of personalization options made possible by Audi exclusive, exhibitions on aerodynamics and lighting technology provide interesting insights.
Your car is an unmistakable expression of your personality – that is the philosophy of Audi exclusive. With countless options for personalization, customers can design their vehicle as a one-of-a-kind model. The highest quality materials and a passion for detail are the foundation of individual luxury.
The new A6 Avant impresses with perfect proportions that feature a long wheelbase, large wheels, and sculpted body. At Milan Design Week, Audi exclusive will unveil an upgraded version of the luxury model. The sports seats are finished in a luxurious combination of Baikal Blue and Neodymium Gold with contrasting stitching in Baikal Blue. In combination with the Vanadium applications, the A6 Avant takes elegance and exclusivity to perfection.
“Neodymium is a metal that occurs naturally in combination with minerals. Our selection of colors was inspired by this luxurious element,” said Color & Trim Designer Nadine Wolfinger. “Combined with the intense hue of Baikal Blue, the interior takes on a particularly elegant appearance. In bright light, the blue appears vibrant and radiant, but in subdued light it takes on a soothing, almost mystical depth.”
Visitors to the design fair can visit a “Material Bar”, where specially configured exhibits – such as three seating islands with different colors of leather and contrasting stitching – give them an overview of the wide selection offered by Audi exclusive.
Two focused exhibitions explore the themes of aerodynamics and light, while an art installation provides an impressive backdrop. Again, the A6 Avant serves as the inspiration. Its sporty and elegant design contributes to its outstanding aerodynamics, ensuring a drag coefficient of 0.25, which is the best value for an Avant with a combustion engine in the history of Audi. The lighting technology also sets standards. The second-generation digital OLED rear lights, which are optionally available for the rear of the A6 Avant, combine lighting design and innovative technology in a unique way.
More than 20 individual finishes and progressive wheel designs
The ability to integrate high-demand design options directly into production has improved significantly in recent years. Drivers of the standard A6 Avant can already choose between eleven colors for the exterior, including the completely new Midnight Green as well as Ascari Blue Metallic and Daytona Gray Pearl Effect, which are available exclusively for vehicles with an S line exterior.
The Audi exclusive portfolio also includes a wide variety of additional finishes – from sporty Merlin Pearl Effect and elegant Siam Beige Metallic to the iconic Nogaro Blue, which has characterized the Audi exclusive range and legendary models such as the RS 2 from the beginning. In addition to special Audi exclusive colors, the standard colors of other Audi models are also available.
To match the selected finish, there is a wide selection of progressive wheel designs in various colors. The most striking wheels are the 21-inch wheels in a multi-spoke design from Audi Sport, including one in burnished metallic black, the only wheel in the portfolio to feature a tri-color design. The latter is especially eye-catching in combination with the areas in black metallic, matt Neodymium Gold, and burnished silver.
Interior highlights in Baikal Blue and Neodymium Gold
In addition to the exclusive exterior colors, Audi exclusive offers eleven main colors for the interior design, complemented by three accent colors, which customers can choose from to give their A6 Avant an unmistakable look. The new interior colors include Baikal Blue, Neodymium Gold, Ginger White, Almond Beige, Mint Gray, and Mora Violet.
Audi exclusive also offers two specific design packages that add high-contrast colors to the interior to make it unmistakable. The first features side bolsters in dark Baikal Blue, while the seat center panel stands out with its perforated fine napa leather and neodymium diamond stitching. Contrasting Baikal Blue seams balance both colors perfectly.
The sporty, elegant style is complemented by additional Baikal Blue interior elements, including the center armrest, center console trim, decorative elements on the instrument panel and doors, and front and rear door armrests. These elements come in the microfiber material Dinamica, which looks and feels like suede, but about half of it is recycled. All elements feature neodymium contrasting stitching, as do the black leather steering wheel, the upper part of the dashboard, and the floor mats.
The second design package focuses on textiles and uses the light gray fabric Kaskade and Neodymium Gold accents to create a play of colors. The cover Kaskade is reminiscent of natural materials such as wool and is not additionally dyed. It is partially made from recycled materials such as selvedge and recycled polyester.
source: Audi AG
Bright Orange contrasting stitching and exclusive decorative inlays
The two design packages are complemented by bright contrasting stitching that adds additional accents. Customers can freely choose the colors of the seats, interior elements, steering wheel, and floor mats. There is no limit to the customization options. In addition to customer favorites such as Iguana Green and Ocean Blue, a new color is available: Bright Orange adds that certain something and gives the A6 Avant a sporty look, especially when combined with black leather.
Audi exclusive also offers specific decorative inlays. A completely new offer, now available for the first time for the Audi A6, is poplar in natural silver brown and a light gray linen decor. With its homogeneous structure and luxurious color, the poplar decor blends harmoniously into the interior. It is also very light, durable, and elastic, making it perfect to work with. The linen is simultaneously subtle and elegant with its highly interest fiber structure that also includes recycled polyester.
Comprehensive advice at Audi exclusive studios
Since 2005, Audi exclusive has been emphasizing its presence with studios it operates at the Audi Forums in Neckarsulm and Ingolstadt. With the knowledge of their product experts, these competence centers are open to customers from all over the world to help them realize their preferences and personal vision. Customers can experience the full range of customization options first-hand, and personalized customization plans are created through one-on-one talks.
Audi exclusive customizer shows new color portfolio
The Audi exclusive customiser visualization tool provides customers with a convenient and visual digital tool for designing their personal dream configuration. To mark the 30th anniversary of Audi exclusive, the tool now includes the new color portfolio in its entirety.
A detailed, high-resolution 3D image in a wide combination of exterior and interior colors demonstrates the countless personalization options, giving customers a foretaste of the real vehicle. The Audi exclusive customizer tool is available online and at the studios in Neckarsulm and Ingolstadt.