This 10 Things about Massimo Frascella series stems from an in-depth feature published by Autocar Magazine. Meant as an in-depth take on Audi’s Chief Creative Officer, it delved both into what brought him to Audi and where he plans to take the four rings during his tenure. Using that as a starting-off point, this series aims to highlight the key points while expanding them more in the Audi-specialist context this website aims to provide.
Part #1 began with Frascella’s taproot – the Audi TT (Mk1).
Part #2 focused on his background, broader than simply JLR and involving some TT Mk1 designer icons.
Part #3 took a closer look at his appreciation for the 2000s era Audi range that sold alongside the TT.
Part #4 examined where Audi goes from here.
The plan for this series is to cover two installments per day over five days. For this next installment, we examine his shifting of emphasis on touch screens to more focus on the tactile superiority of switchgear.
Massimo speaks to the simplicity on the inside of the car and his position on screens. That’s been covered a lot already so I’ll summarize by just saying the plan here again is less is more with a renewed emphasis on the tactile luxury of switchgear.
“Often technology is used as a display of just technology for the sake of it, or just to portray an image of yourself as a brand or as a product of being ‘technological’, not necessarily having a real value or benefit in terms of customer experience. Technology needs to be there in service, and needs to be not in your face, there all the time, or overwhelming in situations. It needs to be discreet, like a digital butler.”