In an exhilarating turn of events that’s sure to steer Audi into a new era of elegance and innovation, Massimo Frascella has been handed the wheel as the new Head of Audi Design, starting June 1. With a career that’s been anything but idle, Frascella, an illustrious graduate from the Istituto d’Arte Applicata & Design in Turin, is shifting gears from his previous role at Jaguar Land Rover to drive Audi’s design team towards the future.
Marc Lichte, who has been the creative compass for Audi since 2014, will be parking in a new spot within the group, passing the baton to Frascella. Lichte’s legacy includes steering Audi’s design through the electrifying avenues of mobility, introducing the world to the Audi e-tron series, and now, he’s making room for new creativity to flourish under Frascella’s direction.
Frascella is revving up for the challenge with a design philosophy that’s all about cutting the clutter and focusing on the essentials. “Simplicity is my speed,” says Frascella, who is determined to ditch the superfluous and drive towards designs that boast timeless sophistication and innovation. His vision? To harness the emotional power of design to electrify connections, inspire change, and keep the heart of the brand pulsing with creativity.
Under Frascella’s lead foot, Audi is gearing up to navigate through the next generation of models, with the design department now turbocharged directly under the Chairman of the Board of Management’s oversight. This strategic shift is part of Audi’s master plan to ensure that its design DNA, famously encapsulated by the motto ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’, continues to evolve visibly and tangibly across all future models.
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner has thrown his full support behind Frascella, emphasizing the critical role of design in maintaining Audi’s brand identity through this technological metamorphosis. “Massimo Frascella is the artist we trust to sketch our future,” Döllner remarked, highlighting Frascella’s commitment to clarity, precision, and perfect proportions that dovetail with Audi’s brand image.
As Audi turns the page to a new chapter in its design story, the automotive world watches with bated breath. With Massimo Frascella at the drafting table, the future looks sleek, sophisticated, and ready to race into a new era of automotive excellence.
