All white Audi, enough is enough
Maybe they did it as a joke? After a few days of thinking time, that’s the only logical explanation I have for Audi’s ridiculous decision to display nothing but white cars at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011. Perhaps Audi UK wanted to prove that the ‘ze Germans have a krazy senz of humour’.
Or maybe they simply felt that it would represent a bold and confident statement, a signal to the watching world that Audi is at peace with itself. “Just look how far we’ve become – know your place motoring world and bow down at our feet and bask in the splendour of our whiteness”.
Really? REALLY?
To me, seeing the Audi display represented the final nail in the coffin of a brand I once adored. Rather than fight the growing skepticism of the design language, Audi instead chose to simply accentuate the problem by whitewashing all of their models. Well to my eyes at least, it backfired. Big time. It came across as bland, uninspiring and seemed to speak in a somewhat aloof tone. If you ever need evidence that Audi’s range of cars had become identikit – this was it.
But it did give me an idea for the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2012. Save money on your rather expensive patch of Lord March’s lawn and simply wheel a photocopier on to the display area. Then invite your adoring public to bring along their favourite picture of an Audi and pass it through the copier on the mono setting. By adjusting the copier to varying percentages of magnification, hey presto, your very own Goodwood display unit. In glorious black and white too. Perfect.
What’s more, your customers will feel right at home with the photocopier, won’t they? Does anyone need any toner?
Copier image courtesy of Wikipedia.
10 Comments
I don’t agree Major, but with all things that pertain to be design related, this is largely subjective. Personally, I really enjoyed the monolithic, monochrome display. It’s Germanic style felt very ‘Audi’ to me and allowed a direct comparison of form, emphasizing the differences between models. It made me compare and reconsider my preconceived model of choice.
Lotus and Toyota also tried a similar strategy at Goodwood to varying degrees, both with varying degrees of success.
Interesting alternative perspective – thanks for commenting. Can totally see where you’re coming from there. If you’re in the market for an Audi, then the display would work. But for me, it just highlighted the lazy styling that seems common on modern Audis…
Eurgh, doesn’t look good. At least Audi are a bit more adventurous with their press shots, using more unusual colours like brown and orange to display their cars.
Hmmm…brown and orange, now you’re talking, James! 😉
It´s not the colour, it´s the styling…yesterday I saw a rather well preserved 1990 Audi Coupé, and a few moments later a brand new A4 (white and TDI, of course…). I yearned the Coupé (and I didn´t like it when new, but I was young and ignorant).
I wonder if, given the popularity of white cars nowadays (in Spain, at least), manufacturers are starting to charge for white colour on new cars. White is eating metallic paint profits.
Have to agree that the modern line-up of Audis is making the previous generation cars even more appealing.
Really good point re charging for white paint. Only a matter of time, surely?
Depends on the shade of white, since some companies already do charge for white – Renault, Alfa etc with that pearlescent shade they do.
As for the white Audis, I agree with your sentiment but at the same time I reckon that a small selection of their models do look best in white. It’s the colour I’d have a TT in, for example. But I also agree that some of their oranges and browns look cracking.
What’s more confusing is that they didn’t go all-silver. I know that’s probably even more boring and Germanic but in terms of showing off the design of a vehicle, silver is pretty much perfect.
I agree with you – many Audis look their best in white – the S5 and TT for example. Just not keen on a whitewash! 😉
Thanks for commenting.
I thought the Audi stand was great. Best view of the track…lovely free drinks…great freebie bag…friendly staff….It was the only place that you could see over the straw bales and actually see the cars being driven without paying for grandstand tickets. The white cars looked stunning – there was one little black A8 tucked away on the stand so it wasn’t a total whiteout!
Ah yes, the view from the Audi was indeed rather special.