Shots of the tail reveal much will change with the new generation.
Audi, the German manufacturer known for their safe and stoic designs, have been hiding something quite well for some time. It seems that the two highest four-doors in the range, the A8 limousine and A7 Sportback, will sport connected, full-width taillight units for the first time, marking a radical departure from designs of old.
Thanks to spy shots published on Dutch automotive portal AutoGespot, we now see a design element that the Ingolstadt manufacturer has managed to keep well-hidden as the cars go through mandatory testing. These full-width taillight designs have been teased for some time through the various concepts that Audi so diligently produces, though we didn’t really expect them to make production.
While the lights of the A8 appear illuminated in these photos, the A7’s rear lights appear to be off, meaning we don’t get to see much of the internal graphics. The A8’s units appear to have two design elements for the positioning lights, overlapping at the edges to create a pseudo-3D effect. The A7 may pack something even more edgy, judging by the external design of the lights themselves.
The departure from tried-and-tested designs may signal a change in Audi, into a company that may be more bold with their design directions in the future. We’ve already seen the funky Q2, and now the opposite end of the scale has shown its stripes (or light-strips). Maybe there’s more in store from Ingolstadt. Or not.
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