Audi Planning Allroad Prologue Concept For Shanghai Motor Show

I don't care for this car's styling at all.

I'm concerned for Audi. They're currently known for their world-class interiors, but it seems they're moving to cold, stark, minimalists designs that shift more controls to the MMI (Man-Machine Interface), which is suboptimal for real-time input. There goes Audi's reputation for having some of the best interiors around.

Their exterior styling tends to be staid, "more of the same", inoffensive, but occasionally spot-on, such as with the 2012 A5 and 2014+ Q5). Their new styling, more angular, even bigger grill with bigger protrusions (see the new 2015 Q7), is different, yet not more attractive. Their newly styled TT looks arguably cheaper and more generic. The Prologue Concept goes even deeper in this direction, with it's still bigger gaping hole grill and gaping side vents, and squinty headlights.

FWIW, I'm not an Audi hater. I'm waiting for delivery of my new 2015 Q5. I just feel like I got the last of the good ones, similarly to how I felt when I got my current BMW, just before BMW switched to their much-maligned and now abandoned Flame Surface styling.

Is this platform going to be shared with the VW Q'antishi'a crossover?

Everybody is entitled to their opinion. If this was the 16/17 rs5 I would order today.

This design keeps growing on me. Like good wine, good design improves with age. I think Audi is on to something...

runninglogan1: The physical characteristics of wine change over time, so yes, a wine can improve with age. A car's design characteristics don't change over time, though people's perceptions it might.

Chris Bangle told the public about how his Flame Surface styling language was complex and intricate, and could only be appreciated by the sophisticated and educated eye. In the end, most of us agreed that The Emperor Has No Clothes, and that Flame Surface cars weren't pleasing to many eyes, though you could get used to them. Anyone can get used to an ugly dog, as they say. After one production cycle, BMW abandoned Flame Surface and returned to more traditional designs. So much for Bangle's evangelism.

So when people declare "it's growing on me", it merely means their thinking has slowly changed, and they've become accustomed to it.

Personally, I don't want to work at it to like a car's design. I want to look at it and feel it's gorgeous, but that's just me. I recognize that some people will look at this car and see it as beautiful. If enough people do, and end up buying it, then it'll be worth Audi's time.

In the end it's all about perception, isn't it?