Welcome to part two of our exclusive four-part interview series, where we’re endeavouring to find out what Audi’s iconic slogan – Vorsprung durch Technik, or progress through technology – means to the people at the forefront of Audi design and engineering.
Here we venture inside Audi’s state-of-the-art, top-secret wind tunnel in Ingolstadt, Germany, to sit down with head of aerodynamics and aeroacoustics, Dr. Moni Islam.
Also in the series: Exterior design extraordinaire Frank Lamberty; lighting expert Christoph Häußinger; and interior designer Ramon Bäurle.
Discover the all-electric Audi e-tron range
Introduce yourself and what you do...
I’m Dr. Moni Islam and I’m the head of aerodynamics and aeroacoustics development, which means in practice that I have several different tasks. On the one hand, I’m responsible for overseeing the development process for these two technical disciplines for all Audi production vehicles from their initial conception all the way up to the start of production.
On the other hand, I’m responsible for ensuring that in my department we work with the relevant technologies and processes that enable top-class results.
What’s your personal interpretation of Vorsprung durch Technik?
For me personally, Vorsprung durch Technik means pushing the boundaries of technological innovation to do something that hasn’t been done before.
As an engineer, I like to do things that are new and difficult, and I find it really cool to do things that others can’t do or haven’t done before. Being able to do this here is what first brought me to Audi many years ago.
Which project have you been most proud of at Audi? One that you think channels the Vorsprung durch Technik spirit.