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Audi wins European Inventor of the Year 2008
By Yoann Besnard on 17 May 2008 | (0) Comments | Permalink
The European Patent Office has named the German carmaker European Inventor of the Year.
The honor is bestowed on companies whose ideas have made significant contributions to Europe’s economic growth and competitiveness. Audi was recognized for the invention of Audi Space Frame technology (ASF).
The ASF is for Audi what was aluminum for the disappeared French carmaker Panhard. It is a high-strength aluminum frame structure into which the panels are integrated so that they also perform a load-bearing function. The Audi Space Frame comprises a complex structure of extruded profiles and cast nodes. The Audi Space Frame was first presented to the world public at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in 1993 as the body of an Audi A8.
“The award is a testament to our lead in lightweight aluminum design technology, an area that is so important for the automobile industry,” says Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi.
The Audi A8, the Audi TT Coupé, the TT Roadster, the Audi R8 and the Lamborghini Gallardo are all equipped with Audi Space Frame technology.
