Audi Design creates trophy for anniversary tournament

A 60 centimetre high trophy made of aluminium, created by Audi Design, is closely tied to history even before its debut at the Audi Cup 2009 to commemorate Audi's 100th anniversary.

In addition to the logos of the participating teams, the designers incorporated the logos of the Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer brands into the trophy, precisely engraved by laser, to reflect the historic anniversary. Traditionally, the company names embody one of the four Audi rings. The engraving, however, was one of the final steps in the complex production process.

"Intelligent light-weight design using aluminium is a core competency of Audi's," says Wolfgang Egger, Audi Group Head of Design. "The material is intended to symbolize Audi's innovation power - 'Vorsprung durch Technik.'"

The process started with a massive aluminium block which took about ten hours to convert into the simple, elegant basic shape of the trophy using special milling techniques. Four long, vertical grooves divide the cup, giving the massive object an almost filigree appearance. "Four brands, four rings, four teams was the theme reflected by the basic shape of the trophy with its four high-rising sections," Egger explains the design concept.

All aluminium parts are ground and polished by hand, just like the full-metal Audi logo incorporated into the base of the cup. Directly above the base, a golden metal ring bearing the inscription, Audi Cup 2009, adorns the winner's trophy. But the second to fourth placed teams will receive identical albeit slightly smaller cups as well. The only formal difference: The metal rings above the base are silver, bronze or red.

Hence the showcases of the soccer clubs from Munich, Manchester, Milan and Buenos Aires will soon include a piece of design history from Ingolstadt.