'Shark' Hovercraft

Audi design competition gives award to mad-looking concept

By Chris Rosamond / Wednesday, 11 March 2009 / Loading comments

Is it a bird, is it a 'plane, etc? Nope, it's the Shark - a strikingly stylish hovercraft concept that Audi has just awarded first prize in a design competition it co-sponsored with the prestigious Milan design academy.

Kazim Doku is the 26-year old brain behind the concept, and he told wired he was aiming to emulate the signature style of Audi design chief Walter de'Silva when rendering his futuristic chariot.

The Shark has a driving position similar to that of a motorbike, but the bodywork with its flip-up canopy has been conceived to provide the same level of protection as a car. There are plenty of Audi design cues in the rendered images, although the only carry-over parts from the current Audi line-up are the LED lights - apparently from the S5.

We may not be getting behind the wheel of a real Audi hovercraft anytime soon, but the concept provides an intriguing insight into vision of another up-and-coming designer. Doku has already been a finalist in a Peugeot design contest, and potential employers at automotive design studios around the world will surely be lining up for a look at his portfolio.