Walter Maria de Silva, head of Volkswagen Group Design, is retiring with effect from the end of November. De Silva assumed design responsibility for all passenger car brands within the Volkswagen Group back in February 2007. However, the German carmaker says de Silva will continue his links with the Group in an “advisory capacity”.

The 64-year old Italian originally joined the Volkswagen Group 17 years ago when he became head of the SEAT Design Centre in 1998. He was put in charge of the design of the Audi brand group, including the brands Audi, Lamborghini and SEAT, in 2002. His new design language with Audi was epitomised by the 6th generation of the A6 and A5 coupe. He was appointed head of Group Design at Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft in 2007.

Vehicles created by de Silva include the Alfa 156 (1997) and 147 (2001), the Volkswagen up!, the Polo and the Golf 6 and 7, the Audi R8 and the Audi A5, about which de Silva said that it was “the most beautiful car” he had ever designed.

He also received numerous design awards for his work, including the “Design Prize of the Federal Republic of Germany 2010”, the highest official distinction awarded for design in Germany, for the design of the A5. He received the “Compasso d’Oro” (Golden Compass), one of the most prestigious design awards in Italy, in 2011.

De Silva began his professional career at the Fiat Design Centre in Turin in 1972. He joined Studio R. Bonetto in Milan in 1975. De Silva was head of industrial and automotive design at the Instituto Idea in Turin from 1979 to 1986. After a short stint working for “Trussardi Design Milano”, he switched to Alfa Romeo in 1986, where he was head of design until 1998. De Silva established a new design philosophy for the brand with the Alfa Romeo 156 that went into production in 1997.

Source: Volkswagen

Tags: A5, Audi, car designer, Fiat, Instituto Idea, Lamborghini, SEAT, Volkswagen Group, Walter de Silva