VW Design Chief De Silva to Retire

Walter de Silva, Volkswagen AG’s group design chief, is retiring at the end of November. He will continue to be an advisor to the carmaker.

De Silva joined VW in 1999 and has served in his current position, overseeing the design of the company’s Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, Seat, Skoda and VW brands, since 2007. The Italian-born designer started his career in 1972 at Fiat and later worked for several independent design studios before returning to Fiat to become the chief designer for the company’s Alfa Romeo unit.

He’s credited with designing the Audi A5 and R8; Alfa 156 and 147; Lamborghini Miura concept; and VW Golf 6 and 7, Polo and Up! city car. De Silva called the A5 the “most beautiful” car he’s ever designed.

As VW Group’s design chief, de Silva helped instill a common design culture across the various brands. Starting with the sixth-generation Golf in 2008, he also reversed the trend toward over-styling that VW had been faulted for by critics.