Rocket Espresso and Audi Collaborate on a New Espresso Machine

Rocket Espresso has collaborated with Audi on a limited, design-led espresso machine that brings automotive styling to a prosumer coffee platform. The project is based on the Rocket Bicocca, a dual-boiler machine built for home baristas who want commercial-style control in a countertop format.

The collaboration was announced September 9, 2026. According to the project announcement published by Sprudge, Rocket worked with the Audi Design Team and the design studio Valerio Cometti + V12Design to create the machine.

This is more than a Rocket machine wearing an Audi badge. The exterior, control surfaces and proportions were redesigned around an automotive-inspired visual language while retaining the underlying espresso system of the Bicocca.

A design inspired by the Audi TT

The Audi TT is known for clean geometry, clearly defined surfaces and a cabin that turns technical controls into part of the design. The Rocket x Audi machine applies a similar idea to espresso equipment.

The body uses restrained lines and precisely connected radiuses instead of the exposed framework commonly associated with traditional E61 machines. Rising side panels give the machine a forward-moving profile while forming a border around the cup-warming area. Circular aluminum feet visually lift the machine from the counter, and glossy black controls contrast with the main housing.

The result looks closer to a piece of modern industrial design than a conventional polished-steel espresso machine. That distinction matters because premium home espresso equipment is increasingly selected as part of the kitchen, not hidden as a purely functional appliance.

Rocket x Audi machine specifications

The announced specifications closely reflect the prosumer role of the Rocket Bicocca:

• Separate stainless-steel coffee and steam boilers
• Approximately 0.5-liter coffee boiler
• Approximately 1.5-liter steam boiler
• Rotary pump
• Ability to operate from the internal reservoir or a direct water connection
• Approximately 1.8-liter water reservoir
• Insulated boilers for reduced heat loss
• Integrated 3.5-inch touchscreen
• Approximate dimensions of 409 × 465 × 400 millimeters
• Approximate weight of 35 kilograms
• Designed and assembled in Milan

The touchscreen is integrated into the upper portion of the brew group rather than placed in a separate dashboard. Its text-light interface supports the minimal appearance while giving the user access to machine settings.

What carries over from the Rocket Bicocca?

The Bicocca foundation is important because it separates this collaboration from a purely decorative concept. A dual-boiler configuration allows the brew boiler and steam boiler to operate at different temperatures. The rotary pump supports quiet operation relative to many vibration-pump machines and makes plumbing the machine directly to a water supply possible when installation conditions allow.

Those are practical features for someone preparing multiple milk drinks or switching between coffees that benefit from different brew temperatures. The design may attract attention first, but temperature management, steam capacity and workflow determine whether a machine remains enjoyable after the novelty wears off.

You can compare the current machines we carry in the Rocket Espresso collection. Availability of the Rocket x Audi edition itself has not been announced as part of Espresso Outlet’s regular inventory, so customers should not assume that the collaboration model is currently available for purchase.

Why coffee and automotive collaborations make sense

High-end espresso machines and performance cars appeal to many of the same design instincts. Both combine mechanical systems, temperature control, pressure, tactile controls and daily ritual. Owners care not only about output, but also about how the machine responds and feels.

For Rocket, the Audi partnership reinforces the company’s position as an Italian espresso-machine builder with a strong visual identity. For Audi, the project extends its design language into a familiar home ritual without trying to turn the espresso machine into a novelty gadget.

The collaboration also reflects a broader change in home coffee. A prosumer espresso setup is now frequently treated as a permanent workstation. Buyers consider counter depth, finish, sound, cup clearance, control layout and the visual relationship between the machine and grinder.

Should design influence an espresso-machine purchase?

Yes—but after the functional requirements are understood. Before choosing any premium machine, consider:

• How many drinks will be prepared back to back?
• Will the menu be primarily straight espresso or milk drinks?
• Is direct plumbing available or desirable?
• How much counter depth and overhead clearance are available?
• Does the user want manual controls, touchscreen settings or a combination?
• Can the local water be treated appropriately for the boiler system?
• Is service and replacement-part support available?

A beautiful machine that does not fit the counter or workflow quickly becomes frustrating. Conversely, a technically suitable machine that the owner dislikes seeing every day is rarely an ideal long-term purchase.

The takeaway

The Rocket x Audi collaboration is noteworthy because it treats an espresso machine as both precision equipment and a designed object. Beneath the automotive styling is a serious dual-boiler, rotary-pump platform based on the Rocket Bicocca.

Whether or not the special edition becomes widely available, the project shows where premium home espresso is heading: stronger integration of performance, interface design and the physical character of the machine. Explore the broader home espresso machine collection to compare dual-boiler, heat-exchange and other prosumer platforms currently available.