Since its founding in the 1980s, Austrian manufacturer Diamond Aircraft Industries had concentrated on building an extensive product line. During the late 1990s, company founder and chief executive officer Christian Dries approached the design team with a concept for a twin-engined aircraft, which became the company's first multi-engined aircraft, and became the next step beyond the Diamond DA40.[4] This concept emphasised several key qualities, including the need for the aircraft to be simple to operate and fuel-efficient, while providing a luxurious four-seat passenger compartment akin to modern automobiles.