Audi History | Classic Audi Models | Audi USA Audi history A symbol of progressive engineeringThe four rings It's one of the most multi-faceted stories ever told in the history of the automobile. The Audi emblem with its four rings identifies one of Germany’s oldest-established automobile manufacturers. It symbolizes the amalgamation in 1932 of four previously independent motor-vehicle manufacturers: Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer. These companies form the roots of what is today AUDI AG. Pioneering Audi visionaryAugust Horch The story of Audi began in 1899 August Horch founded Horch & Cie. in Cologne. It was there that he helped build his first car. After differences of opinion with the board, August Horch left the company and formed a second car company. Because his surname was already in use and was protected by trademark, he chose its Latin translation for the new company. So "horch!" – or "hark" – became "audi!". It was a brilliant idea that came from the son of one of August Horch's business partners. Thanks to his victorious involvement in the Austrian Alpine Runs, August Horch succeeded in making Audi internationally known in just a few years.

After the First World War, August Horch withdrew from the company and moved to Berlin to work as an independent automotive expert. A legend, condensedAudi highlights Take a trip through the storied past of Audi and learn about everything from the production of the first left hand drive vehicle to the invention of legendary Audi quattro® all-wheel drive. Soon, you'll understand why Audi is one of the most hallowed names in any industry. The history of AUDI The Audi history concerning the quattro concept The Audi history begins with a man called August Horch, who founded the Company HORCH & CO in 1899.He invented his first car 1901 with the help of 15 fellow workers. The car had a max. speed of 32 km/h. In 1909 Mr. Horch had to leave his company due to major problems with the commercial management and founded another company called Audi. " Audi" is the Latin translation for "Horch" and he took that name because he wanted to build cars under his own name. So the brand "AUDI Automobilwerke GmbH" was registraded in 1910.

Until the First World War some of the cars built under the Audi name won several rallies, which helped to establish the name worldwide. During the first war Audi was forced to produce vehicles for the war effort, and then after the war the recession was also a tremendous problem for the company. Therefore the founder August Horch left the management in 1920. The company managed to get through the hard times from 1927 to 1930, but in 1931 the management recognized that only a union with other vehicle manufacturer could keep Audi alive. At that time the AUTO UNION was founded, the members were DKW, HORCH, WANDERER and AUDI. The new companies insignia to show the union of the four companies was the now familiar 4 rings , which are still used by Audi today. The new union had great success in motor sport in the ensuing years. The most powerful car that was build before the 2nd world war was a 6 litre V 16 engine with 382 KW( 582PS) in 1936. In the years during the 2nd world war the AUTO UNION once again were forced to build vehicles for German military.

Many motorcycles, engines, different war vehicles and even parts for submarines were build until 1945. At that time all factories in Germany were completely destroyed by American bombers. After the war had ended there were about 60 000 DKW military vehicles worldwide that needed spare parts and maintaince. This was the reason a new start in Ingolstadt, southern Germany was made. Soon after the war there were again many cars produced, the most important for me was the DKW Munga, a four-wheel jeep with 3-cylinder 2-stroke engine. Invented in 1956 for the German military, there were only 250 cars produced for testing purposes. On of these cars made a trip around the world and drove over 240 000 km without major problems. This was the beginning of the later concept called Quattro. Nearly 57 000 Mungaswere built until 1968. In the following years many different engine- and car types were invented and produced in large amounts. The 2-stroke system was replaced by the 4 stroke one in 1965, a milestone in the engine development.

For the power or the engines has been risen continually, the company thought about a new drive train concept. An performance of over 100 KW with front wheel drive shows heavy abrasion on the front tires and dangerous Ferrari a effects. The Iltis jeep what had replaced the Munga hadnt that problems and the reason for that was not the minor performance of 75hp, it was the 4 wheel concept. Mr.Bensinger, the father of the Quattro, made many tests and tried to convince the management to give him green light for building a four wheel drive concept in an street car. The board of directors were not very pleased with that idea because the thought that nobody will buy such an car and especially if it was a high technology one not build by Porsche or Mercedes. These two firms were the only ones that had the name to do such huge inventions. One has to notify that the Auto Union at that time had no reputation in build high tech cars. Fortunately Mr.Bensinger did a good job, the project QUATTRO was born and the management decided to make this drive train concept famous all over the world with high activities in motor sport. The name AUDI should become as worthfull as Porsche and Mercedes.

To get the car ready in an short time many parts of available other types were used. The engine came out of the 200, the body was from the Audi 80 at first and the drive train came out of the Iltis, the successor of the famous Munga. Certainly many parts were braced, changed in size and improved for the high performance the car should have. After two years of improving, testing and rallying the first real ur-quattro with the new coupe body was build in 1980. The power has been risen to 200hp in the testing time, not a bad number if you think that most of the other car producer did with an 2.2l engine. For all people who cannot stand the mistakes and bad expressions: Its really not easy for a german Quattro fan................................... Copyright ï¿½ 1999 Iain and Ralf Dec. 1999 Where are Audi Cars Built? - CarsDirect Where are Audi Cars Built? July 17, 2014 During the first decade of the 21st century, Audi more than doubled the number of models available for sale in the United States.

Whereas Audi once sold only three sedans in the U.S.--the A4, A6 and A8 models--it now offers a full range of sedans , coupes, SUVs and even a mid-engine sports car. This is a remarkable development, especially considering that Audi had been pondering a full retreat from the U.S. market back in the 1990s. Audi: Based in Germany, but a Global Manufacturer Audi, which was originally founded back in 1909, is headquartered in Ingolstadt, Germany, but it now builds its cars on four continents. Having been incorporated together back in the 1960s, the Volkswagen/Audi group now shares certain technologies and vehicle platforms, but their assembly factories are largely distinct. In fact, as opposed to Volkswagen , most of the vehicles that Audi sells in the U.S. are built in Europe.

Origin of Audi Cars Sold in the U.S.: A3 Sport Wagon: Ingolstadt, Germany A4 Sedan and Wagon: Ingolstadt, Germany A5 Sport Coupe: Ingolstadt, Germany A6 Sedan and Wagon: Neckarsulm, Germany A8 Sedan: Neckarsulm, Germany Audi's History Audi's History AUDI AG is a German company which produces cars under the Audi brand. It is part of the Volkswagen Group. The name Audi is based on a Latin translation of the surname of the founder August Horch, itself the German word for “listen!" Audi is headquartered in Ingolstadt, Germany. On July 16, 1909 automotive pioneer August Horch founded August Horch Automobilwerke GmbH in Germany. A short time later he renamed the company after the Latin translation of his last name – making it Audi Automobilwerke. In 1932, Audi merged with Horch, DKW and Wanderer, to form Auto Union AG. The four rings of the Audi badge symbolize the brands Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer.

Before World War II, Auto Union AG used the four interlinked rings, only on Auto Union racing cars in that period. Member companies used their own names and emblems. Auto Union GmbH was established in Ingolstadt on September 3rd, 1949 following a series of changes as WWII came to an end. Daimler-Benz AG acquired the majority of and finally the remaining shares in Auto Union GmbH on April 24th, 1958. From this date until the end of 1965, Auto Union was a fully owned subsidiary of the Stuttgart-based Daimler Group. Volkswagenwerk AG acquired the majority of shares in Auto Union GmbH in December 1964, with Audi becoming a fully owned VW subsidiary from the end of 1966. In March 1969, NSU Motorenwerke AG, which had just been taken over by VW, and the Ingolstadt-based Auto Union GmbH merged to form Audi NSU Auto Union AG. In March 1980, a four-wheel-drive sports coupé was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show. The Audi Quattro was the first high-performance vehicle with four-wheel drive.

This drive concept had previously only been used on trucks and off-road vehicles. The permanent four-wheel-drive system in the Audi Quattro enjoyed worldwide success in motor sport and gradually found its way into the entire Audi model range. In January 1985, Audi NSU Auto Union AG was renamed AUDI AG. At the same time the company moved its head office from to Ingolstadt. From this time forward automobiles and the company had the same name. History of Hybrid Vehicles History of Hybrid Vehicles Hide 1665 – 1825 Between 1665 and 1680, Flemish Jesuit priest and astronomer Ferdinand Verbiest created plans for a miniature four-wheel unmanned steam “car” for Chinese Emperor Khang Hsi. In 1769, Frenchman Nicholas Cugnot built a steam-powered motor carriage capable of six miles per hour. In 1825, British inventor Goldsworthy Gurney built a steam car that successfully completed an 85 mile round-trip journey in ten hours time. (Steamers dominated the automotive landscape until the late 19th century.) 1839 Robert Anderson of Aberdeen, Scotland built the first electric vehicle.

1870 Sir David Salomon developed a car with a light electric motor and very heavy storage batteries. Driving speed and range were poor. 1886 Historical records indicate that an electric-powered taxicab, using a battery with 28 cells and a small electric motor, was introduced in England. 1888 Immisch & Company built a four-passenger carriage, powered by a one-horsepower motor and 24-cell battery, for the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. In the same year, Magnus Volk in Brighton, England made a three-wheeled electric car. 1890 – 1910 Period of significant improvements in battery technology, specifically with development of the modern lead-acid battery by H. Tudor and nickel-iron battery by Edison and Junger. 1897 The London Electric Cab Company began regular service using cars designed by Walter Bersey. The Bersey Cab, which used a 40-cell battery and 3 horsepower electric motor, could be driven 50 miles between charges. 1897 The Pope Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut, built around 500 electric cars over a two-year period. 1898 The Austrian Dr.

Ferdinand Porsche, at age 23, built his first car, the Lohner Electric Chaise. It was the world’s first front-wheel-drive. Porsche’s second car was a hybrid, using an internal combustion engine to spin a generator that provided power to electric motors located in the wheel hubs. On battery alone, the car could travel nearly 40 miles. 1898 The Electric Carriage and Wagon Company, of New York City, had a fleet of twelve sturdy and stylish electric cabs. 1899 The Pope Manufacturing Company merged with two smaller electric car companies to form the Electric Vehicle Company, the first large-scale operation in the American automobile industry. The company had assets of $200 million. Two hybrids appeared at the Paris Salon. 1900 American car companies made 1,681 steam, 1,575 electric and 936 gasoline cars. In a poll conducted at the first National Automobile Show in New York City, patrons favored electric as their first choice, followed closely by steam.

1900 A Belgian carmaker, Pieper, introduced a 3-1/2 horsepower "voiturette" in which the small gasoline engine was mated to an electric motor under the seat. When the car was "cruising," its electric motor was in effect a generator, recharging the batteries. But when the car was climbing a grade, the electric motor, mounted coaxially with the gas engine, gave it a boost. The Pieper patents were used by a Belgium firm, Auto-Mixte, to build commercial vehicles from 1906 to 1912. 1902 A series-hybrid runabout competed against steam and gas-powered cars in a New York to Boston reliability test. 1904 The Electric Vehicle Company built 2000 taxicabs, trucks, and buses, and set up subsidiary cab and car rental companies from New York to Chicago. Smaller companies, representing approximately 57 auto plants, turned out about 4000 cars. 1904 Henry Ford overcame the challenges posed by gasoline-powered cars — noise, vibration, and odor — and began assembly-line production of low-priced, lightweight, gas-powered vehicles.

Within a few years, the Electric Vehicle Company failed. 1905 An American engineer named H. Piper filed a patent for a petrol-electric hybrid vehicle. His idea was to use an electric motor to assist an internal-combustion engine, enabling it to achieve 25 mph. 1905 The Woods Interurban, an electric car that allowed long-distance drivers to swap the electric power unit for a two-cylinder gas engine (supposedly a fifteen-minute job), failed to get more than a handful of customers. 1910 Commercial built a hybrid truck which used a four-cylinder gas engine to power a generator, eliminating the need for both transmission and battery pack. This hybrid was built in Philadelphia until 1918. 1913 With the advent of the self-starter (making it easy for all drivers to start gas engines), steamers and electrics were almost completely wiped out. In this year, sales of electric cars dropped to 6,000 vehicles, while the Ford Model T sold 182,809 gasoline cars. 1916 Two prominent electric-vehicle makers — Baker of Cleveland and Woods of Chicago — offered hybrid cars.

Woods claimed that their hybrid reached a top speed of 35 mph and achieved fuel efficiency of 48 mpg. The Woods Dual Power was more expensive and less powerful than its gasoline competition, and therefore sold poorly. 1920 – 1965 Dormant period for mass-produced electric and hybrid cars. So-called alternative cars became the province of backyard tinkerers and small-time entrepreneurs. 1966 U.S. Congress introduced first bills recommending use of electric vehicles as a means of reducing air pollution. 1968 – 1971 Three scientists working at TRW, a major auto supplier, created a practical hybrid powertrain. Dr. Baruch Berman, Dr. George H. Gelb and Dr. Neal A. Richardson developed, demonstrated and patented the system—designated as an electromechanical transmission (EMT) providing brisk vehicle performance with an engine smaller than required by a conventional internal combustion engine drive. Many of the engineering concepts incorporated in that system are used in today’s hybrids. 1969 The GM 512, a very lightweight experimental hybrid car, ran entirely on electric power up to 10 miles per hour.

From 10 to 13 miles per hour, it ran on a combination of batteries and its two-cylinder gas engine. Above thirteen miles per hour, the GM 512 ran on gasoline. It could only reach 40 miles per hour. 1970s With the Arab oil embargo of 1973, the price of gasoline soared, creating new interest in electric vehicles. The U.S. Department of Energy ran tests on many electric and hybrid vehicles produced by various manufacturers, including a hybrid known as the “VW Taxi” produced by Volkswagen in Wolfsburg, West Germany. The Taxi, which used a parallel hybrid configuration allowing flexible switching between the gasoline engine and electric motor, logged over 8,000 miles on the road, and was shown at auto shows throughout Europe and the United States. 1974 As part of the Federal Clean Car Incentive Program, engineers Victor Wouk and Charlie Rosen created a prototype hybrid gas-electric vehicle using a Buick Skylark body. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tested the vehicle, certified that it met the strict guidelines for an EPA clean-air auto program — and rejected it out of hand.

1975 AM General, a division of American Motors, began delivery of 352 electric vans to the U.S. Postal Service for testing. The U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration began a government program to advance electric and hybrid technology. 1976 U.S. Congress enacted Public Law 94-413, the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1976. Among the law’s objectives were to work with industry to improve batteries, motors, controllers, and other hybrid-electric components. General Electric was chosen to construct a parallel-hybrid sedan, and Toyota built its first hybrid — a small sports car with a gas-turbine generator supplying current to an electric motor. 1977 – 1979 General Motors spent over $20 million in electric car development and research, reporting that electric vehicles could be in production by the mid-1980s.

1979 Dave Arthurs of Springdale, Arkansas, spent $1,500 turning a standard Opel GT into a hybrid car that could get 75 miles per gallon, using a six-horsepower lawnmower engine, a four-hundred-amp electric motor, and an array of six-volt batteries. Mother Earth News used the Arthurs plan to build their own hybrid, which averaged 75 miles per gallon. Sixty thousand Mother Earth News readers wrote in for the plans, when the magazine published their results. 1980 Briggs and Stratton, the company known for manufacturing lawn mower engines, developed a hybrid car powered by a twin cyclinder four-stroke 16hp gasoline engine and an electric motor—for total of 26 horsepower. The hybrid drivetrain provided power for a custom-designed two-door vehicle with six wheels—two in front and four in the back. 1989 Audi unveiled the first generation of the Audi Duo experimental vehicle, based on the Audi 100 Avant Quattro. The car had a 12.6 horsepower electric engine, which drove the rear wheels instead of a propeller shaft. A nickel-cadmium battery supplied the energy.

The front-wheel drive was powered by a 2.3-litre five-cylinder engine with an output of 136 horsepower. Two years later, Audi unveiled the second generation Duo, also based on the Audi 100 Avant quattro. 1991 The United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC), a Department of Energy program, launched a major program to produce a “super” battery to get viable electric vehicles on the road as soon as possible. The USABC would go on to invest more than $90 million in the nickel hydride (NiMH) battery. The NiMH battery can accept three times as many charge cycles as lead-acid, and can work better in cold weather. 1992 Toyota Motor Corporation announced the "Earth Charter," a document outlining goals to develop and market vehicles with the lowest emissions possible. 1993 The Clinton Administration announced a government initiative called the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV). In the program, the government worked with the American auto industry to develop a clean car that could operate at up to 80 miles per gallon. Several years and a billion dollars later, the PNGV emerged with three prototypes for their 80 mpg car.

Every prototype was a hybrid. Toyota’s exclusion from PNGV prompted Chairman Eiji Toyoda to create a secret project called G21, Global Car for the 21st Century. The following year, Toyota doubled its original goal of improving fuel efficiency by 50 percent. 1997 The Toyota Prius was introduced to the Japanese market, two years before its original launch date, and prior to the Kyoto global warming conference held in December. First-year sales were nearly 18,000. 1997 Audi became the first manufacturer in Europe to take a hybrid vehicle into volume production: the Audi duo based on the A4 Avant. The vehicle was powered by a 90 horsepower 1.9-litre TDI in conjunction with a 29 horsepower electric motor. Both power sources drove the front wheels. A lead-gel battery at the rear stored the electrical energy. The Duo was not a commercial success and therefore discontinued, prompting European carmakers to focus their R&D investment on diesels.

1997 – 1999 A small selection of all-electric cars from the big automakers — including Honda’s EV Plus, GM’s EV1 and S-10 electric pickup, a Ford Ranger pickup, and Toyota’s RAV4 EV — were introduced in California. Despite the enthusiasm of early adopters, the electrics failed to reach beyond a few hundred drivers for each model. Within a few years, the all-electric programs were dropped. 1999 Honda released the two-door Insight, the first hybrid car to hit the mass market in the United States. The Insight won numerous awards and received EPA mileage ratings of 61 mpg city and 70 mpg highway. 2000 Toyota released the Toyota Prius , the first hybrid four-door sedan available in the United States. 2002 Honda introduced the Honda Civic Hybrid , its second commercially available hybrid gasoline-electric car. The appearance and drivability of the Civic Hybrid was (and still is) identical to the conventional Civic. 2004 The Toyota Prius II won 2004 Car of the Year Awards from Motor Trend Magazine and the North American Auto Show.

Toyota was surprised by the demand and pumped up its production from 36,000 to 47,000 for the U.S. market. Interested buyers waited up to six months to purchase the 2004 Prius. Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. President Jim Press called it "the hottest car we’ve ever had." In September, Ford released the Escape Hybrid , the first American hybrid and the first SUV hybrid . To be continued, but a quick snapshot of what’s on the U.S. market through November 2015 can be seen at our sales Dashboard . Porsche's first car, in 1898, was electric FacebookEmail Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest Porsche's first car, in 1898, was electric The first car developed by Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the namesake sports-car company in 1948, was unveiled in Stuttgart on Monday. Post to Facebook Porsche's first car, in 1898, was electric The first car developed by Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the namesake sports-car company in 1948, was unveiled in Stuttgart on Monday.

Check out this story on USATODAY.com: CancelSend A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. 3 To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs Porsche's first car, in 1898, was electric James R. Healey, USA TODAY Published 3:10 p.m. ET Jan. 27, 2014 | Updated 7:22 p.m. ET Jan. 27, 2014 CLOSE x Share The first Porsche car ever built was unveiled in Stuttgart on Monday. The 1898 "Egger-Lohner electric car model C.2 Phaeton," or in short P1 has been sitting in an old shed in Austria since 1902. (Jan 27) AP A P1, the first Porsche construction from 1898, is on display at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany. The P1, designed by Ferdinand Porsche, was discovered in a private barn in 2013 and will now be displayed in the museum of car manufacturer Porsche.

(Photo: Franziska Kraufmann, epa) The first Porsche-designed car was unveiled in Stuttgart, Germany, on Monday. It had been sitting in an old shed in Austria since 1902. The car is, officially, the 1898 Egger-Lohner electric vehicle, C.2 Phaeton. It's known as P1, signifying Ferdinand Porsche's first design. It is an electric-power car, developed by Ferdinand Porsche, who founded the namesake sports-car company in 1948. Before that, as a young man with engineering aptitude but no formal engineering training, he was working for car builder Jacob Lohner, who assigned Porsche to come up with an electric drivetrain Porsche says it hit the streets of Vienna, Austria, on June 26, 1898, when Ferdinand Porsche was 22. He engraved the code "P1" (standing for Porsche, number one) onto all the key components. In the classic case of auto-collector's fantasy come true, P1 was discovered in a warehouse, where it had been untouched since 1902, the car company says.

According to the automaker, Ferdinand Porsche's powertrain was a rear mounted electric drive that weighs a modest 287 lbs. and produces 3 hp. For short periods, up to 5 hp can be achieved in overdrive mode, allowing a top speed of 21 mph. The first serious test came in a race for electric cars in September 1899. The contestants had to complete 24 miles with three passengers on board. Ferdinand Porsche piloted the P1 across the finish line 18 minutes ahead of the second-place racer, the car company's history shows. Perhaps more important, P1 was among fewer than half the racers able to finish. The others dropped out because of technical problems. The Phaeton designation (in mythology, a reference to the son of the god Eos) refers to an open car with front and back seats, derived from horse-drawn carriages of similar configuration. The car demonstrates that automaker Porsche's turn toward eletrification hardly is a new development. Today, one of its quicker models is the $100,000 Panamera gas-electric hybrid sedan. A TV ad shows it driving faster than electric wires can spread news of its performance.

Porsche also fields the 918 Spyder gas-electric hybrid race car. In contrast to P1, the 918 racer has a combined gas-electric power rating of 887 hp (127 hp maximum from the electric motor), and can go 10 times as fast as P1 -- 211 mph (though only 93 mph on electric power only). 1790 CONNECT TWEET LINKEDIN 3 COMMENTEMAILMORE Read or Share this story: NEVER MISS OUT Managing Your Money Master your money with the latest business and investment news, articles and tips from financial experts each Friday. History of the Four Rings--Part 1--Audi Auto Union Audi Official History--Copyright Audi AG AUDI AG can look back on a multi-faceted history that has seen considerable change; its tradition in the manufacturing of cars and motorcycles stretches back to before the turn of the century. The marques which were originally all based in Saxony � Audi and Horch in Zwickau, Wanderer in Chemnitz-Siegmar and DKW in Zschopau � made a significant contribution to the progress of the automotive industry in Germany.

These four marques merged in 1932 to form Auto Union AG. In terms of the sheer number of vehicles built, this was the second-largest motor vehicle company of its day. Four interlinked rings were adopted as its marque emblem. After the Second World War, Auto Union AG's production plant in Saxony was expropriated and dismantled by the occupying Soviet forces. A number of the company's senior managers departed for Bavaria, where a new company under the name of Auto Union GmbH was founded in 1949 in Ingolstadt, upholding the motor vehicle tradition under the sign of the four rings. Auto Union GmbH and NSU merged in 1969 to form Audi NSU Auto Union AG; this the company was renamed AUDI AG in 1985 and its headquarters transferred to Ingolstadt. The four rings remains the company's emblem to this day. Horch August Horch, one of the pioneering figures of Germany's automotive industry, was the figure behind this company. A graduate of the Technical College in the town of Mittweida, Saxony, he originally worked in engine construction at Carl Benz in Mannheim, gradually working his way up to the position of head of motor vehicle construction.

In 1899 he decided to set up business on his own, and founded Horch & Cie. in Cologne. He was the first in Germany to use cast aluminium for his cars' engines and gearbox housings, a cardan shaft served as the power transmission element, and the gearwheels were of high-strength steel. In 1902 he moved to Reichenbach in Saxony, then on to Zwickau in 1904. Cars with two-cylinder engines were built from 1903, with four-cylinder versions being added after the start of the company's operations in Zwickau. Their performance was so impressive that a Horch car triumphed in the 1906 Herkomer Run, the world's most arduous long-distance race. Two years on, the company recorded annual sales of over 100 cars for the first time. After a disagreement with the board of directors and the supervisory board, in 1909 August Horch quit the company he had founded, without delay setting up another motor vehicle company in Zwickau.

As his name was already in use by the original company and had been registered as a trademark, he arrived at the name of the new company by translating his name, which means "hark!", "listen!", into Latin: Audi. August Horch moved to Berlin in the 1920s and was appointed a member of the supervisory board of Auto Union AG in 1932, continuing to be involved in the company's technical development work mainly in his capacity as expert. In 1944 he moved from Berlin to the Saale region. Horch spent his final years in M�nchberg, Upper Franconia, where he died in 1951 at the age of 83. August Horch demonstrated hands-on involvement in the development of the motor car from its very earliest days. His principal legacy is that his technical innovations, coupled with his remarkable resolve, paved the way for the transformation of the early motor vehicle into the car as we know it. The company which still bore the name Horch originally adhered to a range of model types, the structure of which was still the one created by the company's founder.

After the First World War, the aircraft engine company Argus-Werke, acquired a majority interest in Horch. Two of the most renowned engineers, Arnold Zoller and subsequently Paul Daimler, son of Gottlieb Daimler, were thus elevated to the rank of chief designers for Horch-Werke's operations in Zwickau. In autumn 1926, Horch-Werke unveiled a new model driven by an eight-cylinder inline engine created by Paul Daimler. This engine was notable for its reliability and refinement, and set the standard which all competitors sought to emulate. The Horch 8 became synonymous with elegance, luxury and superlative standards in automotive construction. In autumn 1931, Horch-Werke of Zwickau launched its newest top product at the Paris Motor Show: a sports convertible with twelve-cylinder engine, painted brilliant yellow, with a brown soft top and upholstered in green leather. Between 1932 and 1934, only 80 of this exclusive Horch were sold. The market for such luxury cars slumped.

Horch was the clear market leader in the entire deluxe class and it sold one-third more cars than its competitors; for instance, Horch sold 773 cars in Germany in 1932 and was able to export around 300. However, this was not enough. The company encountered financial difficulties, mainly due to the financing of its sales operations. Audi Following August Horch's departure from Horch-Werke AG in 1909, he set up another factory which was likewise to manufacture automobiles. As Horch was not allowed to use his own name for this second company, he took the Latin translation of his name, which means "hark!", "listen!", and gave his new Zwickau-based company the name Audi. In 1910, the first new cars with the brand name Audi appeared on the market. They earned particular acclaim for an unparalleled string of victories between 1912 and 1914 in the International Austrian Alpine Run, generally acknowledged to be the most difficult long-distance race in the world.

After the First World War, Audi distinguished itself by becoming the first brand to position the steering wheel of its production cars on the left and to move the gear lever to the centre of the car. This resulted in much easier operation. 1923 was the year in which Audi's first six-cylinder model made its appearance. This car had an oil-wetted air cleaner, at that time definitely the exception. It was years before the air cleaner became a standard feature on all cars. This Audi also boasted one of the first hydraulic four-wheel brake systems to be used in Germany, designed and built by the company itself. In 1927, chief designer Heinrich Schuh brought the first Audi eight-cylinder model, known as the "Imperator", onto the market. Unfortunately, this imposing car made its appearance too late: the deluxe car market was suffering a rapid decline in fortunes. The company was purchased in 1928 by J�rgen Skafte Rasmussen, the figure behind the mighty DKW empire. DKW Jorgen Skafte Rasmussen, a Dane by birth, established his first company in Saxony after studying Engineering in Mittweida.

In 1904 he set up an apparatus engineering company in Chemnitz, three years later moving to Zschopau, in the Erzgebirge region, where he began to experiment with steam-driven motor vehicles in 1916. Although these experiments did not lead to any specific product, they yielded the company name and trademark DKW, derived from the German words for "steam-driven vehicle" (Dampf Kraft Wagen). In 1919, Rasmussen obtained the design of a two-stroke engine from Hugo Ruppe, a tiny version of which he sold as a toy engine under the name of "Des Knaben Wunsch", meaning "The Boy's Dream". This mini engine was subsequently upscaled and used as an auxiliary cycle engine, evolving into a fully-fledged motorcycle engine called "Das Kleine Wunder" (The Little Miracle" in 1922. Under the watchful eye of J. S. Rasmussen (together with manager Carl Hahn and chief designer Hermann Weber), DKW became the biggest motorcycle manufacturer in the world in the 1920s. DKW also enjoyed a leading international position as an engine manufacturer.

In 1927, Rasmussen had acquired design and production facilities for six- and eight-cylinder engines from a Detroit automobile company which had been wound up. Two new Audi models powered by these engines appeared on the market. However, Rasmussen recognized the signs of the times and stepped up his activities in small cars. The very first DKW cars actually had rear-wheel drive and were built in Berlin-Spandau. At the end of 1930, Rasmussen commissioned the Zwickau plant to develop a car having the following design features: a two-cylinder, two-stroke motorcycle engine with a swept volume of 600 cc, a unitary wooden chassis with leatherette upholstery, swing axles at the front and rear, and front-wheel drive. The car which Audi designers Walter Haustein and Oskar Arlt came up with was given the name DKW Front. It was unveiled at the 1931 Berlin Motor Show, where it caused something of a sensation. The DKW Front was built at the Audi factory, and went on to become the most-produced, most popular German small car of its day.

Wanderer The name "Wanderer" dates back to 1896, when its fame was associated with the bicycles built by Winklhofer & Jaenicke, a company founded in 1885 in Chemnitz. Production of motorcycles commenced in 1902, and the first trial production of motor cars took place in 1904. A small car under the name of "Puppchen" went into series production in 1913, and proved very popular. No higher-performance successor appeared until 1926, when the Wanderer Type W 10 with 1.5 litre engine and developing 30 hp made its d�but. This car incorporated all the latest developments in the world of automotive engineering, such as left-hand drive and a central gear lever, a multiple dry-plate clutch, a unitary engine block and gearbox, and a four-wheel brake system. This car met with an excellent market reception. To cope with the overwhelming demand, a new production plant was built in the Chemnitz suburb of Siegmar. Parts continued to be produced at the existing factory, and were then transferred to the other plant by rail.

Individual parts and assemblies were unloaded directly from the rail wagons onto the assembly line: just-in-time methods at the end of the 1920s! The buffer store in Siegmar had capacity for parts for only 25 cars � as many as could be built in a single day. Wanderer's marque image was characterized by its extremely reliable cars and by their outstanding manufactured quality. Such excellence had its price, however, and at the end of the 1920s Wanderer attempted to stem the looming crisis with more modern body designs and higher-performance engines. Despite these innovations, production figures slumped. Wanderer's car production operations fell into the red. The entire motorcycles division had already been sold off to NSU and the Czech company Janecek. This prompted Dresdner Bank, Wanderer's largest shareholder, to promote plans to sell off the automotive division and to expand the profitable machine tools and office machinery operations.

Question: In which country was the first Audi made?
Answer: Germany