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. AUDI GERMAN CAR HISTORY | DIRECTORY OF MOTOR MANUFACTURERS | VEHICLE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY | CONCEPT CARS. In the late 1800's the automobile was invented. The technical foundations of motorised transport had been decided: the thing would have four wheels, one in each corner, and would be propelled by an internal combustion engine. That much was certain, but not much else. At this time, there were many heroes of the automobile: Gottfried Daimler and Carl Benz of Germany, Siegfried Marcus of Austria, and the Americans, George Baldwin Seldon and Henry Ford. But for Audi, it is a young, ambitious engineer, August Horch, who begins our story of exceptional progress.

In 1896 Horch discovered the exciting possibilities of the new technology, and signed on with Benz, then the most influential figure of the automobile world. Horch would become one of the most important men in European automobile history - he helped found and name the car companies Horch (1899) and Audi (1909). 1899. Bursting with his own creativity and ideas, Horch left his position as manager of motor construction at Benz to found August Horch and Cie in Cologne, Germany. The next year, he built his first car, equipped with a shock-free, two-cylinder engine. Soon afterwards, he developed the rear-mounted gear-box and the OHV engine with overhead inlet valves. By 1908, the company was turning out over 100 cars a year. In 1909 Horch left his own company to form another. Unable to trade under his own name, he chose 'Audi' - the Latin translation of Horch ('Listen' in English). Audi Automobilwerke GmbH began business. 'One of my life's dreams has come true' August Horch.

August Horch built the elegant 'Audi Type K' for the discriminating tastes of the elite. Many of these 1919 innovations would become standard later on - for example left-hand steering and the central position of the gear-shift. In 1919, the war of Independence started in Ireland which would last until 1921. The following year, the Irish civil war began which lasted until 1925 and saw brothers fighting brothers. The end of the civil war saw a free state Government coming into power with Eamonn DeValera as Taoiseach. In 1926, the Berlin Automobile Exhibition showcased the new Horch 303. Horch immediately became the marque of top quality in German automobile history. The eight-cylinder engine would become standard for all models after 1927. At the 1931 Salon de Paris, August Horch became the leading name in the German automobile market. The star of the exhibition was a yellow lacquered Cabriolet with a brown top and green morocco upholstery. But its main feature was less cosmetic - a 12 cylinder V engine with a six-litre cylinder capacity, a marvel of innovative engineering.

Horch, DKW, Wanderer and Audi linked forces in 1932 to create Auto Union AG. The union was symbolised by the four rings. From the start, Auto Union AG was Germany's second largest automobile manufacturer. DKW was the most affordable marque, and had 18 % of the German market in 1938. Wanderer was positioned in the mid range sector, with Audi at the upper mid range. The premium sector was reserved for Horch, which captured over 50 % of this market segment. Many of the drivers who enjoyed the thrill of a Horch sports convertible were well-known celebrities. Many of the distinguished passengers to ride in a large Horch saloon were politicians or even members of royalty. Thomas Mann, Alfred Neven Du Mont and Werner Kraus all had the pleasure of driving one of the best cars ever built. Auto Union developed a separate department for racing cars. The sixteen-cylinder engine designed by Ferdinand Porsche created a sensation. Sceptics laughed at its innovations, especially the engine position behind the driver. But 27 years later this became the norm in Formula One cars.

In 1934 Hans Stuck drove the Rennwagen to break the world record at its first official race. One of the co-founders of the Auto Union was Baron von Oertzen. He emigrated to South Africa in 1935, and was the first to market German cars on three continents - Asia, Africa and Australia. In Germany that year, a streamlined version broke a new record at the Frankfurt autobahn - 406,3 km/h. In 1939, every fourth car registered in Germany was made by Auto Union. Just when private cars were finally replacing bicycles in Germany, the outcomes of the second world war had the most serious impact on Auto Union. The plants were dismantled, and Auto Union was dissolved by the Soviet military. The directors reacted smartly, and built a new company - Auto Union GmbH, based in Ingolstadt. The new Auto Union concentrated on DKW delivery vans and motorcycles. All these models were marked with a 'W' for 'West' to distinguish them from similar models produced in Saxony for East Germany. Car production only started again in 1950.

In 1950, Stephen O' Flaherty was awarded the VW franchise for Ireland The First Volkswagens assembled outside of Germany were assembled in Dublin from 1950. In 1956, a plastic-bodied DKW set new long-distance records on the Monza race track in Italy - over 4000 miles in 48 hours and 5 000 miles in 72 hours. From 1954 to 1964 the Auto Union achieved over 100 championship titles, 150 overall wins and 2500 class wins. In Germany 1958, Daimler Benz bought 88 % of the share capital of Auto Union, and a year later began constructing ultra-modern facilities in Ingolstadt. The first DKW Junior rolled off the assembly line at Ingolstadt. Customer demand pushed dealers to their limits. DKW production continued until the mid sixties, when the factory was sold to Volkswagen. In December 1964, Auto Union was transferred to the Volkswagen Group.

The day of the two-stroke engine was over, and Auto Union engineers had begun working full-time to develop a competitive four-stroke model. Meanwhile, the VW 'Beetle' helped maintain production levels - From 1965 to 1969, between three and five hundred VW's were produced each day at Ingolstadt. In September 1965, Audi launched its first post-war four-stroke engine. The Audi brand was chosen because Audi had been the only pre-war Auto Union car with front-wheel drive and a four stroke engine. The next three years saw launches in Germany of the medium-sized Audi 75, the Audi Super 90, and the Audi 60 in its compact class. Things were also looking up for another German car manufacturer - NSU AG. They were a sensation at the Frankfurt Motor Show with the premiere in the deluxe car class of the NSU Ro80. Twelve international journalists voted it 'the 1967 car of the year'. However, the massive development costs meant that NSU was ripe to join forces with a powerful associate company. In 1967 Motor Distributors obtained the Audi franchise for the Republic of Ireland.

1968 saw the unveiling of the first Audi 100 - a fundamentally new car which helped renew the value of Auto Union. In 1969, Auto Union GmbH and NSU Motor Works formed a joint company - Audi NSU Auto Union AG. Audi NSU were quick to unveil an entirely new car, the Audi 80 which was developed by chief design engineer, Ludwig Kraus. The Audi 80 was voted 'Car of the Year 1969' in four countries. The Audi 100 was launched in 1972. Two years later in Germany, the Audi 50 was launched. The Audi 50 was the last in the 'building block' series that included Audi models 80 and 100. With modern overhead camshaft engines, front-wheel drive, weight-saving design and tailgate, it paved the way for the international success of the future Audi and VW models. The first ever 5 cylinder petrol engine was introduced with the second generation Audi 100, in 1976. In 1977 the millionth Audi 100 came off the production line.

In the same year, production of the NSU Ro80 stopped after a production run of 10 years. The Audi 200 was launched in 1979. December 1980 marks the landmark introduction of the first high performance car built on four-wheel drive principles - the Audi Quattro Coupe. Quattro is an Audi patented system that spreads the car's power across all wheels, so the driver experiences improved handling, greater stability, lower tyre wear, better traction and therefore better safety in all road conditions. The quattro astonished the critics. The prototype shot up the Turracher Hohe, Europe's steepest mountain pass, without any traction problems. The tradition of excellence has continued up until today with breath-taking triumphs around the world. The Audi quattro was marketed to the general public in 1980. The oil embargo in the early 70's had made fuel consumption a concern for all car manufacturers. Reducing fuel consumption was a driving force at Audi because of the important goal to reduce the environmental damage caused by emissions. Audi gave proof to its pro-environment stance at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1981.

The Audi vision of the car for the Year 2000 was a full-sized deluxe saloon, with lower requirements for fuel and raw materials, as well as greater safety, operating economy and practical value. A trend-setter because of its genuine innovations, the third generation Audi 100 had similar aims to the Audi vision for the Year 2000. Aerodynamic body design - with a drag coefficient of Cd 0.3, lighter body sections, new or greatly revised engines for fuel economy, and advanced levels of safety all signalled the future for car design and engineering. After its 1982 launch, the innovations of the Audi 100 were recognised and praised around the world. 1983 marked another impressive step towards environmentally-friendly driving. Audi was the first German manufacturer to receive a general operating permit for cars with catalytic converter technology. Audi continued to be a world leader in rallies. Drivers like Hannu Mikkola, Michele Mouton and Stig Blomqvist helped Audi become Manufacturers World Rally Champion in 1982 - the first German car company to win this title. The Audi quattro changed the shape of rallying internationally.

In 1984, Audi Sport won the Manufacturers world Rally Championship and the rally drivers championship. Stig Blomqvist was behind the wheel - of a quattro of course. Audi NSU Auto Union AG was renamed Audi AG in 1985. In 1986, two important innovations find their place in our history: fully-galvanised, rust-resistant bodies and the procon-ten system. The first innovation allowed Audi to guarantee their cars against corrosion for six years. The second innovation, procon-ten, was an early precursor of airbag passenger technology, and considerably reduced the chances of a driver hitting the steering wheel when in an accident. These innovations won Audi many international awards, including the German Industry's Innovation Prize for an outstanding ability to develop and realise new ideas. By 1986, Sarel van der Merwe was a household name in South Africa. Driving an Audi Sport quattro he had clinched the SA Rally three times running. In 1987, it was Geoff Mortimer who drove an Audi to victory.

The Audi Turbo was launched in South Africa in 1988, and to celebrate, Audi imported a special motorsport version - a 2,2 litre turbocharged car that used unleaded fuel. The mission was to set a new Landspeed record in South Africa. Sarel van der Merwe had the honours of taking Audi to triumph once again. The new record was 358,9 km/h. But there was a price to pay - the traffic authorities gave Sarel a ticket for exceeding the speed limit on a public road! Having cleaned up on the rally tracks, Audi Sport cruised onto the USA racetracks. The Audi quattro won the USA Trans-Am Manufacturers and Drivers Championships. In 1989, Audi introduced the first direct injection diesel engine with a turbo-charger (TDI) - a triumph for automobile diesel engines. A modified Audi 100 TDI drove 4814 km and crossed nine countries in Europe on one tank of petrol. Its average speed was 60,2 km/h, and it consumed only 1,7 litres per 100 km. Another innovation in 1989 was the Audi duo hybrid system.

A conventional petrol or diesel engine drove the front wheels and a 9,3 kW electric engine drove the rear. So for driving in the country, the Audi duo had the usual acceleration, range and top speed. But the electric engine eliminated exhaust emissions and noise for driving in the city. The driver could activate either power unit easily, at any time. 1990, the start of the last decade of the millennium, was cause for celebration at Audi: the seven millionth Audi was produced in Ingolstadt, and the Audi quattro was ten years old. But - as always - Audi looked ahead, not behind, and the Board pledged to become ï¿½the most attractive European marqueï¿½. The fourth generation Audi 100 was launched in Germany in 1990, and catalytic converters became standard equipment in all Audi cars where lead-free petrol is available. In 1991, Audi renewed its entire range in just one year. 1991 saw the launches of the Cabriolet, the 100 Avant, the S4 and S4 Avant, and the new Audi 80. Audi also gave the Audi Coupe a facelift and a V6 engine.

The flagship of the range - the Audi A8 - was given a 4,2 litre engine. Audi exhibited two design studies in 1991. The quattro Spyder was unveiled in Frankfurt, and the Avus quattro in Tokyo. Both caused a sensation. The most impressive feature was the aluminium construction which reduced weight and used resources more efficiently. Another example of how Audi pioneered new technologies to shape the future of the automobile. The world premiere of the aluminium Audi - the A8 - was held at the Geneva Motor Show in 1994. With this innovation Audi offered the world a truly forward-looking and environment-friendly concept. Critics realised that using aluminium as a basic construction material was a smart decision: its light weight ensures reduced fuel consumption at no sacrifice to firmness and rigidity. And aluminium can be recycled almost limitlessly. In the same year, Audi standardised the names of all their models around the world to A4, A6, and A8. Motorsport triumphs continued. By 1996, the Super Touring Cup (STW-Cup) belonged entirely to the four rings and the Audi quattro. The Italian Emanuele Pirro won the overall prize in Germany.

Frank Biela won the British Touring Car Championship, and Rinaldo Capello won the Italian Touring Car Championship - all driving the Audi A4 quattro. The remarkable quattro also triumphed in touring car competitions in Belgium, Australia and Spain. 1999 is a high point in Audi's remarkable history: all models have been advanced, and are now more exciting than ever. The innovative design of the A6 is winning critical acclaim. The new improved Audi A8 and A4 give yet more evidence of Audi's leadership in shaping the automotive world of tomorrow. The Audi A3, launched in Ireland has set a new standard for luxury in the compact class. And the Audi TT is the most recent evidence of Audi's commitment to "Vursprung durch Technik". 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.

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 A brief history of the four rings Compliled by Matt Daniels from Audi AG press releases The Audi emblem of the four rings denotes one of Germany's oldest automobile manufacturers. It symbolizes the merger in 1932 of four previously independent motor vehicle manufacturers: Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer.

These companies are the foundation stones on which the present-day AUDI AG is built. Horch At the end of the 19th century, there were already a number of car manufacturers in Germany. One of them was August Horch & Cie., founded on November 14, 1899 in Cologne. August Horch was one of the pioneer figures of automotive engineering. Before setting up business on his own, he worked for Carl Benz in Mannheim for three years as Head of Automobile Production. In 1904, August Horch relocated his company to Zwickau and transformed it into a share-issuing company. However, in 1909 August Horch withdrew from the company he had founded, and set up a new enterprise under the name of "Audi". Audi The company established by August Horch in Zwickau on July 16, 1909 could not again take its founder's name for reasons of fair trade. Horch found a new name for the company by translating his name, which means "hark!", "listen!", into Latin.

So it was that the second company to have been set up by August Horch commenced operations under the name Audi Automobilwerke GmbH, Zwickau, on April 25, 1910. Wanderer In 1885, the two mechanics Johann Baptist Winklhofer and Richard Adolf Jaenicke opened a repair business for bicycles in Chemnitz. Shortly afterwards they began to make bicycles of their own, since demand at that time was very high. These were sold under the brand name Wanderer, and in 1896 the company itself began to trade as Wanderer Fahrradwerke AG. Wanderer built its first motorcycle in 1902. The idea of branching out into automobile production was finally put into practice in 1913. A small two-seater by the name of "Puppchen" heralded in Wanderer's tradition of motor car production that was to last several decades. DKW Originally founded under the name Rasmussen & Ernst 1904 in Chemnitz, the company was moved to Zschopau in the Erzgebirge region in 1907.

The company initially manufactured and sold exhaust-steam oil separators for steam-raising plant, mudguards and lighting systems for motor vehicles, vulcanization equipment and centrifuges of all kinds. The company's founder Jörgen Skafte Rasmussen began to experiment with a steam-driven motor vehicle in 1916, registering DKW as a trademark. In 1919 the company, by now renamed Zschopauer Motorenwerke, switched to the manufacture of small two-stroke engines, which from 1922 on served as a springboard for its success in building motorcycles under the brand name DKW. The first small DKW motor car appeared on the market in 1928. Auto Union AG, Chemnitz On June 29, 1932, Audiwerke, Horchwerke and Zschopauer Motorenwerke - DKW merged on the initiative of the State Bank of Saxony to form Auto Union AG. A purchase and leasing agreement was concluded at the same time with Wanderer, for the takeover of its Automobile Division. The new company's head offices were in Chemnitz.

Following the merger, Auto Union AG was the second-largest motor vehicle manufacturer in Germany. The company emblem, with four interlinked rings, symbolized the inseparable unity of the four founder-companies. The brand names Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer were retained. Each of the four brands was assigned a specific market segment within the group: DKW assumed responsibility for motorcycles and small cars; Wanderer built midsize cars; Audi manufactured cars in the deluxe midsize class, and Horch produced deluxe top-of-the-range automobiles. Auto Union GmbH, Ingolstadt In 1945, after the end of the second world war, Auto Union AG was expropriated by the occupying Soviet forces. The company's leading figures consequently moved to Bavaria, where a new company was founded in Ingolstadt in 1949 under the name of Auto Union GmbH, to uphold the motor vehicle tradition of the company with the four-ring emblem. The first vehicles to leave the company's production line after its new start were DKW's successful models with two-stroke engines - motorcycles, cars and delivery vans.

A new Auto Union model appeared on the market in 1965, the company's first post-war vehicle with a four-stroke engine. To emphasize this dawning of a new era, a new product name was likewise needed: the traditional name of Audi was resurrected. A short time later, the last DKWs rolled off the production line in Ingolstadt. From then on, the new models with four-stroke engines were produced under the brand name "Audi". A new era had begun in another sense, too: the Volkswagen Group acquired the Ingolstadt-based company in 1965. NSU NSU was founded in 1873 in Riedlingen, on the Danube, by the two Swabian mechanics Christian Schmidt and Heinrich Stoll. Seven years later they moved the company to Neckarsulm. For its first twenty years, the company manufactured knitting machines. Neckarsulmer Strickmaschinenfabrik diversified into bicycles in 1886. From then on, the bicycle was to have a decisive influence on the company's fortunes. Motorcycle production commenced at NSU in 1901, and five years later the first motor car was built there.

Automobile production activities were halted again in 1929, to allow the company to concentrate on building two-wheelers. It was almost thirty years later, in 1958, that production of cars recommenced in Neckarsulm. On March 10, 1969, Auto Union GmbH of Ingolstadt merged with NSU Motorenwerke AG, of Neckarsulm. The new company bearing the name Audi NSU Auto Union AG, with its head offices in Neckarsulm, was created retrospectively as of January 1. AUDI AG The last NSU left the production line in March 1977, and from then on the company manufactured exclusively Audi cars. About this time, the company's bosses began to consider streamlining the company's rather cumbersome name of Audi NSU Auto Union AG. With the objective of giving the company and its products the same name, in 1985 Audi NSU Auto Union AG was renamed simply AUDI AG. To coincide with the change of name, the company's registered headquarters were transferred from Neckarsulm to Ingolstadt.

The traditional company names Auto Union GmbH and NSU GmbH live on as Audi subsidiaries which have the purpose of nurturing and propagating a tradition that is both deep and diverse. There are historical collections open to the public in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. An Audi museum scheduled to open in 2000 is currently in planning at the Ingolstadt plant. Today, Audi is a leading international manufacturer of high-quality cars. The company maintains production sites in Germany and various other countries, including Hungary, China and South Africa. In 1998, Audi achieved unit sales of almost 600,000 cars, bringing in sales revenue of DM 27 billion. The company has around 42,000 employees in total. Further Information 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 About Audi Email Save In business for more than 100 years, Audi is an automaker that builds luxury cars and SUVs. The company was started in Germany and has remained Deutschland-based to this day. Read more Audi history In business for more than 100 years, Audi is an automaker that builds luxury cars and SUVs. The company was started in Germany and has remained Deutschland-based to this day. "Audi Automobile Works" entered the German car-manufacturing business in 1910 and remained independent until the Great Depression. Because Audi's founder, August Horch, had left a 10-year-old company bearing his own name, he chose a Latin form of his name -- Audi -- for his new company. Audi joined with three other auto manufacturers in 1932 to form Auto Union.

Audi, the only surviving nameplate from that union, was purchased by Volkswagen in 1964. During the 1970s, Audi started to get noticed in the U.S. with its 100LS luxury sedan and compact and sprightly Fox coupe and sedan. By the late '70s the brand had replaced the dated 100LS with its new 5000 luxury sedan. Every manufacturer has its defining moments. For Audi, one such moment came in March 1980 at the Geneva Motor Show . The automaker unveiled the Audi Quattro, an all-wheel-drive sport coupe that was met with a wildly enthusiastic response on the show floor. The Quattro's all-wheel-drive system went on to help Audi win accolades in motorsports and it was eventually integrated into the entire model range. That year also saw the Fox replaced by the 4000. Four years later, the range-topping 5000 was redesigned. Audi's sales shot up nearly 50 percent, thanks chiefly to that newly aerodynamic yet handsome flagship that featured what would become an Audi hallmark -- an elegantly stylish, high-quality cabin.

Sadly, Audi's fortunes turned for the worse when the carmaker's 5000 model was accused of unintended acceleration in a 60 Minutes television episode. A subsequent government investigation found Audi innocent of the charge, but the resulting drop in sales nearly put Audi out of business in the U.S. The late '80s saw Audi redesign the 4000, renaming it the 80 and 90 (with the 90 having more equipment) and also rename the 5000, dubbing it the 100 or 200. The 200 featured a turbocharged five-cylinder with all-wheel drive as opposed to a non-turbo five and front-wheel drive, as on the 100. A Coupe also debuted, as did a new flagship, a V8-powered 200 sedan simply called the "V8". The following decade saw the A4 and Cabriolet models, as well as the renaming of the 100 to A6. The stunning A8 was introduced as Audi's new flagship, boasting all-aluminum construction and a beefy V8.

High-performance versions of the various models bowed, dubbed S4, S6 and S8. The start of the new millennium brought the TT, Audi's low-slung sport coupe (and later roadster). It also introduced RS versions of the A4 and A6, providing even more performance than "S" variants. In addition to "S" and "RS" versions of the TT, Audi's more recent releases include the A3 hatchback, Q5 crossover SUV, slick A5 coupe, exotic R8 sports car and A7 luxury hatchback sedan . Today, Audi continues its success in the prestige car marketplace by offering a wide range of vehicles that impressively combine luxury and sport. Hide Audi History History Of Audi - Interesting & Amazing Information On Origin & Background Of Audi Search History Of Audi Audi AG is a German automaker that produces luxury cars and SUVs. Headquartered in Ingolstadt, Germany, Audi is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group since 1964. The name Audi has been given on the surname of its founder, August Horch. The name Horch is an English cognate with the English word ‘hark’, symbolizing ‘listen’, which becomes ‘Audi’ when translated into Latin.

Also, the logo of Audi, the ‘Four Rings’ symbolizes the merger of the four independent motor-vehicle manufacturers, Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer. The Audi vehicles offer topmost levels of luxury and performance that meet and exceed other coveted brands. Read on further to know more interesting and amazing information on the history, origin and background of Audi. Interesting & Amazing Information On Origin & Background Of Audi Audi was first established as Horch & Co. in 1899, by August Horch. The first car was invented in 1901 with the support from 15 fellow workers of Horch. However, Horch was forced to leave the company in 1909, due to problems with the commercial management, which led him to set up another company, using the Horch brand. However, he was barred from using the name, Horch, as it belonged to his former company. It was, then, that the name Audi was conceived. The company, Audi Automobilwerke GmbH was registered in 1910. With this came the first Audi automobile, the Audi Type A 10/22 hp Sport-Phaeton.

Other models built included a 2612 cc (2.6 litre) four cylinder model, 3564 cc (3.6 litre) model, 4680 cc (4.7 litre) and 5720 cc (5.7 litre). All these cars were immediate hits and were successful at sporting events as well. August Horch left Audi in 1920 yet again, only to secure a higher position in the ministry of transport. However, he remained an active member in the board of trustees of Audi. In September 1921, Audi became the first German car manufacturer to produce a car with left-handed drive, the Audi Type K. The left-hand drive became popular, since it provided a better view of the oncoming traffic, allowing safe overtake of the cars. Audi cars at that time were considered to be luxurious cars equipped with special bodywork. In 1924, the company introduced the first six cylinder model, 4655 cc (4.7 litre) in the market. Audi merged with Horch, DKW and Wanderer in 1932 to form Auto Union.

With this merger, the company launched the first European car with a six cylinder engine and front-wheel drive, the Audi Front. With the onset of World War II, the Auto Union plants were retooled for military production. However, heavy bombing during the war severely damaged the plants. Eventually, the Auto Union AG of Chemnitz was deleted from the commercial register. In September 1949, a new Auto Union was launched with headquarters in West German, Ingolstadt, Bavaria. The company continued producing cars, following DKW’s tradition of front-wheel drive vehicles with two-stroke engines. Daimler-Benz took an 87% share in the Auto Union Company in 1958 and increased it to a complete 100% in 1959. During this time, Auto Union was facing a slack period, as the company's aging model range did not stand up to face its competitor manufacturers, Volkswagen and Opel. In 1964, Volkswagen acquired a 50% holding in Auto Union including the new factory in Ingolstadt and trademark rights of the Auto Union. 18 months later, Volkswagen took complete control of Ingolstadt.

During the 1960s, customers were more attracted towards smoother four-stroke engines and hence, DKW was dumped by Volkswagen, because it focused on two-stroke engines. Nonetheless, before it was dumped out from the group, DKW had produced F102, a four-stroke engine in 1965. Developments were made to this model and were named according to their horsepower ratings. They were thus sold as Audi 60, 75, 80 and Super 90, till 1972. Auto Union merged with NSU, world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles, in 1969 and hence, was renamed as Audi NSU Auto Union AG. With this merger, Audi emerged as a separate brand. It was then that the Audi brand was introduced to the United States. The first car of this merger was the Audi 100, which was soon followed by the Audi 80/Fox in 1972 and Audi 50 in 1974. An Audi performance and rally racing car was launched in 1980, named as Audi Quattro, a turbocharged coupe.

In 1985, the company’s official name was shortened to Audi AG. The same year, Audi sold 74,061 cars in the United States. The company, then, presented a new model in the premium segment, the Audi A8, its first production with all-aluminum body, in 1994. A new naming process was also introduced for the Audi models. Hence, the Audi A8 was known as A4 and the Audi 100 was called A6. Sales increased drastically from 653,000 in 2000 to 1,003,000 in 2008, largest sales taking place in the Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The new Audi A4 was released in 2003, while the new Audi A6 was launched in 2004. Though Audi did struggle with safety issues, it managed to resolve them with a redesign of foot pedal placement. In the present era, the German manufacturer has managed to distinguish itself with its superbly crafted interiors and excellent performance and is proving to be a strong competitor for the premium luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Audi, today, can be very well described as a symphony of luxury and ergonomic design. How to Cite

Question: Where did the car manufacturer Audi originate?
Answer: Germany