Auto Union | Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki evolved into present day Audi Predecessor June 29, 1932 (original Auto Union) September 3, 1949 (new Auto Union) Defunct ... and Wanderer Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German automobile manufacturers, founded in 1932 and established in 1936 in Chemnitz , Saxony , during the Great Depression . The company has evolved into present day Audi , as a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group . Auto Union is widely known for its racing team (Auto Union Rennabteilung, based at Horch works in Zwickau / Saxony ). The Silver Arrows of these two German teams ( Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union) dominated not only GP car racing from 1934 onwards, but set records that would take decades to beat.[ citation needed ] Contents Edit Auto Union was formed in Germany in 1932, [1] merging: Audi - having fallen out with family member, August Horch founded Audi in Zwickau 1909, which built inline-four -, six - and eight -cylinder-engined cars.

DKW - steam equipment company founded by Danish engineer Jørgen Skafte Rasmussen in 1916, it branched out into motorcycles, and then front-drive two-stroke cars built at Audi works in Zwickau since 1931. Horch - founded by August Horch in Zwickau 1904, it built cars starting from straight-two engines to luxury models with V8- and V12 engines . [2] Wanderer - founded in 1911, with small four-cylinder cars and later a more luxurious V6 built in Siegmar (now Chemnitz ) In August 1928, Rasmussen, the owner of DKW, acquired a majority ownership of Audiwerke AG. [3] In the same year, Rasmussen bought the remains of the US automobile manufacturer Rickenbacker , including the manufacturing equipment for eight-cylinder engines. These engines were used in Audi Zwickau, Audi Imperator and Audi Dresden models that were launched in 1929. At the same time, six-cylinder and four-cylinder (licensed from Peugeot ) models were manufactured.

In 1932, with all companies still losing money, Audi/DKW, Horch and Wanderer were brought together under the umbrella of communal shareholder company Auto Union. Although all four brands continued to build cars under their own names and brands, the technological development became more centralized, with some Audi models employing engines by Horch or Wanderer. The Auto Union racing cars Auto Union Chairman, Klaus, Baron von Oertzen , wanted a showpiece project to announce the new brand. At the 1933 Berlin Motor Show, German Chancellor Adolf Hitler announced two new programs: [4] The people's car: a project that became the KdF car A state-sponsored motor racing programme: to develop a "high speed German automotive industry," the foundation of which would be an annual sum of 500,000 Reichsmark s to Mercedes-Benz At fellow director's Adolf Rosenberger insistence, von Oertzen met with Dr. Ferdinand Porsche , who had done work for him before, and developed his own P-Wagen project racing car based on the new 750 kg (1,700 lb) formula. [4] German racing driver Hans Stuck Sr.

had met Hitler before he became Chancellor, and not being able to gain a seat at Mercedes, accepted the invitation of Rosenberger to join him, von Oertzen, and Porsche in approaching the Chancellor. In a meeting in the Reich Chancellory , Hitler agreed with Porsche that for the glory of Germany, it would be better for two companies to develop the project, resulting in Hitler agreeing to pay ₤ 40,000 for the country's best racing car of 1934, as well as an annual stipend of 250,000 Reichsmarks [4] (₤20,000) [5] each for Mercedes and Auto Union. (In time, this would climb to ₤250,000.) [6] This highly annoyed Mercedes, who had already developed their Mercedes-Benz W25 , which nevertheless was gratified, its racing program having financial difficulties since 1931. [6] It resulted in a heated exchange both on and off the racing track between the two companies until World War II.

Having garnered state funds, Auto Union bought Hochleistungs Motor GmbH and hence the P-Wagen Project for 75,000 Reichsmarks, relocating the company to Chemnitz . [4] Design Edit The Auto Union racing cars types A to D were built as Grand Prix racing cars from 1934 to 1939. They resembled the earlier Benz Tropfenwagen , also built in part by Rumpler engineers, [7] The only Grand Prix racers to wear Auto Union's four-ringed logo, they were particularly dominant in 1936. From 1935 to 1937, Auto Union cars car won 25 races, driven by Ernst von Delius , Bernd Rosemeyer , Hans Stuck Sr. , and Achille Varzi . Much has been written about the difficult handling characteristics of this car, but its tremendous power and acceleration were undeniable — a driver could induce wheelspin at over 100 mph (160 km/h). The cars used supercharged piston engines ; eventually producing almost 550 hp (410 kW/560 PS), designed to provide optimum torque at low engine speeds.

Rosemeyer would later drive one around the Nürburgring in a single gear, to prove the engine was flexible enough to do it. The fuel tank was located in the centre of the car, directly behind the driver (who would be placed well towards the front), so the car's front-rear weight distribution would remain unchanged as fuel was used — exactly the same location used in modern open-wheel racing cars, and for the same reason. The chassis tubes were initially used as water carriers from the radiator to the engine, but this was eventually abandoned after they often sprung small leaks. Racing results Edit The list of drivers for the initial 1934 season was headed by Stuck; he won the German , Swiss , and Czechoslovakian events, along with wins in a number of hill climbs , becoming European Mountain Champion. In 1935, the engine had been enlarged to 5 L (305 cu in) displacement, producing 370 bhp (276 kW/375 PS). Achille Varzi joined the team and won the Tunis Grand Prix and the Coppa Acerbo .

Stuck won the Italian Grand Prix, plus his usual collection of hill-climb wins, again taking the European Mountain Championship. The new sensation, Rosemeyer, won the Czech Grand Prix. Hans Stuck Sr. in an aerodynamic Type C in Italy Stuck also managed to break speed records, reaching 199 mph (320 km/h) on an Italian autostrada in a closed-cockpit streamliner. [8] Lessons learned from this streamlining were later applied to the T80 land speed record car. 1939 Type C/D V16 hillclimb car For 1936, the engine had grown to a full 6 L (366 cu in), and was now producing 520 bhp (388 kW/527 PS); in the hands of Rosemeyer and his team-mates, the Auto Union Type C dominated the racing world. Rosemeyer won the Eifelrennen , German, Swiss, and Italian Grands Prix, as well as the Coppa Acerbo. He was crowned European Champion (Auto Union's only win of the driver's championship), and also took the European Mountain Championship.

Varzi won the Tripoli Grand Prix, while Stuck placed second in the Tripoli and German Grands Prix, and Ernst von Delius took second in the Coppa Acerbo. In 1937, the car was basically unchanged and did surprisingly well against the new Mercedes-Benz W125 , winning five races to the seven of Mercedes-Benz. Rosemeyer took the Eifel and Donington Grands Prix, the Coppa Acerbo, and the Vanderbilt Cup . Rudolf Hasse won the Belgian Grand Prix . In addition to the new 3 L (183 cu in) formula, 1938 brought other challenges, principally the death of Rosemeyer early in the year, in an attempt on the land speed record on a German autobahn. Tazio Nuvolari joined the team, and won the Italian and Donington Grands Prix, in what was otherwise a thin year for the team, other than yet another European Mountain Championship for Stuck. In 1939, as war clouds gathered over Europe, Nuvolari won the Yugoslavia Grand Prix in Belgrade, while Hermann P. Müller won the 1939 French Grand Prix.

Sd-Kfz 222 The build up and onset of World War II encouraged the development and production of special vehicles for military purposes in the 1930s. Auto Union became an important supplier of vehicles to Germany's armed forces. [3] Following the outbreak of war, civilian production was interrupted in May 1940. After this, the company produced exclusively for military purposes. [3] During World War II, Auto Union produced the Sd-Kfz 222 armored car. Powered by an 81 hp (60 kW/82 PS) Horch/Auto Union V8 engine , it reached a top speed of 50 mph (80 km/h) on the road. The Kraftfahrzeug 11 (KFZ 11), or Horch Type 80, was used as a light transport vehicle to shuttle German military officials. The Auto Union plants were heavily bombed, and severely damaged by fighting in the last two years of the war. The U.S. Army occupied Zwickau on April 17, 1945 near the end of WWII. After withdrawal of the U.S.

Army on 30 June, Zwickau and the Saxon plants of Auto Union (Horch plants with Auto Union racing facility and Audi plants) were occupied by the Red Army . East Germany Edit Postwar, the Saxon plants of Auto Union were located in the Soviet -occupied zone of communist East Germany . In 1945, on the orders of the occupying Soviet military administration, the factories were dismantled as war reparations , [9] while the racing cars found stored in a colliery were returned to Moscow for reverse engineering. Following this, Auto Union AG assets were liquidated without compensation. [9] On 17 August 1948, Auto Union AG of Chemnitz was deleted from the commercial register. [9] The remains of Horch and Audi plants of Zwickau became the VEB (for "People Owned Enterprise") Automobilwerk Zwickau, or AWZ; Automobile Factory Zwickau). [10] The former Audi factory in Zwickau, now under East German control, restarted assembly of the pre-war models in 1949. Those models were renamed IFA F8 and IFA F9 and were similar to the new West German DKW versions.

In time, a lawsuit compelled the East Germans to cease using the DKW brand. New Auto Union Edit DKW F89 A new Auto Union was launched in Ingolstadt, Bavaria with loans from the Bavarian state government and Marshall Plan aid. [11] The reformed company was launched on September 3, 1949. Only the DKW brand survived in postwar West Germany , continuing DKW's tradition of producing front-wheel drive vehicles with two-stroke engines . [11] This included production of a small but sturdy 125 cc motorcycle and a DKW delivery van, the DKW F89 , also known as DKW-Schnelllaster. Many employees of the destroyed factories in Zwickau came to Ingolstadt and restarted the production. In 1950, after a former Rheinmetall gun factory in Düsseldorf was established as a second assembly facility, the company's first post-war car went into production: the DKW Meisterklasse F 89 P , available as a saloon and a four-seater Karmann convertible.

[9] [12] The van and sedan were based on the DKW F8 and the DKW F9 pre-war constructions. Auto Union 1000 1958 was a turning point for the company. Firstly, it saw the return of the Auto Union brand, represented by the Auto Union 1000 , a small saloon. At the same time the Auto Union 1000 Sp , a stylish coupé model, was produced for Auto Union by the Stuttgart coach builders, Baur . Secondly, Daimler-Benz acquired 87% of Auto Union, taking complete control in 1959. The production of DKW motorcycles and two-stroke engines ended almost immediately under Daimler-Benz ownership, who invested heavily in the Ingolstadt plant for Auto Union production, one of the first products of the merged company being the DKW F102 series, which used a Mercedes engine. Auto Union production at Düsseldorf was ended, and the plant became the centre of production for Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles - a role which it continues to the present day.

Auto Union 1000 Sp 1958 - 1965 However, as prosperity began to return to West Germany, and as West German products gained valuable currency through export to the rest of Europe and North America, Daimler became increasingly worried that Auto Union's only market for its two-stroke products, without massive investment, would be impoverished East Germany. Two-stroke engines became less popular towards the middle of the 1960s as customers were more attracted to the more refined four-stroke engines . They began selling shares, which with the agreed help of the West German Government, were acquired by Volkswagen . In 1964, Volkswagen acquired the factory in Ingolstadt and the trademark rights of Auto Union. A programme that Daimler had initiated at Auto Union created a range of cars that would subsequently provide the basis for Volkswagen 's line of front-wheel-drive models, such as the Audi 80 and Volkswagen Passat . At the time a new model, internally designated F103 , was under development. This was based on the last DKW model, the DKW F102 , with a four-stroke engine implanted and some front and rear styling changes.

Volkswagen abandoned the DKW brand because of association with two-stroke engines, effectively leaving Volkswagen with the Audi brand. The new model was launched in September 1965 as simply the "Audi." The name was a model designation rather than the manufacturer, which was still officially Auto Union. As more models were later added to the Audi range, this model was renamed Audi 72. DKW F102 In 1969, Auto Union merged with NSU Motorenwerke AG , based in Neckarsulm , near Stuttgart . In the 1950s, NSU had been the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles , but had moved on to produce small cars like the NSU Prinz , the TT and TTS versions of which are still popular as vintage race cars. NSU then focused on new rotary engines based on the ideas of Felix Wankel . In 1967, the new NSU Ro 80 was a space-age car, well ahead of its time in technical details such as aerodynamics, light weight, and safety but teething problems with the rotary engines put an end to the independence of NSU.

The mid-sized car NSU had been working on, the K70 , was intended to slot between the rear-engined Prinz models and the futuristic NSU Ro 80 . However, Volkswagen took the K70 for its own range, spelling the end of NSU as a separate brand. After being merged with Neckarsulm car maker NSU Motorenwerke AG the official name was "Audi NSU Auto-Union AG", which was simply shortened to "Audi AG" in 1985, ending Auto Union. In May 2009, as Porsche gained majority control of Volkswagen Group and proposed a merger of the two companies. In August 2009, Volkswagen AG's supervisory board signed the agreement to create an integrated Auto group with Porsche led by Volkswagen. Volkswagen will initially take a 42% stake in Porsche AG by the end of 2009, and it will see the family shareholders selling the automotive trading business of Porsche Holding Salsburg to Volkswagen. Rumors began to appear in the press that the name Auto Union would be revived for the new group holding company.

[13] Logo Edit The trademark symbol of Auto Union, the four overlapping rings, symbolized the four member companies represented the four marques of Auto Union: Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer. [14] [15] Although Auto Union used the four ring logo, it was only used on Auto Union racing cars in that period, while the member companies used their own names and emblems. There is also a version of logo that uses both overlapping and interlocking rings. [16] Tribute Auto Union was tributed at the 1999 Monterey Historic Automobile Races . [17] See also Auto Union Owners Group - The Vintage Racing League The Vintage Racing League View Groups Information Established in 1932, Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German automobile manufacturers, The company became Audi, a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group. Tweet Facebook Auto Union - Overview & History Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German automobile manufacturers, established in 1932 in Zwickau, Saxony, during the Great Depression. The company has evolved into present day Audi, as an independent subsidiary of Volkswagen Group.

The trademark symbol of Auto Union was four overlapping rings, symbolizing the four member companies (all four in a line, in an attempt to avoid confusion with the five Olympic rings). The trademarks and company names of the member companies - Horch, Audi, DKW and Wanderer - were continued, with the four ring logo being integrated with the brand logo. The four ring logo of Auto Union is still a trademark, and now used by present-day Audi. Auto Union continued to market the two-stroke engined DKW brand until 1964. 1936 Wanderer W25KAuto Union is best known for its racing team (Auto Union Rennabteilung, based in Zwickau), which was the main opponent of Mercedes-Benz in 1930s Grand Prix motor racing.[citation needed] The Silver Arrows of these two German teams dominated not only GP car racing from 1934 onwards, but set records that would take decades to beat. For example, the power levels of the unlimited 1937 models were only equalled in the early 1980s by turbocharged Formula One Grand Prix cars.

The Auto Union racing cars 1939 Auto Union Type C/D V16 Bergrennwagen Hillclimb car; note the dual rear wheels on each side. This car used a nose similar to a Type D but with a cockpit and rear side panels similar to a Type C. It also had a much smaller capacity fuel tank than the Grand Prix cars.The Auto Union race cars were designed by the famous engineer Ferdinand Porsche; they were based on an earlier design he had done using a mid-engined layout similar to the famous 1923 Benz Tropfenwagen, or "Teardrop" aerodynamic design. (That unique car was built under the direction of Max Wagner, who was now at Daimler-Benz, and was raced by his current business partner, Adolf Rosenberger). The mid-engined cars, where the drivers sat in front of the engines, were unusual; it took over 20 years until this concept, made famous in these cars, became generally adopted in motor racing.

This was mostly because the cars were said to be hard to master, which was in part due to the swing axle rear suspension design initially adopted by Porsche (relatively advanced for its day, it is now utterly obsolete because of its many problems), although other factors (such as simple unfamiliarity with the very different handling characteristics) were also involved in creating that reputation. The cars used supercharged engines that eventually produced almost 550 horsepower (which also contributed toward the handling difficulties, as it promoted oversteer which the cars already had in abundance). The engine was originally the V16 engine that Porsche had started designing earlier; when, starting in 1938, the maximum engine displacement for Grand Prix cars was limited to 3 litres for blown engines, it became a V12. It was originally designed to 6 litre specifications, but would start at 4,360 cc and 295 bhp (220 kW). It had two cylinder blocks, inclined at an angle of 45 degrees, with a single overhead camshaft to operate all 32 valves. The cylinder heads were hemispherical, with the intake valves on the inside, directly connected to the camshaft through rocker arms.

The rocker arms of the exhaust valves were connected to the camshaft by pushrods that passed through tubes situated above the spark plugs; thus the engine had three valve covers. The engine was designed to provide optimum torque at low engine speeds. (Bernd Rosemeyer later drove one around the Nürburgring in a single gear, to prove the engine was flexible enough to do it!) The suspension would be all-independent but, unlike the Mercedes, would use parallel trailing arms and torsion bars at the front, while at the rear it initially used swing half-axles and a transverse leaf spring, the latter eventually being replaced by torsion bars, with radius arms added to absorb the torque. For the 3-litre V12 car, the rear suspension would be replaced with a de Dion suspension, following the lead of Mercedes-Benz but it was too late to do anything about the reputation the cars had gained. The fuel tank was located in the center of the car, directly behind the driver (who would be placed well towards the front), so that the car's front-rear weight distribution would remain unchanged as the fuel was used - the exact same location used in modern open-wheel racing cars, and for the same reason.

The chassis tubes were initially used as water carriers from the radiator to the engine, but this was eventually abandoned after they often sprung small leaks. Much has been written about the difficult handling characteristics of this car, but its tremendous power and acceleration were undeniable - a driver could induce wheelspin at over 100 mph (160 km/h). A specialized hill climbing version of the car, equipped with dual rear wheels on each side to provide the traction needed to transfer this power, was built. Additional work was needed on the car's cornering behavior; accelerating out of a corner would cause the inside rear wheel to spin furiously. This was much abated by the use of a Ferdinand Porsche innovation, a ZF manufactured limited slip differential, introduced at the end of the 1935 season. The body was subjected to strenuous testing in the wind tunnel of the German Institute for Aerodynamics. Racing results The list of drivers for the initial 1934 season was headed by Hans Stuck; he won the German, Swiss and Czechoslovakian Grand Prix races (as well as finishing second in the Italian and Eifel Grands Prix), along with wins in a number of hill-climb races, becoming European Mountain Champion.

(There was no European Championship for the circuit races that year, or he would have won that too). August Momberger placed second in the Swiss Grand Prix. In 1935, the engine had been enlarged to five litres displacement, producing 370 bhp (280 kW). Achille Varzi joined the team and won the Tunis Grand Prix and the Coppa Acerbo (along with placing second in the Tripoli Grand Prix). Stuck won the Italian Grand Prix (along with second at the German Grand Prix), plus his usual collection of hill-climb wins, again taking the European Mountain Championship. The new sensation, Bernd Rosemeyer, won the Czech Grand Prix (and managed a second at the Eifel Grand Prix and Coppa Acerbo). Hans Stuck in ItalyHans Stuck also managed to break speed records, reaching 199 mph (320 km/h) on an Italian autostrada in a streamlined car with enclosed cockpit. Lessons learned from this streamlining were later applied to the T80 land speed record car.

For 1936, the engine had grown to the full 6 litres, and was now producing 520 bhp (390 kW); in the hands of Rosemeyer and his team-mates, the Auto Union Type C dominated the racing world. Rosemeyer won the Eifel, German, Swiss and Italian Grands Prix and the Coppa Acerbo (as well as second in the Hungarian Grand Prix). He was crowned European Champion (Auto Union's only win of the driver's championship), and for good measure also took the European Mountain Championship. Varzi won the Tripoli Grand Prix (and took second at the Monaco, Milan and Swiss Grands Prix). Stuck placed second in the Tripoli and German Grands Prix, and Ernst von Delius took second in the Coppa Acerbo. In 1937, the car was basically unchanged and did surprisingly well against the new Mercedes-Benz W125, winning 5 races to the 7 of Mercedes-Benz. Rosemeyer took the Eifel and Donington Grands Prix, the Coppa Acerbo, and the Vanderbilt Cup (and well as second in the Tripoli Grand Prix).

Rudolf Hasse won the Belgian Grand Prix (Stuck placed second). von Delius managed second in the Avus Grand Prix. In addition to the new 3-litre formula, 1938 brought other challenges, principally the death of Rosemeyer early in the year, in an attempt on the land speed record. The famed Tazio Nuvolari joined the team, and won the Italian and Donington Grands Prix, in what was otherwise a thin year for the team, other than yet another European Mountain Championship for Stuck. In 1939, as war clouds gathered over Europe, Nuvolari won the Yugoslavia Grand Prix in Belgrade (with a second place in the Eifel). Hermann P. Müller won the French Grand Prix (and took second in the German Grand Prix). Hasse managed a second place in the Belgian Grand Prix, and Georg Meier a second in the French.

Aftermath 1938 Auto-Union V12 type D saved from being cut up for scrapAlmost all of the original race cars were lost during or after World War II; after the war, since Auto Union was based in Zwickau, which was in East Germany, this contributed to the problem. One of the cars was brought to Moscow to study its technology. In 1976, the car was at the ZIL factory in Moscow and scheduled to be cut up for scrap metal. Viktors Kulbergs, president of Antique Automobile Club of Latvia, brought it to Riga and in 1997 it was fully restored and rebuilt by Crostwaite & Gardiner Buxted, England and Roach Manufacturing Ower, England. It is now on display at the Riga Motor Museum (Rīgas motormuzejs). Audi has rebuilt some cars recently based upon remaining parts, plans and knowledge. A hill climbing version was recently rebuilt by the Audi factory, and toured the major car shows, driven by Hans Stuck Jr., son of the original driver Hans Stuck, and a long-time Audi race driver himself.

Auto Union after World War II Auto Union 1000 Sp 1958 - 1965After the war, only the DKW brand was continued initially. All DKW cars had two stroke engines and front wheel drive. 1958 saw the return of the Auto Union brand, represented by the Auto Union 1000, a small saloon. At the same time the Auto Union 1000 Sp, a stylish coupé model, was produced for Auto Union by the Stuttgart coach builders, Baur. In impoverished postwar Germany, there was no place for luxury cars: the Wanderer and Horch brands never returned, but Audi did. Auto Union's pre-war rival Daimler-Benz acquired the business in 1958, and the six years of their ownership saw the creation of a range of cars that in the 1970s, (the Audi F103 series, the Audi 80, and the Volkswagen Passat), would provide the basis for a Volkswagen renaissance. Volkswagen Group purchased Auto Union in 1964: the Auto Union name, the two stroke engines and the DKW brand were all quickly dropped.

The last DKW, the F102, received a new four cylinder four stroke engine. For F103, the Audi brand was revived. From now on, the Audi brand was used to denote cars manufactured by the Ingolstadt-based company. For a while, after being merged with Neckarsulm car maker NSU Motorenwerke AG the official name was "Audi NSU Auto-Union AG", which was simply shortened to "Audi AG" in 1985. Auto Union clones The "Auto Union" Sokol Typ 650 in the Donington Grand Prix CollectionIn 1947, Automobiltechnisches Büro (ATB) created the Sokol Typ 650 Formula Two racer in the German Democratic Republic, using the talents of chassis designer Otto Seidan and engine designer Walther Träger (both former Auto Union employees), along with spare Auto Union parts and resembled the Type D. As Awtowelo it was successfully tested but never raced. Hitler-Porsche In February 2007, an Auto Union D Type nicknamed the "Hitler-Porsche" was auctioned by Christie's in Paris.

The 1939 Auto Union D-Type, thought to be one of only two in existence, has no actual connection to Adolf Hitler - he certainly never drove it, and probably never saw it, though he did commission Ferdinand Porsche in 1933 to design a car (aided by a grant from the German government) that could win Germany a Grand Prix. Although expected to be the most expensive car ever sold at auction at more than $12 million, the car did not find a buyer in the sealed auction. This was because of a discrepancy that was found with the chassis and engine numbers and the fact that they did not correspond with the numbers expected to be found on the car that it was believed to be. Further reading Cameron C. Earl, Investigation into the Development of German Grand Prix Racing Cars Between 1934 and 1939, (HMSO, London, 1948; re-printed 1996). This is the definitive technical reference on these cars (albeit now hard to find); Cyril Posthumus, The 16-cylinder G.P.

Auto Union (Profile Publications, Leatherhead, 1967); Ian Bamsey, Auto Union V16 Supercharged: A Technical Appraisal (Foulis, Yeovil, 1990); Leif Snellman, "The Early Auto Unions, From P-Wagen to A-type", at 8W.forix.com; Holger Merten, "Auto Union--The History of the AU Racing Department, a Tryptych of Essays on the Saxonian Marque's Racing Exploits", at 8W.forix.com; Jeroen Bruintjes, "Auto Union Type E--The Stillborn 1.5-litre car: Why it (Almost) did Exist", at 8W.forix.com; References ^ G.E.T. Eyston; Barré Lyndon (1935). Motor Racing and Record Breaking.

^ Miljoenen voor ‘Hitlers Porsche’ - Economie - de Volkskrant ^ 'World's most valuable car' fails to sell - CNN.com Chris Nixon, Racing the Silver Arrows: Mercedes-Benz versus Auto Union 1934-1939 (Osprey, London, 1986); Jeroen Bruintjes and Holger Merten, "Sokol 650--Post-war Auto Union in Disguise or Socialist F2 effort? Secrets of Tom Wheatcroft's 'Type E' unveiled", at 8W.forix.com External links Audi - Photos, News, Reviews, Specs, Car listings Service & Repair Audi The Audi history begins with a guy called August Horch, who started the Business HORCH & CO in 1899. It is truly one of the very multifaceted stories ever told in the background of the car. The Audi emblem with its four rings identifies one of Germany's earliest-established automobile manufacturers. It symbolizes the amalgamation in 1932 of four previously independent motor vehicle makers : DKW, Audi, Horch and Wanderer. These firms form the roots of what is now AUDI AG.

After differences of view with the board, August Horch formed another car company and left the business. Because his last name was currently being used and was guarded by trademark, he chose its Latin translation for the new business. It was a fantastic concept that originated from the son of one of August Horch's business associates. In 1928, Audi was got By Jorgen Rasmussen, owner of rival business DKW. A couple of years later, a merger between DKW, Audi, Horch and Wanderer happened and consequently, the Auto Union was formed in 1932. As a symbol of identity and unity of the newly formed auto - conglomerate those times called for a brand new badge and the four interlocked rings were born. Technological advancement became shape that was first taken by a top priority during the 2nd World War once an armored vehicle was created for the German Military. The new union had tremendous success in motor activity within the ensuing years. In the past few years throughout the second world war the Auto Union once again were compelled to construct vehicles for German military. Different war vehicles, engines, many bikes and even components for submarines were build until 1945.

At that point all manufacturing plants in Germany were entirely destroyed by American bombers. However, all the improvement would shortly be seriously slowed down and even stopped at times due to significant bombings. Moreover, as just as the battle had come to an end, Zwickau had been captured in the soviet occupation zone that will become The German Democratic Republic in 1949. Not only the firm's action was in danger but the Auto Union had also separated and the Union needed to be restarted n new reasons, in Ingolstadt, Bavaria. Because of his successful engagement in the Austrian Alpine Runs, August Horch succeeded in making Audi globally known in only a couple years. Following the First-world War, as an independent automotive pro August Horch moved to Berlin to act and withdrew from the business. Though dull at first, the just Ingolstadt based factory would bring most of the former employees and the building of twostroke engines would be resumed in a manner similar to that of Zwickau. By 1958, DaimlerBenz had previously got a whopping 87% of the Auto Union but its investment fast became property of Volkswagen, the business having purchased the factory and the brands in 1964.

Right after the change of possession, twostroke engines would be rmoved in favor of the much more and popular client appealing fourstroke ones. DKW, the top brand of the Union in the time neglected as a brand despite of Volkswagen chose to resurrect Audi and the changes it had created. The former DKW built as an Audi one version was rebranded and was the springboard for the make of later versions for example the 75, 60 and 80. After another merger with the Stuttgart based automobile-company NSU by 1970, Audi established itself as a dependable growing brand that would later split the German limits and expand to new markets, including the United States one where it encountered issues following the launch of a partial report that described the automobile as suffering form 'unintended acceleration'. This is a result of the close arrangement of the acceleration and brake pedals, right next to each other. Right after the report was launched, an unexpected decrease in sales was registered that was countered only years later with the 1996 launch of the version. Audi is now experiencing a privileged position and sizeable market share and is predicted to reach the generation threshold of 1 million units by the end of the year.

Read More ▼ Audi History Audi History Source: Audi Audi's history is one of the most many-faceted stories ever told in the history of the automobile in general. The Audi emblem with its four rings identifies one of Germany's oldest-established automobile manufacturers. It symbolises 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. The Audi badge – the 'Four Rings' – is the emblem of one of the oldest car manufacturers in Germany. On 14 November 1899, August Horch (1868 - 1951) established the company A. Horch & Cie. in the Ehrenfeld district of Cologne. Here he developed his first car, which was completed at the beginning of 1901. The company moved to Reichenbach in Saxony in March 1902 and converted to a share-issuing company two years later, which involved a further change in location. On 10 May 1904, A. Horch & Cie.

Motorwagen-Werke AG was established in Zwickau. The first Horch car took to the road in 1901: it had a horizontal engine which developed about 4-5 hp. An additional small piston in the engine was designed to absorb the vibrations of the crankshaft. August Horch referred to this as his 'impact-free' engine. Another new feature was the alloy crankcase, a pioneering achievement in car manufacturing. Following the establishment of the company in Cologne in 1899 and its relocation to Reichenbach in Saxony in 1902, the success of Horch cars made it clear that the factory had to be expanded. On the advice of his business associates, August Horch decided to establish a share-issuing company. New premises were found in Zwickau. Production started in 1904, the beginning of a long tradition of car manufacture in Zwickau. 1906 saw the launch of the 'Sulmobil', a three-wheeled vehicle with a 3.5 hp motorcycle engine. However, the 'Sulmobil' was not a success.

As a result, the first 'Original Neckarsulm Motor Car', with a 1308 cc four-cylinder engine and 10 hp, went into production the same year. In 1904 Jörgen Skafte Rasmussen set up on his own as a manufacturer of boiler fittings. In 1906 he purchased a textile mill in Zschopau, Saxony. Production started there in 1907. During the First World War Rasmussen worked on a steam-driven vehicle ('Dampfkraftwagen'), from which the three letters DKW were derived. In 1909 August Horch got into a dispute with the supervisory board of A. Horch & Cie. Motorwagen-Werke AG. Horch left the company he had set up. Shortly after, on 16 July 1909, he established a second company, Horch Automobil-Werke GmbH, in the same city. Horch lost the legal dispute over the company name. However, a solution to the problem was found: the Latin translation of his name (the German word for 'hark!').

The new company name, Audiwerke GmbH, became effective on 25 April 1910. The first Wanderer car with a 5/12 hp four-cylinder engine was test driven in 1912. It went into series production in 1913. This small Wanderer car had not been on the market very long when it became a stage star in the operetta 'Puppchen' (which can be translated loosely as 'darling') by Jean Gilbert. The title song was rather catchy: 'Darling, you are the apple of my eye, darling, I think the world of you.' From then on the little Wanderer was known simply by the name 'Puppchen'. The International Austrian Alpine Run was one of the most famous races of its time. August Horch took part in an Audi for the first time in 1911 and won first prize. This encouraged him to enter an Audi team in the challenge trophy in the years 1912 to 1914. Audi won the team prize in each of these three years. The Alpine Challenge Trophy was presented to the Audi drivers on 27 June 1914.

1921 Audi introduces left-hand drive Right-hand drive originated from the age of the horse and carriage, when the coachman sat on the right-hand side. In September 1921 Audi became the first German car manufacturer to present a production car with left-hand drive, the Audi Type K. By giving the driver a better view of oncoming traffic, consequently making overtaking manoeuvres in particular safer, left-hand drive became established by the end of the 1920s. 1922 The Start of DKW motorcycle manufacture In 1922 the company Zschopauer Motorenwerke started manufacturing its own motorcycles. The sporting successes of the lightweight motorcycles with 2.25 hp two-stroke engine were remarkable. Victories in the Berlin Avus race in 1922 and the triple victory by the DKW team in the ADAC Reichsfahrt the same year made people sit up and take notice. The first DKW motorcycle was consequently called the 'Reichsfahrt'. Over the next six years Zschopauer Motorenwerke/DKW established itself as the world's biggest motorcycle manufacturer.

1926 Horch - the first German eight-cylinder In 1926 Horchwerke AG of Zwickau presented the Horch 303 Berlin. This was the first German eight-cylinder car to go into volume production. The engine designed by Paul Daimler had double overhead camshafts driven by a vertical shaft. With a displacement of 3132 cc, the engine initially developed an output of 60 horsepower. 1928 Start of DKW car production Rasmussen finally had access to a powerful engine for the DKW car (600 cc, 15 hp) in the form of the two-cylinder motorcycle unit (1927). The vehicle, which had a load-bearing body covered in imitation leather, had rear-wheel drive. It was produced in the Spandau district of Berlin from 1928. 1931 The first volume-built car with front-wheel drive In August 1928 J. S. Rasmussen acquired the majority of shares in Audiwerke AG. He had the DKW small car with front-wheel drive produced in large numbers at this company in Zwickau from 1931.

This car also had a wooden body covered in imitation leather and the typical DKW two-stroke engine. This design formed the basis for one of the most successful German small cars of the 1930s, over 250,000 of which left the Zwickau plant up to 1942. 1932 Auto Union AG is established On 29th June 1932, the four Saxon motor-vehicle brands Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer joined forces to create Auto Union AG, which had its head office in Chemnitz. The new company group was consequently able to serve all market segments, from light motorcycles to luxury saloon cars. The first Audi with front-wheel drive At the 1933 Berlin Motor Show, Auto Union AG presented the new Audi, its first standard-size passenger car with front-wheel drive. The company used a kind of modular design principle for the first time and the Wanderer six-cylinder engine. 1934 The Auto Union grand prix racing cars The new Auto Union received its greatest popularity boost with the success of a racing car design that was based on plans by Ferdinand Porsche.

The sixteen-cylinder engine was installed behind the driver which had a very beneficial effect on the vehicle's aerodynamics. 1936 A new head office in Chemnitz In 1936 the group management of Auto Union, which had previously directed the company from Zschopau, moved into its new main office building in Chemnitz. In the same year, central facilities for design, development and testing were set up in Chemnitz. 1937 Speed records in the Streamliner racing The Auto Union racing cars were high-tech products in their time. They stood for supreme achievements in motor-vehicle construction that concentrated above all on high-performance engines, aerodynamic design and the systematic use of lightweight construction. The Auto Union car with streamlined fairing and an output of 545 horsepower was the first to exceed a speed of 400 km/h on a normal road. The First crash and rollover tests From 1938 Auto Union AG carried out systematic rollover and crash tests, one of the first manufacturers in the motor-vehicle industry to do so. Various DKW models with sheet-metal, wooden and plastic bodyshells were tested in order to examine the various ways in which these bodies behave in a rollover.

1941 Armaments production With the development and production of special vehicles for military purposes, Auto Union became an important supplier of vehicles to the armed forces in the mid-1930s. Following the outbreak of war, civilian production was interrupted in May 1940. After this, the company produced exclusively for military purposes. 1948 Dismantlement and expropriation On the orders of the Soviet military administration in Germany, the Saxon plants of Auto Union were dismantled in 1945 as reparations. Following this, the company's entire assets were expropriated without compensation. On 17 August 1948 Auto Union AG of Chemnitz was deleted from the Commercial Register. 1949 A new start in Ingolstadt Auto Union GmbH Loans from the Bavarian state government and Marshall Plan aid helped a new car manufacturing plant to be set up in Ingolstadt. Auto Union GmbH was established in Ingolstadt on 3 September 1949. Based on established DKW principles – front-wheel drive and two-stroke engine - production of a small but sturdy 125 cc motorcycle and a DKW delivery van started the same year.

1950 The first DKW passenger car after the war In August 1950 Auto Union produced its first post-war passenger car. This was the DKW Meisterklasse F 89 P, and was available as a saloon and a four-seater Karmann convertible. Since the facilities in Ingolstadt were not adequate for the production of this model, Auto Union used the premises of the company Rhein-metall-Borsig AG in Düsseldorf. DKW vehicles were built there until the end of 1961. 1951 NSU motorcycle sets world record As early as 1945, a modest number of motorcycles were built again at NSU in Neckarsulm. Within just a few years the plant developed to become one of the most important manufacturers in this sector. NSU motorcycles were state of the art. On 12 April 1951 the motorcycle racer Wilhelm Herz succeeded in setting a new world record on a section of the Munich-Ingolstadt autobahn by reaching a speed of 290 km/h on a supercharged 500 cc NSU racing motorcycle.

1953 DKW 'Sonderklasse' with three-cylinder Auto Union launched a new three-cylinder model in time for the 1953 German Motor Show. This went by the name of '3=6 Sonderklasse'. It was developed before the war in Chemnitz and was supposed to go into volume production in 1940. The name 3=6 referred to the fact that a three-cylinder two-stroke engine had the power characteristic of a six-cylinder four-stroke engine thanks to twice the number of combustion cycles. 1955 NSU is the world's biggest cycle manufacturer In 1955, NSU Werke AG in Neckarsulm proudly announced a total production volume of 342,583 two-wheeled vehicles (including 45,747 bicycles). This made NSU the world's leading manufacturer of two-wheelers. At the same time, motorcycle euphoria had reached its climax. As their wealth increased, customers became more and more demanding about their personal mode of transport. The car became the new people's dream in the economic miracle years.

1957 NSU returns to car manufacturing Following an absence of almost thirty years, NSU returned to car manufacturing in 1957. The company deliberately opted for a small car, designed for average earners and motorcycle owners. The NSU Prinz was unveiled at the 1957 German Motor Show and, from this date on, started to offset the losses on the collapsing motorcycle market. 1958 Daimler-Benz takes over Auto Union GmbH At the instigation of leading entrepreneur Friedrich Karl Flick, Daimler-Benz AG acquired the majority of and, subsequently, the remaining shares in Auto Union GmbH on 24 April 1958. From this date until the end of 1965, Auto Union was a fully owned subsidiary of the Stuttgart-based Daimler Group. 1959 The start of the new plant in Ingolstadt With Auto Union having stopped all motorcycle production activities in autumn 1958, its new car plant in Ingolstadt went into operation in the summer of 1959. This was one of the most modern production facilities in Europe. In 1962 the Auto Union plant in Düsseldorf was sold to Daimler-Benz.

1963 The NSU Prinz is the sensation at the IAA The open-top two-seater on the NSU stand at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show was a sensation. Known as the Wankel Spider, this small two-seater had a single-rotor rotary piston engine at the rear. NSU had been working together with Felix Wankel on a new engine concept since the beginning of the 1950s: instead of a reciprocating piston, a rotor compressed the fuel/air mixture (rotary piston engine). 1964 VW takes over Auto Union GmbH Once again at the instigation of leading industrialist Friedrich Karl Flick, Volkswagenwerk AG acquired the majority of shares in Auto Union GmbH in December 1964. The Ingolstadt-based company became a fully owned VW subsidiary from the end of 1966. 1965 The name Auid is reborn All work on the two-stroke engine came to an end when Auto Union became part of the Volkswagen Group.

A four-cylinder four-stroke engine developed previously under Daimler-Benz - known as the 'medium-pressure' engine - was installed in the last DKW model F 102 and presented as an Audi in the summer of 1965. 1967 NSU presents the Ro 80 In September 1967, NSU presented a completely new model in the upper mid-size category, the NSU Ro 80. Its outstanding feature was a 115 bhp twin-rotor rotary piston engine. Its modern body was ahead of its time and featured styling elements that only became the norm in body design several years later. The NSU caused a major sensation, but was unable to help the Wankel principle make the breakthrough hoped for. 1968 The Audi 100 is launched On 26 November 1968, Auto Union invited dealers and the press to attend the presentation of the newly designed Audi 100 at the Ingolstadt City Theatre. This model, developed by technical director Dr. Ludwig Kraus, took Audi into the competitive market segment of the upper mid-size class for the first time.

The Audi 100 quickly became a bestseller and formed the basis for a new Audi model series that ensured the future independence of the Audi brand. 1969 Audi NSU Auto Union AG 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, which had its head office in Neckarsulm. The Audi 80 is launched In the summer of 1972, the chairman of technical engineering Dr. Ludwig Kraus presented the Audi 80, the continuation of the model policy started with the Audi 100. This car used a four-cylinder OHC engine which was later also adopted by the Volkswagen Group, ultimately becoming the engine with the highest production volume at VW. The Audi 80 was a smash hit. Over a million of this model were built and sold within six years.

1974 Audi 50 - the answer to the oil crisis September 1974 saw the launch of the Audi 50, the smallest car in the Audi model range and Audi's answer to the energy crisis of the early 1970s. Since this was planned as a high-volume model from the outset, the small Audi was built at VW in Wolfsburg. Six months after the appearance of the Audi 50, this model was also launched on the market as the VW Polo. 1980 Audi quattro - a revolutionary drive concept In March 1980, a four-wheel-drive sports coupé caused a genuine sensation on the Audi stand 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. 1982 Audi 100 - the aerodynamics world champion In autumn 1982, Audi NSU Auto Union AG presented the third-generation Audi 100 (known internally as C3).

Thanks to lightweight construction throughout and, above all, the car's low drag coefficient of cD = 0.30, the new Audi 100 was synonymous with progressive design. In the words of the German publication Auto-Zeitung, 'in terms of aerodynamics, the new Audi 100 outclasses the rest of the automotive world.' 1985 Audi NSU Auto Union AG becomes AUDI AG When production of the Ro 80 was discontinued in 1977, the use of the name NSU as a product designation also came to an end. With effect from 1 January 1985, Audi NSU Auto Union AG was renamed AUDI AG. At the same time the company moved its head office from Neckarsulm to Ingolstadt. From this time on, products and the company had the same name. 1986 Fully galvanised: the third-generation Audi 80 In autumn 1986, AUDI AG presented the third generation of the Audi 80, known internally as the B3.

As with the Audi 100/200 model range the year before, the Audi 80 was now also given a fully galvanised body with a ten year warranty against rust penetration. With a drag coefficient of 0.29, the Audi 80 displayed excellent aerodynamics. 1988 Audi V8: the move into the premium class In 1988 AUDI AG ventured into the premium class for the first time with the launch of the Audi V8. This new model was fitted with a 184 kW (250 bhp) 3.6-litre eight-cylinder alloy engine. Technical details included permanent four-wheel drive, four valves per cylinder and a four-speed, electronically controlled automatic transmission. 1989 Audi turbodiesel with direct injection After over 13 years in development, Audi engineers succeeded in cultivating diesel direct injection, which had previously only been used on trucks, for car diesel engines as well. In conjunction with a turbocharger, it was also possible to achieve an extremely low-loss combustion process which resulted in very economical fuel consumption.

In the autumn of 1989, the Audi 100 was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show with a 2.5-litre five-cylinder TDI engine. 1991 Audi quattro Spyder and Audi Avus quattro Audi presented two sensational sports car studies in the autumn of 1991: the Audi quattro Spyder at the Frankfurt Motor Show and the Audi Avus quattro at the Tokyo Motor Show. The consistent use of aluminium for the bodyshells of these two model studies made reference to the future use of lightweight construction in volume production at Audi. 1993 Cars shed weight: the AUDI Space Frame For some years AUDI AG had been working together with the Aluminum Company of America on the development of a lightweight aluminium production car. The result was presented at the 1993 Frankfurt Motor Show: the aluminium study known as the Audi Space Frame. The body used new design principles: extruded aluminium sections connected together by diecast nodes form a frame structure into which aluminium panels are integrated, where they have a load-bearing function.

1994 New name, new material: the Audi A8 In March 1994, AUDI AG presented its new model in the premium segment, the Audi A8, at the Geneva Motor Show. This was the first production model with all-aluminium body. At the same time a new naming process was introduced for the Audi models. From then on the Audi 80 was known as the A4, the Audi 100 was called the A6. They were followed in 1996 by the Audi A3, the first representative of the compact class. Production of the Audi A2, the first volume-built aluminium car, commenced in June 2000. Companies and brands > Audi Middle East more Four brands – four rings 1932: Vier interlocking rings symbolised the merger of four automobile manufacturers based in the German state of Saxony: Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer became Auto Union AG, then the second-largest motor vehicle manufacturing group in Germany.

more Four rings – Audi Using synergies – this was the Audi brand’s motto when developing a systematic platform strategy: front-wheel drive from DKW, engines from Wanderer and bodies from Horch were features of the Audi model range from 1933 onwards. more Four rings – DKW DKW products were regarded as good performers: practical, reliable and economical. The DKW brand supplied the Auto Union models that sold in large numbers, and was therefore of decisive importance for the new group’s success. more Four rings – Horch The Horch factory in Zwickau never departed from the principle laid down by the company’s founder: to build only powerful, high-quality cars. The Auto Union therefore sold Horch cars in the premium segment of the market. more Four rings – Wanderer When Auto Union AG was formed, Wanderer’s car division had the task of producing midsize cars. In the years that followed, the brand’s sporty, progressive aspects were emphasised more and more.

more A new start in Ingolstadt 1949: What was originally a depot for Auto Union spare parts in the former garrison town of Ingolstadt became the headquarters of Auto Union GmbH, a new company that continued the motor-vehicle traditions associated with the four-ring emblem. more The brand born again 1965: The new DKW F 102 model appeared on the market, the brand’s first post-war car with a four-stroke engine. This was the beginning of a new era, and the brand therefore deserved a new name: Audi, a name rich in tradition, was revived. more Merger with NSU In 1969 Volkswagenwerk AG engineered the merger of Auto Union GmbH and the Neckarsulm-based NSU Motorenwerke AG. The new company was known as Audi NSU Auto Union AG and had its registered offices in Neckarsulm. more Vorsprung durch Technik The extensive range of Audi and NSU models covering a wide variety of engines and drive concepts prompted the coining of a new advertising slogan in 1971, and one that has effectively been the company's mission statement ever since: "Vorsprung durch Technik".

Volkswagen - VW Group ‘to adopt Auto Union name’ | GoAuto > News | Volkswagen company news | - VW Group ‘to adopt Auto Union name’ News - Volkswagen VW Group ‘to adopt Auto Union name’ Ring in the changes: The four companies that joined to form Auto Union in the 1930s are represented by the rings of its original badge. Rumours suggest Volkswagen head office might take historic Auto Union name 16 July 2014 By DANIEL GARDNER GLOBAL automotive giant Volkswagen Group might be on the brink of world re-branding, with sources suggesting to GoAuto that the German company could resurrect the VW-owned but dormant Auto Union nameplate as the umbrella title for the group. Volkswagen and Audi spokespersons in Australia told GoAuto that they were unaware of any plans to resurrect the name or change the VW Group title, but a source said such a move could be on the cards. Under such an arrangement, Volkswagen would become the name of the range of VW-badged vehicles, separating the affordable product branding from the overall corporate image.

The theory goes that head office would adopt the historic Auto Union brand that dates from the 1930s when four German car manufacturers joined forces to create a competitor for the likes of Mercedes-Benz, creating the famous four-ringed symbol now used exclusively by VW-owned Audi. Volkswagen Group also owns high-profile, high-performance vehicle-makers such as Lamborghini, Bentley and Bugatti amongst its 10 vehicle brands, as well as Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati. Volkswagen Group Australia communications general manager Karl Gehling told GoAuto: “I've never heard the rumour. It’s a new story to me, but I’ll certainly keep an ear out now.” Audi Australia senior product communications executive Shaun Cleary told GoAuto that from Audi’s perspective, there were no plans to resurrect the Auto Union name, which represents Audi’s heritage, especially for racing before World War 2. Mr Cleary said questions regarding Volkswagen Group matters could only be answered by VW. Auto Union was formed in 1932 when the four German companies – Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer – merged. Production was halted in World War 2, but resumed in 1949 with production of DKW two-stroke cars.

Rival Daimler Benz acquired 87 per cent of the company in 1958 and resurrected the Auto Union name, but sold out to VW in 1964. The Audi name was also resumed a year later with the introduction of a car that became known as “the Audi”. A move to rename VW Group would bring the corporation into line with rival Daimler, which sells its vehicles under the separate Mercedes-Benz, Smart, Fuso and Freightliner badges. The Volkswagen Group owns Audi AG, Automobili Lamborghini, Bentley Motors, Bugatti Automobiles, Porsche AG, Ducati Motor Holding, SEAT, Skoda Automobilova, Volkswagen commercial Vehicles and Volkswagen Cars, as well as shares in Scania, MAN and the Suzuki Motor Corporation. It is not the first time such a move has been mooted. The automotive giant was reportedly considering changing its name from Volkswagen Group to Auto Union to avoid confusion between the entities in 2004.

Question: The car company Auto Union was formed in 1932 by the amalgamation of four manufacturers, by what name is it now known?
Answer: Audi