Audi Cars

Table of contents

Audi History

Audi Cups From The Modern Era

Audi, the leading German auto manufacturer, continues to develop its extensive high quality line up. Read on for links, guides and information about different Audi models, as well as user reviews and price comparison guides. Also provided is a brief history of Audi, including some key dates in the companys illustrious history.

Audi Types

• Audi 80 – Classic coupes and estates with good engines. This popular compact executive car was produced from 1966 to 1996.

• Audi A2 – Impressively designed super compact car with innovative aluminium frame and good environmental credentials.

• Audi A3 – Luxury, stylish medium sized coupe/ cabriolet similar to the TT.

• Audi A4 – Executive compact coupe/cabriolet/estate with impressive safety record and features list.

• Audi A6- World car of the year mid size luxury executive class. Available as both Saloons and Avant (Estate) versions.

• Audi Cabriolet – Classy and super stylish luxury open top available in a range of classifications from Audi.

• Audi Coupe – Classic sports versions from the Audi line include The Audi Coupé G 2-door sports and luxury Audi TT.

• Audi Q7 – Mid size luxury SUV with superb specification list.

• Audi S3 – Hi tech high performance version of the A3.

• Audi S4 - High performance sport version of the popular Audi A4 available as saloon, estate and cabriolet and featuring Audi Quattro permanent four-wheel-drive.

• Audi S8 – Ultra high performance version of the Audi A8 executive car.

• Audi TT – Audi’s acclaimed roadsters and sports coupes just get better and better.

Audi History

Audi history is one of the most varied stories in the history of German automobile production. The Audi emblem with its four rings is recognised everywhere. It symbolises the amalgamation of four previously independent manufacturers - Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer. This historic even occurred in 1932 and led to what is today known as AUDI AG but was then known as Auto Union AG. In the 1930s Auto Union supplied the widest range of passenger vehicles that German industry could offer including motorcycles and luxury saloons. The rise of Audi occurred in the post-war era and the key to the rise of the modern Audi brand was the 1965 purchase by Volkswagen. The first new car of the Audi regime was the Audi 100 in 1968. VW introduced the Audi brand to the US for the 1970 model year. Although the Audi reputation during the earlier era was for conservative popular performance vehicles this was the start of successive landmark models for Audi, including the more recent Audi TT, Convertible and the Q7, all of which have transformed Audis image to one which now combines greater style and elegance along with the heritage of reliability and performance. The Audi brand as we enter 2008 continues to go from strength to strength and the Audi range are now some of the most sought after vehicles on the block. In 2006 The Audi luxury division sold 964,200 cars with the TT Roadster and Q7 sport-utility vehicles especially popular. In the same period Germany based Audi sales rose to a record for the 12th successive year. Similarly, record revenue and profit was posted for 2007.

Audi Important Historical Dates

• 1899 - August Horch established the company A. Horch & Cie in Cologne, his first car, which was completed at the beginning of 1901.

• 1906 - Saw the launch of the Sulmobil, a three-wheeled vehicle offering a 3.5 hp motorcycle engine.

• 1910 - New company name, Audiwerke GmbH, became effective on 25 April 1921 - Audi became the first German car manufacturer to present a production car with left hand drive - the Audi Type K.

• 1933 - Auto Union AG presented the new Audi, its first standard-size passenger car with front-wheel drive.

• 1950- DKW F 89 P Meisterklasse saloon and convertible - two-cylinder, two-stroke engine.

• 1951- The Universal estate car - two-seater convertible and two-seater coupe added to the range of DKW cars.

• 1958 - Production of DKW motorcycles in Ingolstadt wound down.

• 1963 - Open-top two-seater the Wankel Spider showcased - a small two-seater had a single-rotor rotary piston engine.

• 1965 – Audi became part of the VW group.

• 1968 - First Audi 100 quickly becoming a bestseller ensuring the future independence of the Audi brand.

• 1972 – Audi 80 a four-cylinder OHC engine. Later also adopted by Volkswagen, becoming the engine with the highest production volume at VW.

• 1974 - Audi 50, the first German-built compact-class car.

• 1980 - Audi Quattro: first volume production car with high-performance permanent four-wheel drive.

• 1989 – TDI developed. Audi engineers succeeded in cultivating diesel direct injection, previously seen only on trucks.

• 1994 - Audi A8 launch with the revolutionary aluminium-based Audi Space Frame.

• 1996 - Audi A4, a worthy successor to the Audi 80.

• 1999 - Audi TT. The iconic Roadster Production version of the Al2 is born.

• 2001 – Award winning upper mid-size category A6 relaunch. Continued to be built until 2004.

• 2007 – Debut of Audi A5 and S5 coupe, a dramatically styled coupé combining four-seat practicality.

Audi Le Mans

No other team has won 24 Hours racing at Le Mans more often than Reinhold Joests team. In 2007, the German squad worked its name for the ninth time on to the winners list. Audi Sport Team Joest has won the 24 Hours Le Mans classic French endurance race on five occasions. Also Audi has achieved 30 wins and four titles with Audi R8 in the American Le Mans Series. The almost 50-man strong Audi Sport Team Joest is strengthened at Le Mans by personnel from Audi Sport and Audi Sport North America.

Audi Cups From The Modern Era

Winner of Le Mans 24 Hours - 1984, 1985, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007

Winner of American Le Mans Series - 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
Winner of Sebring 12 Hours - 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007
Winner of ITC - 1996
Winner of Daytona 24 Hours - 1980