Let’s start at the very beginning: the Audi brand’s history dates back to the 19th century and includes
Julius Horch The mechanical engineer established his own company, August Horch & Cie, in 1899. Initially, he produced two-cylinder autos, and later, four-cylinder vehicles. He departed the business in 1909 as a result of a disagreement with the board of directors.
Horch then started a new vehicle company that same year. He could not use the name Horch because it was already in use, so he converted his last name into Latin: “Audi. The first vehicle under the new brand hit the streets in 1910. With three victories in a row at the International Austrian Alpine Rally, one of the toughest rallies of the day, between 1912 and 1914, Audi attracted attention.
In This Article...
Four ringsfour brands
Four interlocking rings represented the joining of four Saxony-based automakers: Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer to form Auto Union AG. Here are some quick facts about the history of the current AUDI AG.
How did Audi come up with its moniker and four rings?
Going all the way to the beginning August Horch in the 19th century marked the start of the Audi brand’s history. In 1899, the mechanical engineer established his own company, August Horch & Cie. He started out making cars with two and eventually four cylinders. He departed the business in 1909 as a result of disagreements with the board.
Horch established a new automobile company as a result that same year. Horch was already in use, and it was against the law for him to use it, so he changed it to Audi. The first vehicle under the new marque entered commerce in 1910. With its three victories in a row in the International Austrian Alpine Ride, one of the most difficult rallies of the period, between 1912 and 1914, Audi attracted a lot of attention.
The union of the four Saxon automakers Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer, and Auto Union AG is represented by four interlaced rings. a description of the company’s historical foundations.
The combination of the four Saxon automakers Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer into Auto Union AG is represented by four interlaced rings. When Auto Union AG was established, it was Germany’s second-largest automaker. a description of the company’s historical foundations.
Audi
August Horch created the business in Zwickau on July 16, 1909, however it was forbidden by competition law to use his name any more. Your choice for the Latin equivalent of the phrase “horch!” is “audi!” The second business established by August Horch has been doing business as Audi Automobilwerke GmbH, Zwickau, since April 25, 1910.
DKW
Rasmussen & Ernst was initially established in Chemnitz in 1902, but in 1907 it relocated its headquarters to Zschopau in the Ore Mountains. Initial products and sales included all varieties of centrifuges, vulcanizing equipment, evaporator oilers for steam power plants, fenders and vehicle lights, and vehicle lights. Jrgen Skafte Rasmussen, the company’s founder, began testing a steam car in 1916 “DKW, from which he was subsequently shielded in 1922. Beginning as a toy engine, two-stroke engines were first produced in 1919. The company changed its name in 1921 “JS Rasmussen OHG Zschopauer Motorenwerke The first DKW-branded motorcycles rolled out of the Zschopau facility a year later.
Horch
There were some vehicle manufacturing enterprises in Germany at the end of the 19th century. One of them was known as August Horch & Cie., and it was established on November 14, 1899, in Cologne. One of the early engineers in the field of automotive technology was August Horch. He had previously worked for Carl Benz in Mannheim for three years as the director of automobile engineering before launching his own company. August Horch relocated his business to Zwickau and changed it into a public limited corporation in 1904.
Wanderer
Since 1885, the two mechanics Richard Adolf Jaenicke and Johann Baptist Winklhofer have had a bicycle repair business in Chemnitz. They started building the then-in-demand two-wheelers own a short while afterwards, and they soon started selling them under the brand name “Wanderer.” Since 1896, the business was known as Wanderer Fahrradwerke AG. Wanderer created the first motorcycle in 1902. In 1913, the concept of increasing production to include automobiles was implemented.
Auto Union AG, Chemnitz
The Saxon State Bank spearheaded the June 29 merger of the Audiwerke, Horchwerke, and Zschopauer Motorenwerke JS Rasmussen AG (DKW) to create the Auto Union AG. In order to acquire the Wanderer automotive division, a purchase and lease arrangement was made with the Wanderer plants at the same time. The new group had its headquarters in Chemnitz. When Auto Union AG was established, it was Germany’s second-largest automaker. The company’s logo featured four interlinked rings to represent the unbreakable bond between the four founding businesses. Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer are still used as brand names. Within the group, each of the four brands was given a specific market niche: Horchluxury vehicles for the top class; Wanderermid-range cars; Audiautomobiles in the upper middle class segment.
The Wanderer firm started as a bicycle repair shop. Later, she began to construct two-wheelers, initially without a motor and then with one. The Puppchen, the first tiny car made by the company, debuted in 1913.
DKW, one of the biggest motorcycle manufacturers at the time, was the fourth business. In 1916, Jrgen Skafte Rasmussen, the founder of the Danish business, began testing a steam automobile (DKW). After the failed attempts, Rasmussen started creating two-stroke engines. DKW became the most significant pre-war motorcycle company a few years later. DKW began producing automobiles in 1928.
The global economic crisis welds together: the Audi logo is created
Due to the Great Depression in 1929, demand fell. The four successful automotive businesses at the time were experiencing financial issues. The Saxon State Bank came up with the idea to combine the four brands as a solution. When judged by the number of cars manufactured, Auto Union AG, then Germany’s second-largest automaker, was founded. It gave rise to the precursor of the current AUDI AG.
What does the four-circle automobile sign mean?
Audi created a film that explains the logo’s history, so you no longer have to wonder. The four rings stand for the four separate automakers that joined together in 1932 to form the Auto Union. German engineer August Horch started Horch, the first of these automakers, in 1899.
What does the German word Audi mean?
German automaker AUDI AG makes vehicles under the Audi brand. The Volkswagen Group includes it. The Latinized version of founder August Horch’s last name, which is the German word for “listen,” served as the inspiration for the name Audi. Germany’s Ingolstadt serves as the home base for Audi.
August Horch, a pioneer in the automobile industry, established August Horch Automobilwerke GmbH in Germany on July 16, 1909. A short while later, he changed the company’s name to Audi Automobilwerke, the Latin version of his last name.
To become Auto Union AG in 1932, Audi merged with Horch, DKW, and Wanderer. The brands Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer are represented by the four rings of the Audi logo. The four interconnected rings were a unique feature of Auto Union AG’s racing cars prior to World War II. The names and logos of the member companies were used.
On September 3rd, 1949, Auto Union GmbH was founded in Ingolstadt after a series of adjustments as WWII drew to a close.
On April 24, 1958, Daimler-Benz AG purchased the bulk of Auto Union GmbH’s shares, followed by the remaining ones. Auto Union was a wholly owned subsidiary of the Stuttgart-based Daimler Group from this day until the end of 1965.
Of December 1964, Volkswagenwerk AG bought the bulk of the stock in Auto Union GmbH; towards the end of 1966, Audi became a fully owned VW subsidiary.
The newly acquired NSU Motorenwerke AG by VW and the Ingolstadt-based Auto Union GmbH amalgamated to establish Audi NSU Auto Union AG in March 1969.
A four-wheel-drive sports coup was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1980. The first four-wheel-drive high-performance car was the Audi Quattro. Only trucks and off-road vehicles had previously utilised this drive concept. The Audi Quattro’s permanent all-wheel-drive technology was an international racing sensation that eventually made its way into the full lineup of Audi vehicles.
Audi NSU Auto Union AG changed its name to AUDI AG in January 1985. The business also relocated its headquarters from Ingolstadt at the same time. From that point on, both the firm and the cars shared the same name.
Is Audi a premium company?
From Germany, where its history began, to South Korea and Brazil, Audi has emerged as one of the top premium automobile manufacturers worldwide. The variety of models, technologies, and designs is valued by customers. Continue reading to learn how Audi’s sales and popularity have increased on a global scale.
Horch & Cie, a German automobile firm, was founded by August Horch in Cologne in 1899. After constructing his first automobile there, he quit the company due to differences with the management team and founded Audiwerke. The following achievements came after and contributed to their current success:
- Recognition is given to the automobile models’ accomplishments at the International Austrian Alpine Runs from 1911 to 1914.
- NSU, Wanderer, and DKW joined forces with Audi in this venture (this is what each of the four rings in the Audi logo stands for)
- The majority of the shares are acquired by J.S. Rasmussen in 1928, and he goes on to produce the most popular car of the 1930s, the DKW compact car with front-wheel drive.
- In the 1980s, Audi began producing sports coupe variants, and the world was fascinated.
Audi’s popularity has grown as it has introduced its many models to more international markets. In China, it has dominated the market and outsold rival German automakers Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Below is a list of several tactics Audi use to surpass its competitors:
1. Parts exchange with the owner’s Volkswagen
Audi is owned by Volkswagen, and the two businesses share some components. This gives the two businesses these benefits:
- simpler fixes, instruction
- reduced expenses and parts
- It is easier and less expensive to diagnose a component problem and issue a recall.
- enables them to address issues swiftly enough to avoid harm to the reputation of the brand
2. A Better Design
- Interiors with higher-quality materials
- For the exteriors, a subtle, minimalist style is preferred.
- Automotive LED and Xenon lighting innovator
3. Promotion
In recent years, Audi has pioneered the way for efficient and straightforward marketing strategies that draw in both new and recurring customers.
- TV ads, minisites, and slick websites
- Considering the interests of their customers
- developing a reputation as a pioneer in SUVs and sports cars
4. Input
From some of their early models, Audi and VW have risen in the quality and reputation rankings.
- formerly renowned for jammed gas pedals and blown coil packs
- Currently viewed as a rival to long-term luxury leader BMW
- Audi and VW have worked hard to stay on schedule and maintain their pride in innovation.
Audi has employed a variety of strategies to increase its client base and to advertise its reputation as a trustworthy and superior brand. They put a lot of work into their marketing initiatives, vehicle design, and part sharing to simplify maintenance.
What does the English word Audi mean?
People who emphasize August Horch, a German engineer who created the company, are in the “Aw-dee camp.
Horch is a German term that meaning “listen,” and the Latin word for that is “audi, from which the name of the company he created derives. Numerous individuals believe that Audi should be pronounced similarly to other Latin-derived words like “words like “audio,” “auditory,” “audible, etc. However, we’re here to inform you that this is untrue.
In fact, the brand’s name should be pronounced “The brand’s own reps exclaim, “Ow-dee.”
“According to Loren Angelo, vice president of marketing for Audi of America, the Latin word “Audi” means “listen” and loosely translates to “horch” in German, which is obviously an homage to the company’s original creator, August Horch. “Since the name Audi is so near to the word “audio,” we frequently hear it pronounced “Aw-dee,” but just to be clear, the correct pronunciation is “Ow-dee,” which sounds like “howdy” or “outie,” like the belly button!
So there you go, everyone. Directly from the source, it is “Ow-dee rather than “Aw-dee. Friends, let’s talk about how to pronounce “Porsche” and “Jaguar” correctly now.
Do Audis cost a lot to maintain?
Additionally, CARCHEX contracts have affordable prices. The terms for bumper-to-bumper protection on a 2017 Honda CR-V with 45,000 kilometers are as follows:
FAQ: Audi Maintenance Cost
Audis are expensive to maintain as vehicles. The average annual cost of an Audi repair, according to RepairPal, is $987. This is significantly more than the $652 average across all brands. Because Audis are luxury automobiles and employ pricey speciality parts, their routine maintenance expenses are also probably a little more than those of most other types.
If maintained properly, almost any car, even an Audi, may last for many years. Audi owners claim to have kept their cars for up to 150,000 miles.
Audi automobiles do not include maintenance for nothing. Customers can, however, purchase Audi prepaid maintenance contracts. Some Audi dealers might provide free vehicle maintenance protection.
Why does the Audi logo exist?
Audi AG, also known as Audi, is a German luxury car manufacturer with headquarters in Ingolstadt, Bavaria. Its German pronunciation is [adi ae](listen). In nine manufacturing plants across the world, Audi produces automobiles as a division of its parent business, the Volkswagen Group.
August Horch, an engineer, formed the first businesses in the early 20th century, including Horch and the Audiwerke, as well as two additional manufacturers, DKW and Wanderer, which eventually led to the founding of Auto Union in 1932. In the 1960s, Volkswagen purchased Auto Union from Daimler-Benz, ushering in the contemporary Audi era. [9] Volkswagen combined Auto Union and NSU Motorenwerke in 1969, reintroducing the Audi brand with the 1965 release of the Audi F103 series and giving the business its current structure.
The Latin translation of the founder’s last name, August Horch, served as the inspiration for the firm name. Horch, which in German means “listen,” becomes audi in Latin. The four rings of the Audi logo each stand for one of the four automakers that joined together to establish Auto Union, the firm that preceded Audi. Vorsprung durch Technik, or “Being Ahead via Technology,” is Audi’s catchphrase. [10] One of the most popular luxury car brands worldwide is Audi, which is also sold by rival German automakers BMW and Mercedes-Benz. [11]