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]
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Where did Audi get its start?
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.
American or German designates Audi.
Who owns Audi, one of the top German automakers still today? The Volkswagen Group subsidiary Audi has continued to make high-end automobiles that dazzle with their opulent features and superb performance while staying faithful to its German heritage.
Is Audi an Austrian or German brand?
On April 24th, 1958, Daimler-Benz AG purchased Auto Union GmbH. But this ownership was only in place until 1965. Auto Union remained a wholly owned subsidiary of the Stuttgart-based Daimler Group at that time.
Volkswagenwerk AG eventually intervened. Volkswagen bought the bulk of the Auto Union shares in December 1964. By the end of the 1966 fiscal year, the Volkswagen motor group acquired 100 percent of Audi.
Then, in 1969, Volkswagen subsidiary Auto Union and NSU Moterenwerk merged to form Audi NSU Auto Union AG. In actuality, Volkswagen still owns this division. Yes, it is a German automobile company. The corporate headquarters of both Volkswagen and Audi are located in Germany. They both manufacture high-end German automobiles, and they have sales offices around the world that help sell well-known makes like Audi SUVs.
Locations world wide
The two German locations of Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm are included in the global network of Audi Group production facilities, together with those in Hungary, Belgium, and Mexico. Audi makes automobiles internationally in Brazil, India, and China in addition to Slovakia and Spain in the group network of its parent business Volkswagen. Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., an entirely owned subsidiary of AUDI AG, is another company. The adage “one name, one standard, everywhere” is applicable to each of these websites.
Is BMW British or German?
Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH, or the Bavarian Engine Works Company, is what the abbreviation BMW stands for. The corporation was founded in the German state of Bavaria, hence the name. It also represents the original BMW product line, which included engines for diverse uses.
Is Audi superior to BMW?
It’s difficult to predict who will win the Audi vs. BMW competition. The same target market is being courted by both producers, but they focus on distinct specifications and features.
When it comes to technology and style, Audi is the winner, but BMW offers a smoother, sportier driving experience. When it comes to safety features, both brands score highly, however Audi has far lower reliability ratings. Although there isn’t much of a difference in price between the two, Audi’s reliability difficulties are evident in the price of repairs.
In the end, they are both fairly similar automobile makers with comparable models that appeal to slightly different demographics. Choose a BMW if you want a sporty, controlled ride. Choose an Audi if you want something with understated style and cutting-edge technology.
We can help if you’re interested in a certain Audi or BMW model. We’ve written a number of thorough comparative pages on particular models, including:
How German is Volvo?
Although it was claimed that Volkswagen, a German automaker, would take over when Volvo Cars went on sale, Volvo Cars is a Swedish-made brand.
German Aston Martin?
How British is Aston Martin? Yes, many people associate the British automaker Aston Martin with one James Bond. Aston Martin sports cars and grand tourers are currently produced in the Warwickshire village of Gaydon, England, which also serves as the company’s headquarters.
Why do the 4 rings in the Audi logo?
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.
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.
Who designed BMW?
Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto are the founders of BMW. At the government’s request, the Flugmaschinenfabrik Gustav Otto firm amalgamated into Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke AG (BFW) in 1916. The Rapp Motorenwerke company changed its name to Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH in 1917, and that corporation was then transformed into an AG (public limited company) in 1918. In 1922, BMW AG handed its engine construction operations, together with the business and brand identities, to BFW. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG was established on March 7, 1916, which will forever be known as the founding day of BFW.
The BMW insignia, which integrates the colors of the Bavarian state, has been proudly featured on each of the company’s products since 1917. The company’s advertising at the end of the 1920s included the logo for the first time as a whirling propeller, which has subsequently seen numerous interpretations.
Following the ban on the production of aero-engines, railway brakes and inboard engines were produced after the war. The banker Camillo Castiglioni purchased engine production together with the personnel and production facilities, the firm name, and the blue and white emblem after the company was sold to Knorr Bremse AG in 1920. After that, he forwarded everything to “Bayerische Flugzeuge-Werke AG” (BFW). The business moved the same year to BFW’s production facilities at Munich’s Oberwiesenfeld airport. The BMW Group’s primary facility and corporate offices are still located here.
In 1923, the R 32, BMW’s first motorcycle, was introduced to considerable fanfare. Up until that point, the business had only provided engines, not entire automobiles. In the company’s bikes today, the basic design of the original BMW Motorrad modela boxer engine with longitudinally positioned cylinders and shaft drive is still used.
In 1928, BMW acquired the business formerly known as Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach, becoming an automaker. All BMW automobiles were produced in this facility in Germany’s Thuringia region up until the outbreak of World War II. The Austin Motor Company granted BMW permission to manufacture the company’s first little car in 1929. However, in 1932, the company’s own designs took its place.
BMW underwent a transition throughout the National Socialist era, going from a mobility company to an arms manufacturer, and eventually becoming one of the most significant businesses involved in the German war economy. The manufacturing of cars and motorcycles was still going on, but the majority of the company’s sales came from the aero-engine business. To accommodate the need for armaments, new locations were created and manufacturing was dramatically increased.
Volvo is it Swedish?
Volvo Cars is a Swedish firm that started producing safe and opulent cars in Gothenburg, Sweden. The firm was established in 1927 by Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson, and the V4, often known as Jakob, was the first car ever constructed.