Auto Union and Neckarsulm-based NSU, which is located close to Stuttgart, amalgamated in 1969. The NSU Prinz, whose TT and TTS versions are still in demand as vintage race cars, was one of the company’s tiny automobiles. NSU had previously been the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the world. NSU then concentrated on developing new rotary engines based on Felix Wankel’s theories. The new NSU Ro 80 was an automobile that, in 1967, was well ahead of its time in terms of technical aspects including aerodynamics, light weight, and safety. The independence of NSU was, however, ended by rotary engine teething issues. The larger Audi models A6 and A8 are currently produced in the Neckarsulm factory. The “quattro GmbH,” a company in charge of the development and manufacture of the R8 and the RS model line of Audi high-performance vehicles, is based in the Neckarsulm facility.
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Modern era
With its headquarters at NSU’s Neckarsulm plant, the newly combined business, known as Audi NSU Auto Union AG, was established on 1 January 1969. This was the first time since the pre-war era that Audi emerged as a distinct brand. For the 1970 model year, Volkswagen launched the Audi brand in the United States. The mid-sized automobile that NSU had been developing, the K70, which was originally supposed to sit between the futuristic NSU Ro 80 and the rear-engined Prinz models, was instead introduced as a Volkswagen that same year.
Following the 1968 introduction of the Audi 100, the 1972 Audi 80/Fox (which served as the inspiration for the 1973 Volkswagen Passat) and the 1974 Audi 50 (eventually rebadged as the Volkswagen Polo) followed. Because it was the initial iteration of the Golf/Polo concept, which eventually resulted in a very popular global automobile, the Audi 50 was a crucial design. In the end, the Audi 80 and 100the predecessors of the A4 and A6, respectivelybecame the company’s top sellers, while the dwindling NSU lineup received little attention. The Prinz models were discontinued in 1973, and the fatally flawed NSU Ro80 was discontinued in 1977, effectively putting an end to the NSU brand. As the 1970s went on, production of the Audi 100 gradually shifted from Ingolstadt to Neckarsulm, and by the time the second generation C2 variant was introduced in 1976, full production had shifted to the former NSU facility. From that point forward, higher-end Audi vehicles would be made in Neckarsulm.
The request by chassis engineer Jrg Bensinger[26] to adapt the four-wheel drive system in Volkswagen’s Iltis military vehicle for an Audi performance car and rally racing car was approved because the company’s reputation at the time was conservative. The performance vehicle, known as the “Audi Quattro,” debuted in 1980. It was a turbocharged coup and the first German large-scale production automobile with permanent all-wheel drive via a center differential. Few of these cars were made (they were all hand-built by a single team), but the model was a great success in rallying. It is commonly known as the “Ur-Quattro” (the “Ur-” prefix is a German augmentative used, in this case, to mean “original” and is applied to the first generation of Audi’s S4 and S6 Sport Saloons, as in “UrS4” and “UrS6”). All-wheel-drive racecars were proven to be viable by notable victories, and the name Audi came to represent advancements in automobile technology.
The Auto Union and NSU brands had mostly died out by 1985, therefore the company’s full name was now Audi AG. In addition, two new wholly owned subsidiaries, Auto Union GmbH and NSU GmbH, were established to own and manage the historical trademarks and intellectual property of the original constituent companies (with the exception of Horch, which had been retained by Daimler-Benz after the VW takeover) and to run Audi’s heritage operations. At the same time, the company’s headquarters relocated back to Ingolstadt.
In what did Audi usher in 1980?
At the 1980 Geneva Motor Show, the Audi quattro, an angular coup with a five-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 147 kW, was equipped with the revolutionary technology for the first time (200 PS). The original quattro, which was initially only intended for low-volume production, ended up surviving in the model lineup until 1991 after undergoing various improvements. The Audi Sport quattro, which had a shorter wheelbase, joined it in 1984. It was a unique high-performance sports automobile at the time and produced 225 kW (306 PS).
Audi introduced the second version of their quattro technology with the 1986 release of the new 80, which featured the Torsen differential (Torsen: torque sensing), which was created as a worm gear gearbox. Up to 75% of the torque may be transferred to the other axle when a vehicle axle lost traction due to friction that was formed in the differential’s helical gears.
The Audi RS 4 was the next significant development for vehicles with longitudinal front-mounted engines in 2005. The improved planetary gearing allowed for even greater locking values and, under typical circumstances, distributed the forces in a 40:60 ratio. Since then, this third generation of the center differential has gone through additional rounds of development and is still a part of the range.
What is Audi recognized for most?
High-end luxury vehicles are what Audi, a German automaker with headquarters in Ingolstadt, is famous for.
Thanks to its distinctive design identity, stellar racing heritage, and adoption of cutting-edge technology, the firm has developed over the last 100 years to become one of the most known brands in the world.
The history of Audi is complicated. In 1932, DKW, Wanderer, and a few businesses created by August Horch in the early 1900s under the names Horch and Audiwerke came together to form Auto Union.
The contemporary era of the Audi brand, however, began in the 1960s after the Volkswagen Group acquired the business from Daimler-Benz.
It’s interesting to note that the name “Audi” is derived from the founder’s last name, August Horch, in Latin. “Horch” means “listen” in German, and “Audi” in Latin.
Speaking about the recognizable emblem, the Horch, Audiwerke, DKW, and Wanderer enterprises that joined together to establish Auto Union are symbolized by the four rings in the Audi insignia.
Audi’s preoccupation with safety is yet another interesting characteristic. Although the concept of safety regulations may be relatively new, Audi has been performing crash tests for 75 years. In the past, they would roll a F7 model down a hill to show off how safe their vehicles were.
To create the fastest track car, they worked with Porsche. The partnership produced a Type C V16 Auto Union engine that was capable of 430 kph on the Autobahn.
Audi’s Quattro four-wheel technology, which changed track racing, also helped the company win 13 Le Mans championships and 13 World Rally Championships from 1981 to 1986.
Always on the cutting edge of technology, Audi’s fully autonomous vehicle “Shelley,” named after the company’s rally racer Michele Mouton, successfully ascended the treacherous 20-kilometer Pikes Peak route by itself in 2010.
The model took just 27 minutes to reach the 14,100-foot top, which is around 17 minutes slower than some of the finest drivers.
Which Audi is the most recognizable?
Audi’s Most Famous Automobiles
- Which Audi model is more recognizable?
- The Iconic Vehicles of Audi
What do the four rings on an Audi represent?
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.
Audi Vorsprung: What is it?
With the addition of high-end Black Edition and Vorsprung trim levels across its entire lineup of vehicles, Audi is boosting its model lineup in the UK.
Vorsprung
The new top-tier trim level for the A5 range, as well as the Q5 SUV and A7 Sportback, takes its name from Audi’s tagline, “vorsprung durch technik,” which translates to “lead by technology.” The trim is already available on Audi’s two largest SUVs, the Q7 and Q8.
This trim level adds a ton of technology, such as adaptive suspension to increase comfort, safety features like park assist, lane-change and lane-keep assist, and reverse assistance for crowded parking spaces.
Additional Vorsprung features include a panoramic sunroof, a music system from Bose or Bang & Olufsen, sophisticated Matrix LED headlights, and an electronic boot that can be operated with gestures. In addition, Vorsprung can add heated back seats, an Alcantara headlining, and soft-close doors, depending on the model.
Black Edition is a trim that has historically been widely available across the whole Audi lineup. Customers will now be able to add the style-led grade to the A5 lineup, as well as the Q2 crossover and Q5. It is currently an option on the A3, S3, A4, TT, and Q7.
The German company’s renowned “S line” trim is basically expanded into the “Black Edition,” which also features a grille, rear diffuser, and door mirrors with matte grey or black exterior details. Darker privacy glass, a flat-bottomed sports steering wheel, and the same gray or black accents that are used on the exterior are all added perks for the interior.
According to Audi, the addition of these top-tier trim levels to additional models is a response to the rising demand for high-end vehicles.
Black Edition models range in price from 26,845 for the A3 to 67,295 for the Q7.
The A5 Vorsprung starts the Vorsprung range at 48,875 and runs all the way up to a Q8 Vorsprung at 83,040.
What created by Audi?
The majority of shares in Audiwerke AG were purchased by Jrgen Rasmussen, the owner of Dampf-Kraft-Wagen (DKW), in August 1928.
[21] Rasmussen acquired the remnants of the American automaker Rickenbacker in the same year, including the machinery for making 8-cylinder engines. The 1929 Audi Zwickau and Audi Dresden models both featured these engines. Both 6-cylinder and 4-cylinder (the “four” having a Peugeot engine) variants were created at the same time. At the time, Audi vehicles were expensive automobiles with unique bodywork.
Horch, DKW, and Wanderer joined forces with Audi to form Auto Union AG, Chemnitz, in 1932. During this time, the business offered the Audi Front, which made history as the first front-wheel drive, six-cylinder vehicle in Europe. It shared a powertrain with the Wanderer but twisted the driving shaft around 180 degrees to face the front.
The four interlocking rings that now make up the Audi badge were used by Auto Union to designate these four brands prior to World War II. However, during that time, this mark was exclusively applied to Auto Union racing vehicles; member firms continued to use their own names and logos. Some Audi vehicles were powered by engines made by Horch or Wanderer as technological progress became more and more concentrated.
Auto Union focused more and more on smaller automobiles throughout the 1930s, reflecting the economic pressures of the time, so that by 1938, the company’s DKW brand held 17.9% of the German auto market while Audi held only 0.1 percent. After the last few Audis were delivered in 1939, the “Audi” moniker fully vanished from the market for new cars for over 20 years.
What was the original name of Audi?
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.