Overview & Reviews

In business for more than 100 years, Audi is an automaker that builds luxury cars and SUVs. The company was started in Germany and has remained Deutschland-based to this day.

"Audi Automobile Works" entered the German car-manufacturing business in 1910 and remained independent until the Great Depression. Because Audi's founder, August Horch, had left a 10-year-old company bearing his own name, he chose a Latin form of his name -- Audi -- for his new company. Audi joined with three other auto manufacturers in 1932 to form Auto Union. Audi, the only surviving nameplate from that union, was purchased by Volkswagen in 1964.

During the 1970s, Audi started to get noticed in the U.S. with its 100LS luxury sedan and compact and sprightly Fox coupe and sedan. By the late '70s the brand had replaced the dated 100LS with its new 5000 luxury sedan.

Every manufacturer has its defining moments. For Audi, one such moment came in March 1980 at the Geneva Motor Show. The automaker unveiled the Audi Quattro, an all-wheel-drive sport coupe that was met with a wildly enthusiastic response on the show floor. The Quattro's all-wheel-drive system went on to help Audi win accolades in motorsports and it was eventually integrated into the entire model range.

That year also saw the Fox replaced by the 4000. Four years later, the range-topping 5000 was redesigned. Audi's sales shot up nearly 50 percent, thanks chiefly to that newly aerodynamic yet handsome flagship that featured what would become an Audi hallmark -- an elegantly stylish, high-quality cabin.

Sadly, Audi's fortunes turned for the worse when the carmaker's 5000 model was accused of unintended acceleration in a 60 Minutes television episode. A subsequent government investigation found Audi innocent of the charge, but the resulting drop in sales nearly put Audi out of business in the U.S.

The late '80s saw Audi redesign the 4000, renaming it the 80 and 90 (with the 90 having more equipment) and also rename the 5000, dubbing it the 100 or 200. The 200 featured a turbocharged five-cylinder with all-wheel drive as opposed to a non-turbo five and front-wheel drive, as on the 100. A Coupe also debuted, as did a new flagship, a V8-powered 200 sedan simply called the "V8".

The following decade saw the A4 and Cabriolet models, as well as the renaming of the 100 to A6. The stunning A8 was introduced as Audi's new flagship, boasting all-aluminum construction and a beefy V8. High-performance versions of the various models bowed, dubbed S4, S6 and S8.

The start of the new millennium brought the TT, Audi's low-slung sport coupe (and later roadster). It also introduced RS versions of the A4 and A6, providing even more performance than "S" variants. In addition to "S" and "RS" versions of the TT, Audi's more recent releases include the A3 hatchback, Q5 crossover SUV, slick A5 coupe, exotic R8 sports car and A7 luxury hatchback sedan.

Today, Audi continues its success in the prestige car marketplace by offering a wide range of vehicles that impressively combine luxury and sport.

User Reviews:

• 

  Used A6 2.7 BiT - 2000 Audi A6
  By lfbmdpc - August 24 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car for my wife (we live in a snowy area, hence the need for a quattro). It was an off-lease vehicle from Audi- superclean and well taken care of. Fun to drive, but not as much fun as a BMW. I love the interior layout and general fit/finish of this vehicle. Great highway cruiser- strong, quiet, solid. Suspension a little mushy. Terrible gas mileage, as one would expect. Car is tight as a drum after 2.5 years. Fair amount of turbo lag with acceleration. Im happy to date, and the car still has 6 mon ths left of free maintenance!!

• 

  A4 1.8T Quattro - 2000 Audi A4
  By Demographer - August 22 - 2:00 am

  I love my Audi. It is fun to drive, looks great, and handles superbly. I also love the free scheduled maintenance for the first 50,000 miles.

• 

  so far so good - 2002 Audi A6
  By Sdkv101 - August 22 - 2:00 am

  Well its been a month since i purchased my A6. I have been a frequent bmw driver for 4 years but receieved poor customer service from bmw. So i decided to buy an A6. I was warned by consumers that there were reliability problems. So far so good! People usually buy car for looks and handling and the A6 has both. It is a lease so im not worried when it comes off warranty, because its not my problem anymore. Also, I have leased all my previous bmw and nothing beats audi/vws leasing program! Way to go Audi!!! Kurt San Diego CA

• 

  My A8: So close to being a great car - 1999 Audi A8
  By programme - August 14 - 2:00 am

  I was looking for a high quality car that didnt attract attention. Puchased an A8 lease trade-in with 28000 mi. Automatic everything. Wish I had seats like this in my house. Quick and agile for its size. Refreshing to drive. 19mpg around town. 24mpg highway. After 15000 miles were still getting to know each other, but Im hopeful for a long- term relationship.

• 

  2010 Audi A4 2.0 T Prem Plus - 2010 Audi A4
  By Bob W - August 9 - 7:42 pm

  #1. Oil consumption - when I purchased this car it used 1 qt oil every 1k to 1100k miles. I took it to the dealer. They worked on electronics and breather and added oil. They told me to drive it until the oil light came on. Record the miles driven. Bring it back for further tests. They took sample of oil and found metal in the oil. I was told that from 2009 - 2012, there was slag on the piston rings causing oil to drip and burn causing excess use of oil. Dealer replaced Pistons and rings. My car does not use any oil. Can go oil change to oil change without adding any oil. #2. Turbo - At approx 51 k miles, engine light came on. Took car to dealer for diagnostics. Turned out to be faulty turbo. Audi extended warranty of 7 years or 70k miles covered this repair. #3. Water pump - Replaced at approx 40k miles. Out of pocket expense. Approx $600.00. #4. Fuel injectors - While I have not had any problems with fuel injectors, there is extended warranty on the injectors of 12 years or 100k miles.

• 

  A6 Avant - 1999 Audi A6
  By Larry Mormino - August 8 - 2:00 am

  We like the car but it is slightly underpowered and too many little things go wrong i.e., spearkers(one front one rear). The brakes make too much dust and the climate control will allow the temp to get too hot on cold days before getting the correct temp. The fuel pump went out over night so the car had to be towed in to be repaired. The cost of the pump was $350 and was not in stock.

• 

  Great Car but Terrible Gas Mileage - 2003 Audi A4
  By Mario Duron - August 5 - 10:00 am

  This 2002 Audi Avant Automatic with an average of 17mpg. I can do straight highway and still only get 20mpg. Now the sticker says I should be getting 19 city and 28 Highway. But that is a bold- face lie. NO!, I wish Audi would post an accurate MPG on the sticker so buyers would be aware of what cost they are getting into. Another feature i dont like is the oil changes at 10,000 mile intervals. The dealer does not know if I have motor oil or synthetic? Services are supposed to be free for 4yr or 50,000 miles. mmm I used to change my oil every 3000 miles.

• 

  Excellent, but bring money. - 1992 Audi 100
  By Bill in Richmond - August 5 - 2:00 am

  Car suffers from two AUDI chronic problems [Hydraulic hoses and pressure accumulator]. Had the same parts fail on my last Audi. These parts cost a fortune! I wanted a manual trans, and very few good alternatives exist in this class. It is an excellent driving car.

• 

  This one has it all! - 2000 Audi S4
  By jatwrite - August 5 - 2:00 am

  Great performance, looks, comfort, safety, practicality & luxury-- for those who need to "have it all" in one vehicle, the S4 is hard to beat.

• 

  Great car, expensive to maintain - 1999 Audi A6
  By zander - August 2 - 2:00 am

  The Audi A6 wagon has been a pleasure to drive. Its single drawback is a grossly underpowered engine. Although the numbers tell you that you can do 0- 60 in 9.5 sec., it sure doesnt feel it. The car is solid and heavy, which may contribute to the slow sensation. My biggest dissapointment was a $1,200 repair bill three months after the 36 month warrantee expired. All of the repairs were for items that had declined overtime and appear to be not unexpected in Audis (air conditioner sensor / controller failure, ignition key mechanism failure. Maybe the new 48 month warrantee will catch these things, if not, enjoy he car but watch out.