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:

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  Love This Car.... - 2012 Audi A6
  By madkaw9562 - December 4 - 8:46 pm

  Was not in love with the new BMW 5 series (last car), so gave this a look and am really happy that I did. The interior is just very nice. Very elegant. Not that cold and sterile look that BMW conveys (my opinion of course). Just enough buttons to do what you want without that cluttered Acura "we have a button or knob for everything" look. The performance is a good balance between certainly gets the job done while maintaining good fuel economy which I actually car about these days. On the exterior, the LED lights and 20" rims give it that slightly aggressive and sporty look that BMW has lost (again, just my opinion). So easy to use everything. Good interface.

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  Perfect balance of style and luxury - 2011 Audi A5
  By gavrik - December 2 - 11:42 pm

  As a former MB owner, I gave them first chance. Test drove several models and was left with that empty feeling of not being 100% satified. Several of my buddies who are BMW junkies had suggested I gave 335Xi a looksee. Yes, a great upgrade from Mercedes but still something was missing. Oh, thats right the car looked blah outside. So, my 3rd choice was the A5. Somewhat smaller than 335xi, I am not a big guy, the car felt a little tight but with a miriad of seating positions I was able to find one that was perfect for me. The car looks and drives like a dream. It has enough power for me to drive fast from standstill, I love the cockpit and the way it is laid out. This one is a keeper.

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  Audi A6 2.8 Quattro - 2001 Audi A6
  By __ty__ - November 24 - 11:47 pm

  Ok, so i bought this car off of my inlaws, who bought it certified with 25k on the odo. After owning it myself for 3 yrs, it now has 155k on it. It runs smoothly and effortlessly on the freeway and in and out of traffic around town. A pleasure to drive in all types of weather. Sure-footed confidence in rain, snow & ice. I put 4 studded snow tires on it each winter and have no trouble climbing any WV mountains! Amazing. I repair most things that break myself to keep repairs down to a minimum. 1 yr ago the timing chain guide rail (plastic), broke and cost me a new head! I did most of the work myself with a friend. That one set me back $1,000. A fluke I suppose...gas mileage is so-so.

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  Pretty But With Issues - 2011 Audi A5
  By trakkarclay - November 20 - 12:12 am

  People will go out of their way to tell you how much they like the looks, but the car has issues and I sold mine after 10 months for a pretty steep write down. Issues: The 2.0 lags off the line The doors are incredibly heavy and passenger door lacks a gripable handle Mileage with 4 cylinders is only 25 MPG AC and heat loud and not effective Console box is too small Stock tires have no traction on wet road Car very hard to dry after washing, water drips from the mirror and back license frame Very low position, hard to see front - I popped 3 tires in 10 months Cabin noise pretty high on highway.

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  Best Car Ive Had (Overall) - 2011 Audi A6
  By obsequi - November 18 - 1:18 am

  I have had cars that are more fun to drive (Honda S2000), larger sedans (Volvo S80), and even another Audi that I thought was my favorite car (A4 convertible), but none has been as completely the total package as this car. The A6, while a bit blah on the exterior, is nearly perfect from the inside. The cabin is roomy, the seats are comfortable, the electronics are helpful, and simple to use, and the fit and finish is fantastic. The supercharged 3.0 has excellent torque at all speeds, and when the supercharged adds its punch, you best be ready to roll, quickly. I nearly rear ended the car I intended to pass the first time I punched it. The engine and trans are so perfectly mated. Score!

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  Outstanding Performance - 2011 Audi A3
  By gyowell - October 28 - 1:50 pm

  So far, I am very satisfied with my new Audi A3 Diesel. The performance is really exceptional. It accelerates smoothly and corners very well. I am very happy with the build quality.

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  Still happy after 10 months - 2003 Audi A4
  By bjblackmamba1 - October 27 - 6:30 pm

  I purchased in MI with 110k miles after my 14 yr old Mitsubishi Eclipse wasnt worth fixing anymore. With regards to comfort and luxury, this was certainly a step up, growing up with only Japanese cars. Build quality, heaviness of German engineering is evident, but not without flaws. I had to put some money into the car considering its age. Maintenance/Repair: Timing belt-$800, rear coolant flange-$200, rear window regulator-$360, battery-$190. Otherwise, its a great car. Very comfortable, nice features, and a great drive. After an APR tune on the ECU, it has 235hp vs 170hp previously, which makes it fun and adequately powerful. It hasnt had a huge effect on mileage, except for a heavy foot

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  extremely solid car - 2001 Audi A4
  By pugler - October 25 - 6:23 am

  I have owned this car for a decade and mine currently has over 200,000 km. It is without question the best car that I have owned in my 30+ years of car ownership. During the last ten years I have owned similar cars including several newer A4s and a comparable BMW but I could not part with this version of the A4 because of its overall fun and reliability in all weather conditions (the BMW is not near as capable in the snow). The AWD coupled with the sport suspension creates the best handling car that I have owned or driven. It is as solid as a German tank and I often tease that I could conquer France in this vehicle...and I anticipate putting ANOTHER 200,000 km on it. Mon Dieu!

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  Awesome car with painful seats - 2012 Audi A6
  By mooreslawcars - October 20 - 10:37 pm

  2012 A6 is a triumph of technology and if you option it you can get amazing nav, heads-up display, adaptive cruise control that works in the most stop & go of traffic. In dash display and 7 inch pop up displays are great and more in the line of sight (and hence ? safer) than typical nav systems. The night vision system is not helpful to the extent that it only seems to show pedestrians at certain midrange distances and doesnt appear to be programmed to detect anything else (deer). Shuts down at above 77 degrees F. Unfortunately design rounding the side bolsters of the seats up into the shoulder blades makes the seats painful to sit in (average ht, wt male) so will likely be selling car.

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  Awesome, but high cost of ownership - 2000 Audi A4
  By juuls - October 13 - 11:42 pm

  This was the most luxurious and fastest car I ever owned. I previously came from a Jetta that didnt have traction control. Minnesota winters suck so I thought id try out the Audi A4 Quattro. Handled like a beast! I had to sell to pay for college, but I had hose leak which caused an annoying serpentine belt squeak. Found out from the new owner that the front axel snapped and blew out the motor mount, very unfortunate. had 137k IF youre gonna buy one, get the carfax, and make sure timing belt, water pump, suspension drag link and CV boot and all that have been inspected or replaced! the 00 was the most reliable model in my opinion.