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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  Really good choice! - 2006 Audi A4
  By Brendan Livingston - January 18 - 1:22 am

  I bought the car scared of having huge maintenance costs, however. it has cost me less than my Honda Odyssey. All i needed to do were a oil change, tires, and a cracked windshield. Find one well maintained and youll be set. Drives like a dream.

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  Great Car - 2008 Audi A4
  By DG - January 17 - 5:40 pm

  This is a great car to drive, highway drive is very good on gas. The car has great pickup going in to traffic. I would buy another the car handles well.

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  Great car - 2001 Audi A6
  By kaoz250F - January 17 - 11:45 am

  I have owned a 2.8 A6 prior to this 4.2. I have been hard on my cars but not reckless or with ignorance. I enjoy taking the long way home just to drive on some mountain roads with these cars. I have not found them unreliable and actually I trusted them more than any other car Ive been in. Short drives do not do them justice they shine in adverse weather conditions and excessively long drives. I have only had to fix things that the previous owners had damaged them due to ignorance. Quality is there, you just need to appreciate it more and treat better than a normal car.

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  Chicago S5 - 2008 Audi S5
  By sdm - January 16 - 1:00 pm

  Have had my S5 for almost a year. Still love it every time I get in. Great overall experience. This is my 4th Audi: A8, 2 S4s and now S5. My favorite overall. Greatly improved fit/finish compared to my 2 S4s. Great in snow with high-performance snow tires. I would buy this car again without hesitation. Enjoying it too much to worry about mileage. I didnt get it for the mileage. Still like to just look at it after a year-great design.

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  A8L Great Car - 2009 Audi A8
  By cwkcpa - January 16 - 11:06 am

  This is my third A8 after coming out of a 2007 Q7 4.2. The Q was great also, but this new A8L is terrific. Audi has continued to refine the car and it handles and drives like a much smaller car. I have also had several Mercedes large sedans and the A8 is just as good or maybe better without being so obvious on the road. Great car.

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  No More Corvettes - 2009 Audi A4
  By NJLawyer - January 15 - 7:42 pm

  After two Corvettes, I decided I needed something more practical but still fun to drive. The Infiniti G37X was a little too small and too stiff and the 328xi a little too expensive. The A4 was just right. It handles well and accelerates nicely with the turbo 4. I dont think the V6 adds much more. It holds 4 people comfortably. I wouldnt go for 5 unless 3 are very small. The trunk is huge. The interior is handsome and the sound system is fine. This is my first experience with BlueTooth and its much better than OnStar.

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  Pleased A4 owner - 2004 Audi A4
  By RAS5 - January 15 - 2:00 am

  Car has an excellent blend of comfort and suspension firmness and corners like it was on a set of rails with the 17 inch wheels.The climate control system had a glitch in it,but Inskip Audi responsed to my complaint and corrected it promptly. I enjoy driving this car and love the short throw gear box.

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  Brilliant Black Clearcoat Baby! - 2004 Audi A4
  By RacerT514 - January 15 - 2:00 am

  Brilliant Black on Platinum! Installed Audi crossbars, Thule silver/black ski and bike racks; the whole set-up looks 100% integrated, just awesome. The platinum interior is the best, really brings out the detail and beauty of Audi’s craftsmanship, and the wood trim makes the whole interior 100x better looking than the fiberglass on 1.8T. Bose stereo is great, especially w/ my custom subwoofer.

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  MY R8 - 2009 Audi R8
  By HTX - January 14 - 5:13 pm

  2009 Audi R8 silver/black interiors with carbon sideblades. After a year of wait I received my fully loaded R8 almost for Christmas. I chose manual transmission as it is a real sports car. The car works flawlessly, it is beautiful and attracts a lot of attention, the driving experience is unparalleled. I use it as my daily driver, I plan to put 10,000 miles per year to it you get used to the task of driving it in the city traffic and the constant looks and comments from almost everyone. The engine roars with menace after 4,000 rpm, the sound is breathtaking. Today, I would not choose any other car over this one, maybe in 3 years when the roadster is available.

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  BMW beater... in the winter at least - 2009 Audi A5
  By dillon - January 13 - 11:26 pm

  Traded in 2000 BMW 328i. Had always planned on replacing with another BMW but I havent been impressed with the current designs and decided to make the switch. Looked at a number of cars in this segment but ultimately choose the A5 for the practicality of the AWD, decent MPG, and of course the stunning looks (dont buy this car if you dont like being gawked at). Acceleration and handling are good but there are certainly cars with better. Got to test out the Quattro last month in some serious snow and ice... and it was unbelievable. For me it was all about being able to drive in the winter. If thats not an issue than I think the competition is stiff for the A5.