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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  Audi A4 Prestige with navigation - 2009 Audi A4
  By Justin - December 22 - 8:22 pm

  This is a fantastic vehicle! I test drove numerous vehicles before purchasing the Audi A4 including the Lexus IS250, BMW 328xi, Mercedes-Benz C300 4MATIC, and the Acura TL. The A4 was the best vehicle hands down. The handling of this vehicle on wet and dry roads is excellent. I feel like Im riding on rails even in the snow. The interior is beautiful and made with high quality materials. Every button and every dial feels great to the touch. The back seat has enough room for even your biggest family members. The trunk is enormous for a 4-door sedan. This vehicle is extremely quick for a 4-cylinder turbo. The back-up camera is unlike any other youve ever seen! LED lights turn heads!

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  Fantastic Bang for the Buck! - 2007 Audi A4
  By fkerns - December 22 - 5:44 pm

  I have been driving BMWs for the last 16 years, but just purchased a pre-owned 2007 A4 the tight ride, the excellent gas mileage, and the bang-4-the-buck were the overriding factors influencing my decision. This is my first front-wheel drive car, which has taken a bit to get used to other than that, I am still satisfied with my decision.

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  fun car - 2003 Audi A4
  By purk - December 22 - 10:00 am

  Ive been wanting an A4 for years and finally have it. I love the car. Fun to drive and very stylish. Great value for the price. But some design elements are strange when everything else is so well done. Ventilation system doesnt allow for fresh air intake, parking brake is under console, seat adjustments are old school, and with all those lights on the dash, why isnt there one on the cruise control so you can see it in the dark?

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  I would buy it over and over again - 2008 Audi A3
  By Joseph Gutman - December 21 - 3:19 pm

  After the fuel crunch I decided to get rid of my Mercedes E-500 AMG. I looked for fun, reliability, some luxury, good dealer service and a car that was practical. And I found all of it in the A3. Tried the 3.2 version and it ws not much better. I love driving and commuting on my A3. Nothing fails and if you go on-line you can find a few "easter-eggs" that Audi engineers left as a gift in hiding. It handles like a sports sedan and hums like a sprts car. It is just the perfect car for the person with a few bucks, without the need to be a show-off.

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  Timeless Quality and Performance - 2008 Audi A8
  By Chod - December 19 - 8:46 pm

  Ive owned Lexus LS and SC430s, a MB E500, and test driven every BMW and MB over the past decade. The Audi A8 exudes a quiet confidence and athletic ability that places this sedan among the best in the world. Im always amazed by the incredible 26 MPG highway even though Im usually pushing 70-75mph in a serenely quiet yet totally responsive car. The MMI provides an intuitive control of audio, nav, car settings, and telephone that is simple yet sophisticated in performance. Handling is a dream with precise steering and a totally compliant suspension that seems to anticipate the movement of the car, rather than the bucking and fitfull suspensions that typically accoompanies a 2 ton sedan.

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  Better than any SUV or CUV built! - 1997 Audi A6
  By David Erv - December 19 - 6:57 pm

  This sucker is the best car ever for Wisconsin winter driving. My bride would be lost without the Quattro technology driving to work at 5 am. This machine handles in snow like a snowmobile. No cotton-pickin lousey SUV can do it better unless perhaps it happens to be yet another Audi. I am dumping my GMC 4WD Suburban to get another Audi Quattro Avant!

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  No more need for BMW. - 2009 Audi A4
  By jfinsure - December 18 - 4:19 pm

  My 550i lease just expired and I wanted to downsize the car but not the features. The A4 2.0 with Prestige seemed like just the answer. I have never heard a better car stereo than the B&O system that comes with the Prestige package. The daytime LEDs are very cool and this design really hit the target! I was also used to keyless go so this option is now a must have for me. Finally, the side alert is a great feature and my mirrors tell me if someone is in my blind spot with a flashing light. Except for power I actually like this car a lot more than my 550i.

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  Problems with Audi - 2008 Audi A3
  By Carlos Fernandez - December 17 - 4:26 pm

  With only 5,000 miles on my brand new A3, the power window is broken, the power seat for the driver is broken, and now the transmission is giving problems. I will never buy another Audi again. This is the most problamatic car I have ever had, worst than the old Ford Explorer. I am going to ask for a refund.

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  Bigger than it appears. And it Rocks! - 2007 Audi A3
  By Mark, VA - December 16 - 1:22 pm

  The car seems pricey for an A3 sized chassis, but the car seats everyone comfortably. The hatchback also can fit a lot. I bought a big grill at Home Depot and the sales associate looked at me like I was crazy for thinking the grill in its box would fit in my car. It did. Hatchback closed. The car accelerates and handles great. I do seem to go through tires a bit, and Ive been told that by mechanics that the A3 does seem to chew up the front three tires faster than normal.

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  87k miles - 2001 Audi A4
  By kburg - December 16 - 1:25 am

  I bought my A4 at 51k miles and have had it about a year and a half very fun car to drive love the AWD and the turbo is nice to have. So far I have taken the car to the shop 4 times and have had the camshaft ajuster, new coils, O2 sensors, fan clutch, oil leaks, mass air flow sensor, the tires seem to wear down fast, fuel filter, still waiting for audi to fix my timming belt that they do for free at 105k and should pay for damages if brakes before that. engine idiles loud and for a min or two (I always let the engine warm up a min before driving as all turbo engines should) and a turbo timer wouldnt hurt either. Luckly I had it covered by warranty which paid for most repairs.