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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  Fantastic Car! - 2001 Audi TT
  By PorscheTech911 - May 24 - 6:00 pm

  I love this car! It handles well, drives well, looks awesome, easy to use, plenty of space for big guys (im 63" 300lbs) I would absolutely recommend this car to anyone. The car isnt too bad on maintanance and up keep.

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  Great car to drive - 1996 Audi A6
  By Andy - May 23 - 9:34 pm

  Great highway car. It is really easy to drive and feel comfortable even at higher speeds. Ive owned since new and have a hard time finding cars I like driving better. Reliability has been only average. Torque sweet spot is very narrow at 3000rpm. Transmission is dumb so power is not delivered often when it should. Fwy entrances can be stressful because at just that speed ~50mph, it wants to upshift and forfeit all torque right when you need it. At speed ~65mph, fwy accel is very good.

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  Best of the Germans - 2004 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By DBA - May 21 - 1:33 pm

  I have owned a Mercedes, a BMW, a Volkswagen, a Porsche, and my little Opel Kadett in college. I loved my Boxster S for the pure driving experience, but all told, no car I have owned has matched the Allroad I bought a little over two years ago. It hasnt given me a stitch of a problem and there isnt anyone who hops in the car with me that doesnt mention how great the car is. I have even had strangers come up to me asking me about the car. I like the zip it has on the road when you really need it, and I definitely feel safe in it - it has a real solid feel to it. Its no Honda when it comes to mileage, but at about 21 mpg (mainly highway driving), Im happy.

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  Thought shed never own an SUV - 2003 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By FJP_TT - May 21 - 10:00 am

  My wife just traded an A6 2.7T sedan for her Allroad. Shes wanted a wagon for years and hates SUVs & Minivans. She loves AWD, and strong performance so the Allroad is perfect. Its a great blend of interior space, gorgeous interior & brisk performance (the new tiptronic is much more lively than the one in her 00). The more aggressive styling is pleasant without being overly masculine. We would do without the variable suspension, since well never off-road, but it may be useful if we have another winter like the last in PA.

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  2003 A4 Audi Cabriolet 1.8T - 2003 Audi A4
  By Craig Plevinsky - May 21 - 10:00 am

  Just picked mine up on friday. What can I say but this is one fun car. It handles great, gets great gas mileage and it can seat 4 people. I love everything about this car. In one word this car is awesome.

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  Stefs A8 - 1998 Audi A8
  By STEFAN SMIT - May 20 - 12:20 pm

  After owning numerous BMWs and driving a lot more other cars in the past twelve years, this car is a revelation. I never thought that an Audi will give me so much driving pleasure plus doing it in utmost comfort and style. It is certainly a very beautiful car.

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  Outstanding - 2008 Audi A5
  By Vinny - May 20 - 8:55 am

  All I can say is if you are thinking about buying it and you have the money to do so do it. it is the nicest car Ive owned and I own many cars including BMWs and Mercedes. When you drive down the highway the amount of brakelights you see in the opposite direction as the try to catch a longer glimpse of you is astounding.The car is amazing, I love it!

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  Fun to drive but prone to breakdowns - 2005 Audi A4
  By Greg - May 18 - 6:24 pm

  This is a very fun car to drive. It is easily equal to the 3 series BMW but you get more goodies on the base model. That said, be sure you can afford the maintenance this car requires. I have already lost an A/C compressor, heater core, and both front window motors. After the A/C repair, my car blows barely cool air and never cold air. The heater core started leaking in the middle of winter. Everything has been covered under warranty but things dont look good past that. This car is going to cost me plenty.

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  I have named her Gemini. - 2008 Audi S5
  By Wausau S5 - May 18 - 2:47 am

  So far, so great. I traded a 2007 A6 4.2 for this S5 I have driven a few cars in the last three months, A5, new M3 and my S5. The S5 is the perfect blend of performance, comfort, style, quality and all weather security. I really liked the M3 but was nervous about the Wisconsin winters and RWD. Then I saw the S5 in person, drove it and fell in love.

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  The best of the best - 2004 Audi A6
  By B Double - May 17 - 5:36 pm

  This is honestly the best car I have ever owned. I bought it with 45000 as a CPO and havent looked back. No issues at all so far and I just keep loving it more and more as the days go on. You will not find a better all wheel drive system out there. This past winter was a breeze driving around, it literally feels like your on rails.