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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  Great Car!!! - 1998 Audi A4
  By kalin - January 8 - 7:02 pm

  Great car! I dont know why every one says it is not reliable, mine has 137k and runs like brand new! Of course it will have some minor things to fix since it is almost 10 years old but this happens to every car you buy. For the low price you can get one these days, nothing is better! The handling is exceptional (could be improved with larger sway bars), the engine is very good but needs a little more power easily achieved by replacing the ecu (up to 200hp) and a better cat and intake system. The bose stereo is better than the mark levinson on my friends lexus. The car is soo much fun to drive it will always put a smile on your face especially on a curvy road. BUY ONE!!

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  Great looker - very poor reliability - 2004 Audi S4
  By Stephen Williams - January 8 - 4:19 pm

  This is my second S4 (I had a 2001 previously), and my 5th Audi. The design is great, interior elegant and ergonomic, and it performs great. But the reliability has been miserable. I only kept it for 6 months - it was in the shop every month of those 6 months. It went through brake rotors, had a coolant leak, an transmission cooler leak, the ABS system failed intermittently, and the check engine light came on (bad O2 sensors) twice. Probably the last Audi Ill ever buy - sad really.

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  What a Car! - 2007 Audi A3
  By www - January 8 - 3:44 pm

  Like others, I got rid of my SUV but still wanted a "hauler". I have loved the A3 since I first saw it and the test drive was great. The car is amazing. Look out! In first the tires squeal. The power (and efficiency) of the 4 cyl is amazing. The DSG is a great fun. Once driving, a guy in a Mercedes followed me to a stop light to tell me what a "cool" car it is. The nav system, while a bit complicated, is great. How did I live without it before? Great car. Id recommend it to anyone. Kill your SUV and get this. Youll be glad you did. Dont let anyone call it a "wagon".

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  Horrible Engine - Horrible Company - 2001 Audi A4
  By badcar01 - January 7 - 6:44 pm

  I bought my 2001 A4 1.8T when it was 3 years old with 48K miles on it. I loved it for a while - great snow car, but at 72K, the timing belt failed and ruined the engine. Audi refuses to do anything to help, and I was out $8K for a new engine. Finally traded it in.

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  A3 Seat Time - Never enough - 2007 Audi A3
  By Mountain Roads - January 7 - 11:53 am

  Test drove Honda, Subaru Outback, Mazda CX 7. Drove the A3 and knew this was the car for us (well, its actually my wifes car). We live in an area where straight roads are rare and curves are the majority. The 6 speed manual is the smoothest and easiest I have ever driven. Living in the mountains, I vowed never to own a 4 cylinder car. But the 2.0 Turbo climbs up long grades in 6th gear with no problem. Steeper grades I have to shift between 3rd, 4th and 5th gears and that just means I am in for whole lot of fun. My wife calls this my mid-life crisis car but she looks pretty hot driving it herself.

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  A4 is a great car all around - 2004 Audi A4
  By paco25 - January 7 - 2:00 am

  An excellent car. The only thing I would change would be to upgrade from a 1.8T to a 3.0

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  WOW!!! - 2004 Audi A4
  By OneOldKid - January 7 - 2:00 am

  I love my new car! I attended the Portland Auto Show today and didnt find one car that I would rather have. I test drove the BMW 325i and MB 230K Sedan. I like my Audi better than both. It is very comfortable and fun to drive. It is a perfect blend between comfort and performance. I would recommend this car to anyone looking for a car in this class!

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  It delivers on all levels - 2007 Audi A6
  By matt - January 7 - 12:50 am

  This is a very impressive car. Love the power in sport mode. Build quality is awesome. Traded a 2006 A3 2.0 with DSG. I miss the lightning quick paddles and DSG would be a great addition to this vehicle. The trunk is huge. I have not tested this, but I am guessing that I could fit 4 golf bags in it. Cant wait to burn up the miles.

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  Worth every penny!!! - 2002 Audi A4
  By julsnden - January 6 - 10:00 am

  I just purchased my new A4 AWD 1.8T Quattro. Let me tell you, its worth every thing you pay for. Having only had the car for a couple of days now, I cannot comment on wear, maintenance issue, etc. However, this car has been driving like a dream. I am only sad that I now have to go to the office since the weekend is over. Dont hessitate on this one. Its as good as you think it is!!!

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  If only it had two batteries - 2004 Audi A8
  By cwpnewpaltz - January 5 - 1:39 am

  The Audi A8L is both an engineering triumph and a nightmare. It is the best riding, best handling, most responsive car Ive ever driven in a long series of BMW-7, Jaguar XK, MB S-Class and other assorted vehicles Ive owned. It even gets remarkably good gas mileage (25 mpg on the highway at 72 mph) thanks to its aluminum body and consequent light weight. Whats the catch? Its had to be flat-bedded to the dealer twice with a dead battery. The battery cant be charged, cant be installed outside a dealer who mates it to the car via computer. Seems its electronics are so complex that the engineers wanted to give it a 24-volt system, but the marketers said "no." The engineers were right.