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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  So far so good - 2006 Audi A4
  By pat - June 16 - 8:48 am

  Maybe its too soon to offer this, but Ill do it anyway. Picked up the A4 2.0T this week. Its an amazingly comfortable car. The ride is very smooth, and the engine noise is almost pleasant. Ive taken it pretty easy so far, but the one time I went for a little speed the car responded nicely. I got the nav system and the display is really nifty, but its also a little distracting.

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  Dream Car or Maintenance Nightmare? - 2000 Audi TT
  By Parnelli - June 15 - 3:46 pm

  Driving my dream car is great but owning it is not. Good thing I bought the extended warranty because I needed all I could squeeze out of it. If my money is going to Europe, I want to go with it so Im selling my TT. Ill miss driving it and parking in sports car row but not the too-frequent trips to the dealer and the bite on my finances. And Ill stop twitching when the gas warning tone goes off because I think something else has gone wrong. This was my second German car and Ill never buy another one. Get AAA road service youll need it. Audi understands nothing about customer satisfaction or support.

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  A4 Conv - 2004 Audi A4
  By R Burke - June 15 - 10:00 am

  when i was looking at conv to buy i looked at all choices and i so wanted the Bmw but after i drove the Audi all that changed. Audi gives u a 4 yr 50,000 mile warranty which covers everything except tires. that alone is a great thng to have. I also own a Bmw at the moment and would def like to trade it in the near future. the overall service from Audi Customer Relations and The purchasing dealer have been great. Its great to get into a Audi loaner as well when u come for Service not a Enterprise Escort when u have Bmw And Benz.

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  The intelligent mans supercar! - 2004 Audi S4
  By David Fravel - June 14 - 4:19 pm

  Absolutely awesome performance. Does everything well or better than my last Porsche 911. Fit and finish is excellent and build materials are the best at any price range. Driving the S4 at low or extreme high speeds feels efforlessly with comfort and composure. The quattro makes a good driver a great driver and makes up for mistakes that would normally put a 911 in the bushes. The two-tone silver suede and leather Recaro seats are the best in the hi-performance industry. The motor pulls stong down low and doesnt let up to its 7200rpm redline. Its a cross between a 911 and muscle car. I cant say enough about the new S4. Its in its own league when compairing other extreme sport sedan.

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  " I absolutely LOVE my car " - 2004 Audi A8
  By A8l - June 13 - 8:44 pm

  This car was the gift from a lifetime of hard work to myself. It is a mechanical masterpiece, gorgeous and so comfortable. I live in my car, so it was important to have one that was spectacular inside as well as out. 2 notes, the Onstar system included saved my life in November, 2005, literally. I went into anaphylactic shock while driving, they were spectacular...every car should have this without exception. Second, I park in valet every week wherever my travels take me and without exception, a comment is made from them about how beautiful this car is... I take that as a great compliment to me and the car! Thank you for my "Lilly".

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  solid car - 2006 Audi A4
  By toothy - June 13 - 8:30 pm

  this is a really good car. the ride is unbelievably smooth and quiet, even over bumps. the sport suspension of the s-line package is great. the transmission is smooth during acceleration and engine noise is non- obtrusive. for the first few thousand miles the car seemed a bit jumpy at initial acceleration, but that has evened out... most likely a result of the car breaking in and getting used to driving it. the ride is responsive and fun, plus there are tons of cool features to be had.

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  Good Value - 2006 Audi A6
  By Martin Baker - June 13 - 10:58 am

  Overall very pleased with this car. While it is not as silky smooth as others in this class it offers many pros including - good gas mileage (averaging mid -20s), beautiful interior, and sporty handling and acceleration. I selected this car (after test driving the Acura RL, Mercedes E350 4matic, Lexus RX350) because it was the best value of vehicles that had AWD and all the advanced safety features. One major dislike - that steep angle of the windshield causes the dashboard to reflect on the windshield. Very annoying but fortunately it seems to be isolated to cloudy weather and less visible in bright sun and at night.

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  7 years hundred and twenty thousand miles and neve - 2010 Audi S5
  By Paul, Mendham - June 13 - 12:38 am

  I have owned my S5 since November 2009 and have driven it a hundred and twenty thousand miles both Highway and City driving. The car looks as good today as it did when I first got it. But more importantly the car drives as well today as it did when I first got it acceleration and hides high speed drivability is great. I plan on holding onto it until the new 2018 model comes out. I recommend it for a while.

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  Great Car...Just take care of it!! - 1997 Audi A4
  By AudiLover - June 12 - 6:15 pm

  This has been an excellent car for the past 9 years. It is just crossing over the 95000 mile mark and it still drives like a new car. As long as you take care of the car it should live nicely. The car is a bit delicate in that it doesnt respond nicely to adverse situations. The check engine light is bound to come on for any little reason. Maintenance is expensive. The only major problem I have had was with the transmission. At the 7 year mark the transmission had to be totally replaced. My mechanic (a German car specialist) indicated this was a common problem with this style transmission.

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  Simply superb - 2006 Audi S4
  By craig - June 11 - 3:37 pm

  I had contemplated the purchase of an M3 for quite some time until I had the pleasure of taking this baby out for a spin. How could I resist, this blows away the competition with power, luxury, performance, and not the least of all... gorgeous sound from that V8 engine.