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 but purchase with caution - 2003 Audi A4
  By Audi Enthusiast - October 11 - 10:35 pm

  After owning my A4 for 2 yrs now, I am satisfied but at the same time disappointed. Ive had my fuel pump burn out at 29000 miles and at about 38000 miles, the water pump slowly leaked into the timing belt and its components. This made the timing chain snap and one of the pistons slapped 2 of the valves... bottom line, my car was at the dealer for 2 weeks. Had it not been under warranty, $5000 in damages.

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  Audi TT - 2005 Audi TT
  By Sharon Mobley - October 9 - 11:49 am

  This car makes me smile every day at 4:30 when I get to drive it home. It is a wonderful car, zippy and gets 30 miles to a gallon and at 3.10 a gallon that is a huge plus. Have only taken it on one road trip where we zipped along at 75-80 and the ride was fairly smooth, but when you hit a bump or a pot hole you knew it. There is plenty of room for all my stuff if I fold the rear seats down. The sound system is awesome. I shopped for this car for months trying to decide which sports coupe was right for me and I am sure I made the right decision.

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  Incredible - handles like a dream! - 2003 Audi A4
  By mark0064 - October 8 - 10:00 am

  Words do not describe how happy I am with this car. For those who complain about mileage, you bought a luxury SPORTS car! If you can afford this, stop crying about gas! Go buy a Kia. And occasional reliability issues? A function of pushing the technology envelope. Look into Audis past youll find more insight in design than any other manufacture. Theyve pioneered most of the great technologies we take for granted in cars today. I bought my Audi not only because its an incredible car, but because I want to support engineers who take bigger risks to create a better product in the end. Audi has found another customer for life.

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  Best Car I Have Purchased - 2017 Audi A6
  By Phillip Rossignol - October 8 - 7:48 am

  Great car but avoid the 20 inch summer tires if you want a comfort ride. The 20 inch handle much better when the car is pushed in the curves. But for everyday, the smaller tires are better overall. This is my third Audi and I am sold.

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  Tales of the Audi - 2002 Audi A4
  By Jeff - October 7 - 1:21 am

  Has been a reliable vehicle. Some niggling deficiencies with the interior build quality few things are a bit too "soft" to the touch and can break easily. Otherwise an excellent vehicle that I will always find pleasure in looking at.

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  May be Im just lucky... - 2001 Audi A6
  By Boris - October 6 - 4:06 pm

  ... but I havent had any problems. Its an awesome car, well engineered, quite reliably built considering the number of features it has. Audi brand is definitely underrated in North America, but it is one of the hottest in Europe. Every time I get into my Audi I feel better already. It is excellent for highway cruising, but it also easily reveals its sporty character when pushed a little bit harder. And one more thing - safety. This is my second Audi A6, the first one was totaled after I was T-boned by Mercedes SUV at about 50 mph - pretty nasty collision. Not a slightest injury to myself, thanks to the side airbags and rigid body structure.

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  It is what I expected - 2005 Audi A6
  By chaampong - October 6 - 3:52 pm

  First off, the look is stunning. Loved the look at first site. However, I was weary of Audis reputation having owned one (84 Audi 5000s turbo) as my very first car. Needless to say, I did my research before buying the 2005 A6. Ive had it for 10 months now, and already Ive put 30,000 miles on it. It rides so smoothly. My only complaint is the DVD nav in that its not accurate at times (its rare). Telling me a gas station is a block away when there isnt one. When driving in "D" theres a little lag. But if you shift it to "S", no gap in acceleration. YOU ARE FLYING. Handling is superb. I got the A6 V6 almost fully loaded. The 18" wheels feels the road like barefoot. Excellent braking.

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  S-6 Overview - 1995 Audi S6
  By Sue Anderson - October 6 - 12:53 am

  Car has provided high performance with all weather capabilities. Reliability exceeds what I expected from reading some reviews about Audi in general. Fuel economy maxes out at about 26 mpg on the highway- around 20 around town. The incredible surge of power when the turbo hits at about 2,500 rpm is quite exhilarating- I recommend a radar detector! It has provided a combination of performance, style and comfort with great foul weather abilites!

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  Once you go German, you never go back... - 2001 Audi TT
  By Matt - October 5 - 4:45 pm

  I think this story sums it up. I was recently getting lunch at a deli shortly after I washed and waxed my TT when I heard a gentleman behind me say to his friend, "Did you see that Audi out there, what a sweet car." It suffers from turbo lag, but once out of first, its not noticeable. I live in Colorado, so the AWD is a nice feature for a roadster. It also has plenty of power over the mountain passes and is a constant head turner. A fantastic car!

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  Unknown - 2000 Audi A6
  By Deller - October 5 - 4:33 pm

  Excellent car. Functional with great reliability. Best of all, it is safe and handles well.