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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  The perfect all-weather luxo tourer - 2006 Audi A6
  By mystro - December 16 - 8:44 am

  In Europe owning an Audi is a sign of success and knowledge..they lead the German pack. The German made cars such as this beautiful A6 Quattro as simply the best built cars in the world in this class. The secret to finding that pefect used Audi IMO is to buy it thru the same Audi dealer who originally sold it and it has full service history...all the petigree updates. The A6 is a computer with wheels so keeping it uptodate is critical but even a cheapo newer cars requires this maintience..yes you want to but high quality oil and filters simply because its a awd marvel.

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  Lovely vehicle but far too many issues for the price - 2012 Audi Q5
  By tofinochris - December 11 - 1:13 pm

  Weve owned a Premium Plus (3.2) Q5 for around four months and have driven it extensively in city and on highway. Its a fine vehicle, very comfortable, and has plenty of power. However, there are many small issues with the car that really boggle the mind at the $50k-ish price. 1. The multimedia system is, frankly, awful. Its design that feels a decade old, the control dial scrolls things the opposite way from other consumer devices (eg iPod), and the menu system is convoluted. 2. The GPS is completely useless. The maps provided with the car are at least 4-5 years old and the routing is poor. 3. The gas cap cover has broken already, 4 months in. Flimsy construction.

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  Makes you smile - 2013 Audi S8
  By vinf - December 9 - 8:12 pm

  The 2013 Audi S8 felt like quality just rolling out of the dealership. Driving it home, it just got better. Solid, fast and quality everywhere you look. Its difficult not to smile every time youre behind the wheel and look for excuses to run and errand.

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  German Gem with Head Turning Looks - 2012 Audi A6
  By live2design - December 6 - 7:51 pm

  I am very pleased with my decision on purchasing the Audi A6. It has great exterior design combined with great interior design and fit/finish. I love the many subtle design cues that I didnt notice when shopping around. I have enjoyed the Audi MMI and find it very easy to operate and get familiarized with while it also appears to seamlessly pair and operate with my iPhone for telephony and audio uses. At night, the cabin is nicely lighted with the "cockpit" lights and nice (adjustable) ambient lighting which I didnt even know it had prior to purchasing. I feel Audi has a strong product portfolio for 2012 that has exceptional design, technology and value among its luxury

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  Fun to drive at a price - 2004 Audi A4
  By iamme1979 - December 6 - 1:34 pm

  I have now owned my 2004 audi a4 3.0L with ultrasport package for a bit over 4 years. This car is a blast to drive, and living in Minnesota, it is the best vehicle I have ever driven in the snow. Having said that I have been most definitely disappointed with the reliability. It seems every 4-6 months I have a major repair, not including the little things that I take care of myself. New tires every 1-2 years (15,000 miles/yr)Timing belt at 75,000, new radiator fan, new clutch and flywheel. I have spent $4000 in repairs on it this year alone. So beware and know that it may be cheaper than some, has great style, and is a lot of fun, but you may be better off with something more durable.

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  Car burns oil - 2013 Audi A4
  By eric141 - December 2 - 7:35 am

  My 2013 Audi A4 2.0T burns about 1 quart of oil every 2000 miles. I had read about this issue with older A4, but the dealer had sworn that the problem had been resolved. Apparently not!

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  Best bang for your buck for an AWD luxury sedan - 2013 Audi A4
  By bchguy111 - November 28 - 10:33 pm

  This is my second Audi. I upgraded from a 2012 Audi A4 2.0T FWD with CVT. It was a great car. Great performance and gas mileage. However, I had an opportunity to upgrade to a quattro with the light package and 2013 upgrades. So far, the car is awesome. Drives even better with the Quattro and suspension and steering upgrades. And those lights, beautiful. The car is even more stricking then my 2012. I also like the 8 speed auto better then the CVT.

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  2013 Audi S6 is a bargain - 2013 Audi S6
  By dsmail - November 24 - 8:55 am

  I traded my 2011 Audi S4 Prestige with drive Select on a 2013 S6 with the invovation package. Although the S6 was 30% more expensive than the S4, I consider it a bargain. It rides better, handles better, is faster, and is techincally much more advanced than the S4. It also gets just as good gas mileage. I have been driving Audi Quattros since 1987 and This is my eleventh one, so I do have considerable experience with the brand and know what I am saying when I say the 2013 Audi S6 is one awesome car.

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  Germanys best production - 1999 Audi A6
  By sebago588 - November 23 - 3:55 pm

  We love our A6. I purchased it used back in 2002 and still own it 10 years later. We have only had minor problems with it such as the tiptronic system not working (easy computer chip fix), replaced the water pump and had a smoke causing oil leak fixed. The Quattro AWD system cuts through the snow-packed New Hampshire and Maine roads like a knife through butter. We also have a Mercedes E320 4MATIC and by far, the Audi Quattro AWD system leaves the Mercedes buried (literally). We also found the front and rear seats more comfortable than MB, BMW. While the Quattro system does take from the acceleration a little bit, the car does respond quickly with a "press back in the seat" feel at high speed

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  Fantastic Vehicle - 2013 Audi A4
  By mugman1 - November 16 - 8:18 pm

  Traded an 11 Acura TSX for this 2013 A4 Premium Plus and so glad I did!! Could not get comfortable in the Acura, and too little rear seat room for the family. This Audi is "right sized" for a family of 4. Plenty of useable trunk space. Ride is composed but comfortable, 18 inch wheels help the car stick around corners, powerful brakes to haul the car down from speed which it gains easily from the 2.0 turbo running through 8 gears. Excellent fit and finish and an attractive sedan from any angle in my opinion. Electric power steering gives up some feel, but is far superior to that found in the Acura. I compared with BMW 3, Mercedes C class, Infiniti, and new Lexus ES. A4 was superior!