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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  New 2.0T Engine is Fantastic! - 2005 Audi A4
  By Jeff - May 23 - 5:22 pm

  Ive had this car for two weeks and love it more and more every day. The 2.0T FSI is just an amazing engine - far more powerful and smooth than the previous 1.8T. Even with the Avant/Quattro/Auto set-up, this car hauls butt! Good gas miliage too. This engine is a true revelation. Audi upgraded the A4 suspension (S4 parts) and has finally matched bimmer in ride and handling. The rest of the car is beautifully built and feels solid as a rock. Audi interiors are, in MHO, the best in the industry. This car is tops in the entry lux/sport sedan catagory, and with Avant funtionality, it combines the best of sporty/SUV/compact attributes all into one catagory.

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  Great All Around Sedan - 2005 Audi A4
  By a4qt25 - May 22 - 10:32 pm

  Went with the Ultrasport model in Brilliant Red. The paint along with the quality of materials is flawless. 18" wheels, bodykit, and performance suspension are great. Car not as fast as an S4 but it handles great and gets excellent gas mileage. Interior is perfect.

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  Great but Place of CD poor - 2016 Audi A3
  By richard stevens - May 22 - 3:57 am

  CD should be like the A5. Putting it inside the glove compartment is poor. The blind or land change light is excellent !!!! The change to your songs is poor. This too should be put in your glove compartment not in the instrument next to your hand. That part should be open to keys etc. My A5 was far better !!!

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  Most fun car a corner has ever seen!! - 2003 Audi A4
  By quattropit - May 21 - 11:06 pm

  My AUDI has changed the way I view other vehicles. Ive had many vehicles, Ive also worked in a number of collision centers, so Ive been in and test driven many different vehicles. The A4 is easy to drive, the cock-pit controls are easy to understand and operate, and the steering feels as if its extensions of your hands holding to the road. Power is precise with a large torque power-band, less down-shifting and more go pedal. The car feels firmly planted in all aspects of driving, cruising down the highway to ripping around a high-way on-ramp. Ive personally put other high-end car drivers to shame with my A4 1.8T quattro, most of which had I6s or V6s. Im always leading, never following!

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  Audi heaven - 2017 Audi Q5
  By Michael Ursillo - May 21 - 7:56 pm

  Cant go wrong.

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  Unbelieveably Bad Experience - 2000 Audi A8
  By paul - May 21 - 7:50 pm

  Ive always loved the A8 and was pleased as punch when I finally found mine. But Ive had nothing but trouble from this car. A year after purchase the check engine idiot light came high. Audi diagnosed it as a bad tank of gas and reset it. A few months later, same thing. I wanted a true diagnosis. $4300 in diagnostic fees later, its diagnosed as a broken valve spring requiring the heads be removed. Just this past week (May 2005) the steering started making noise. This diagnosis? An irreplaceable bearing in the electronic steering column -- the entire column needs to be replaced. The cost? Estimated at $2200.... Audi offered blue book on a trade, I declined. Im turning Japanese.

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  Drive of a lifetime - 2000 Audi A8
  By lepin - May 21 - 10:39 am

  I never owned a car like this but I couldnt resist when I drove it. It feels as roomy as a Town Car but handles like a Porsche. The only quibbles are the one small drink holder and the cheap plastic buttons to open the trunk and set the seat memory. I will own this car forever if I can.

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  S4 vs M3 - 2005 Audi S4
  By lfbmdpc - May 20 - 11:58 pm

  Purchased 2005 old style fascia S4/6M with premium/cold pkg & upgraded stereo. Good fit & finish, raw power throughout the power band, and is a superb performance automobile that any enthusiast would enjoy.

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  Pre-lease Test Drive - 2016 Audi A3
  By Tony Rispoli - May 20 - 4:25 pm

  Great car. Waiting to see what 2017 has to offer as their standard.

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  over the long haul - 2005 Audi A4
  By a4cabowner - May 20 - 3:45 pm

  The car is as fun to drive today as it was in Nov 02 when I purchased the car. I took a chance with a new model but it has worked out well. The cabin is a drivers cabin, and with all the safety features I feel safe even with the top down cruising on challenging roads. As other reviewers have noted the ride is choppy going over speed bumps at slow speeds but other than that the car does not disappoint and provides me with an excellent experience.