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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  A4 1.8t 5-Speed M W/ Ultra-Sports Pack. - 2005 Audi A4
  By AZ_Audi_Owner - January 27 - 10:00 am

  This car delivers with the Ultra-Sports package. The 170hp engine has just enough power. I had a 99 A4 before this and it had 150hp and the 20 hp, especially with the manual, is noticeably more powerful. I had 16 inch wheels with a sports package on my old A4 and this new A4 with the Ultra- Sports package rides a lot better than my old A4 ever did, and my new one has 18 inch wheels with 40 series tires!!!! Great job on the suspension guys! I just love this car. Yeah, it could use the Acura TSXs engine, but I have enough fun in my A4 without getting arrested. I highly recommend an Audi. They get a bad rap on reliability. I had my 99 6 years and 100k miles. I had no major problems.

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  One sweet ride - 2005 Audi S4
  By chuckg32 - January 27 - 3:21 am

  Wow. There isnt enough space in this review to do my Audi S4 justice. I was close to purchasing a BMW 330i w/performance package. At the last minute I decided to look at the S4. There is no simply no comparison. The fit and finish of the interior is the superb quality you expect from Audi. Its very comfortable, yet the Recaros never let you forget you are in a performance car. Speaking of performance, the acceleration is simply breathtaking, and the handling is very sure-footed, thanks to the quattro. The exterior styling is classy, with a slight aggressive edge to it. A perfectly understated sports sedan. The clincher? I got a better lease deal on the S4 than the 330i!

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  One sweet ride - 2005 Audi S4
  By chuckg32 - January 27 - 3:21 am

  Wow. There isnt enough space in this review to dothe 2005 Audi S4 justice. I was close to purchasing a BMW 330i w/performance package. At the last minute I decided to look at the S4. There is no simply no comparison. The fit and finish of the interior are the superb quality that you would expect from Audi. Its very comfortable, yet the Recaro seats never let you forget you are in a performance car. Speaking of performance, the acceleration is simply breathtaking, and the handling is very sure-footed, thanks to the quattro. The exterior styling is classy, with a slightly aggressive edge to it. This is a perfectly understated sports sedan. The clincher? I got a better lease deal on the S4 than the 330i!

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  Perfect Car - 2004 Audi A4
  By neverfollow - January 26 - 2:16 pm

  Traded in my 2001 Audi A4 quattro 5 speed for a 2004 A4 1.8T quattro 6 speed. I didnt opt for the sport package that was on my 2001 model. This made for a softer smoother ride which is nice since most driving is done sensibly and not pushing the limits (though that is amazingly fun in this car too). The 6 speed transmission is a must, it keeps the RPMs down at highway speeds. I never had any troubles with my 2001 model and have not experienced any so far with my 2004. It is fun to drive, a better value than BMW, and sportier then Mercedez-Benz. This is the perfect car!

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  2001 Audi A4 1.8t quattro - 2001 Audi A4
  By chris thames - January 26 - 12:39 am

  My 2001 Audi A4 is great. Ive only had it for six months but its performance is out standing, a little on the slow side but very fun to drive. Ive driven a lot of cars in my lifetime and this one just does it for me. The performance upgrades are endless.

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  Exceptional Drive - 1993 Audi S4
  By Dan - January 24 - 11:20 pm

  My 1994 Audi S4 is an exceptional vehicle. After 13 years Im ready for another option. I will keep the S4 in the garage and drive it into retirement. I have had absolutely no mechanical problems with it. It has a classic design. No one believes me when I tell them the vehicle is 13 years old. Only have 102,000 miles on it and plan on putting another 50,000. My son has requested the vehicle be placed in his name in my estate planning. Power whenever you need it on the highway. I would not change a thing.

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  A4 3.0Q 6spd Man - 2003 Audi A4
  By A4Effort - January 24 - 2:46 pm

  I wanted a sports sedan with AWD. At the time, the G35x was still a few months away. The 225hp BMW330xi decently optioned was $43,000+. The BMW doesnt have an in-dash 6CD, dual climate control or a compass - garage door opener could be installed "after-market" and it costs $43,000? My 6spd 220hp A43.0Q stickered $39,000, but sold for a lot less. I had one problem with headlight washers - nothing more. Im getting only about 20 mpg, which is pretty poor for this size car. My previous car, a 95 Nissab Maxima easily got near 25 mpg. The interior is beautiful, except for the bizarre set-up with the armrest / brake, and the worst cupholder this side of Yugo. The acceleration could be better, but I love the AWD. The transmission pretty rubbery vs. BMW

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  Fun :) - 2006 Audi A3
  By Ben - January 24 - 8:30 am

  We picked up our A3 last weekend and havent stopped driving since!!! We went with the base model, No leather, 6 Speed. The only thing we wished we would of got is navigation, but we solved that with a dash mounted Tom Tom GPS unit.

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  Love the car, hate the reliability. - 2003 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By Toby Smith - January 24 - 2:00 am

  We have a love hate relationship with this car. In much the same way as you love the blacksheep of the family. Our allroad is fast (abeit with a little lag), smooth and very well thought out. The interior is prety much perfect, as is the exterior styling. It has and does everything we need as a family car with great aplomb. On the flip side it has been off the road for more than 2 weeks in less than 16k miles. The brakes were redone 3 times, new turbos have been installed, new interior lights, some squeeks and rattles were fixed, new drivers seat frame & motors, and a new gearbox was installed. This was all covered by the warranty but when is enough enough?

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  Understated but fun - 2003 Audi A4
  By sjpalmer - January 24 - 2:00 am

  Flowing exterior design with a world- class interior. Got the ming blue pearl with platinum leather intertior which is an outstanding color combination. Fun to drive and comfortable. Fuel economy has been particularly good.