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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  Fun to drive, but a steep investment in repairs. - 2004 Audi A4
  By chash1982 - April 12 - 2:16 pm

  Ive had an opportunity to drive all kinds of cars, from BMWs to Volvos, to high end japanese vehicles and NOTHING has handled and performed like my Audi. This car feels like you are going 60 miles an hour at 100. You can barely feel the body roll as you effortlessly carve through corners at high speeds, and no automaker has a better interior. On the downside, prepare to set aside about 3000$ a year for repair and maintenance! Even oil changes will run you 100$, and when your fuel pump dies (and it probably will!) You can expect to spend 1000$ at the dealer if its out of warranty. This is a driving enthusiasts car thats also a comfortable commuter. I love my Audi, expensive or not!

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  THINK TWICE BEFORE BUYING! - 2004 Audi A4
  By lenti - March 29 - 2:02 pm

  Bought the A4 convertible new. I only used it as a second car and have driven 32,000 miles now. When it still was under warranty a warning light come on and I was told it is nothing serious and AUDI service made it go away. The light came on and off several times in the last year. Recently the car was hesitating when accelerating. AUDI now quoted $2,200 for repair of the transmission control box. When it was in repair they told me they have found problems with the transmission and the repair would be $7,000!! Can anyone imagine that on a car for $50,000 with only 32,000 miles.

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  2007 A4 Cabriolet Quattro - 2007 Audi A4
  By djroch - March 27 - 2:36 pm

  Purchased this car with 51k miles on the odometer and have been excited it drive it every single day. The unusually warm weather on the East Coast has allowed me to drop the top and enjoy motoring in this fine automobile. While I would never call the A4 Cabriolet a fast car, it is a fantastic cruiser. Step on the accelerator trying to merge into traffic and you will not be disappointed. Keep your foot on the floor and the car will hit triple digits and keep on pulling. The fit and finish are fantastic. When sitting in the car you easily forget that you are in a convertible. The ride noise is minimal (for a convertible) and the headliner looks like it belongs in a hardtop.

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  The best Luxury Car money can buy!!! - 2012 Audi A8
  By donnie13 - March 25 - 7:03 am

  I had a 2006 750LI and loved this car. Traded for a 2009 Audi A8L and while was a great car, didnt have enough pizazz. Traded it for a 2010 Mercedes S-Class. Was a good car but too soft. Felt floaty. Bought a 2011 Eguus, while a good car, too jittery and not refined. Now comes the new 2012 Audi A8L! Unbelievable car. Out drives and performs better than all of the above. Feels like youre driving a Bentley for half the price. Fit and finish, impeccable. Ride is stiff when needed and firm at just the right time. Im a car buff as you can see by all the cars I purchase and Im more impressed with this car than any of the large luxury cars Ive owned, including my past 2009 A8L.

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  2008 2.0 TT - 2008 Audi TT
  By yeedle - March 23 - 1:08 pm

  Bought this car used with 40k miles on her already. Paid as much for it as I could have for a NEW fully equiped GTI which is a similar car since they share the same platform, engine and technology. After almost a year of ownership I dont regret buying the used TT over a new GTI. The exterior and interior styling combined with the lighter weight chasis makes the difference for me. The only penalty I feel is the cargo space but I have a second car for the days when I need it. Major big plus is that I average 400 miles to a tank and Im not a light footed driver. I do about 50/50 city, highway driving and I love to get on the throttle as much as possible.

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  Something Special - 2012 Audi S4
  By insectile - March 18 - 12:37 am

  This car is really something. You feel pampered inside, as if it were an XJ, but you can [non-permissible content removed] at any moment. If anything the problem is the cars limits are so far out that you almost never feel like you are going fast. Theres no drama. ...but in the end I want to get where Im going safely so drama isnt what I need. For the performance, Im getting great fuel economy. When in comfort mode my wife can enjoy driving, but theres another car in there waiting to come out when you hit dynamic. I have the mustang brown interior (Canada) with the Monsoon grey exterior and this colour combination is beautiful. Overall, Im very happy.

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  A4 Disappointment - 2012 Audi A4
  By a4avantguard - March 12 - 4:24 pm

  at approximately 1000 miles on the odometer of my 2012 Audi A4 Avant Quattro, a strange noise began from the front area of the engine. The noise happens at the first startup of the engine regardless of ambient temperature. After about 2 minutes when the engine idles down the noise stops. Different Audi technicians at two dealerships have diagnosed the noise as 1) cam tensioners, 2) a bad bearing inside the cam case, 3) secondary blower motor and, 4) lash in the VVT system. None of the technicians have put a wrench on any of the named components because, according to the dealerships service managers, Audi USA will not authorize repairs. According to Audi USA, the strange noise is a normal fu

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  2012 Q5 2.0T Premium - 2012 Audi Q5
  By peteq5 - March 10 - 9:44 pm

  Recently purchased the Q5 Premium with what appears to be the standard Option list in my area of Heated Seats, Sunroof, and Convenience Package. Only other option was the Monsoon Grey paint (I hate the extra charge for Paint). Car drives like an A4 with better utility. Gas mileage has been on the higher side (I drive mainly on a Parkway - with Stop & Go Traffic). Deceptively fast as you almost always feel you are going slower then the Speedo indicates, and quite smooth for an CUV. I should have ordered a Premium Plus stripped for the same base price, but did not want to wait 6 extra weeks. Best description, a Sports sedan in CUV body!

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  The Best car I ever drove - 2012 Audi A6
  By audi13 - March 4 - 8:43 am

  I am a new Audi owner, I never thought this car would be so much fun to drive, it is light and fast, if you are wanting a fast car that is easy on the fuel, this car is the best one. My last trip was about 540 miles and I had another 125 miles left on the range using the same tank of gas, this car comes with a cvt that allows the car to drive in like a manual, automatic, or a CVT, if you want to drive easy it is so smooth on the highway, if you want a more power then shift it to dynamic mode and you will get to 120 miles/ hour in seconds. You will get a rush!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The interior is Awsome, This year Mercedes-Benz and BMW left are left the dust.

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  The fm radio of my S4 broke down in 3 month - 2012 Audi S4
  By ssdy - March 4 - 12:17 am

  I bought my Audi S4 brand new November 2011. In December 2011,the radiator broke down, after a argument , the dealer agreed to replace the coolant with no charge. Today,march 3, the FM radio broke. There is nothing display on the screen and there is no sound. Yesterday, the screen went blank for about 20 minutes. Then after we turned off the engine, about 1 hour later, when we turned on the engine back, the FM came back to normal. Today we try the same thing but it doesnt work. I am really start to hate this car. I will keep posting everything that will go wrong with my car.