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:

• 

  freaking garbage - 2010 Audi A4
  By rj - February 21 - 1:08 pm

  excessive oil consumption, great ride ,excellent handling. my camry se can do that and cheaper too.

• 

  GOOD - 1991 Audi 100
  By RICCO - February 21 - 2:00 am

  THIS CAR IS VERY GOOD ON GAS AND ISVERY RELIABLE,IVE ONLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY FUEL PUMP AND SOME ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.WITH THE MILES YOU WOULD THINK THAT THIS CAR WOULDNT DRIVE GOOD BUT I TAKE THIS CAR UP TO BALTIMORE FROM NORTH CAROLINA TWICE A MONTH AND IT RUNS LIKE A CHAMP!!!!!.ON A FULL TANK OF GAS I CAN GET THERE AND RIDE FOR ABOUT 200 MORE MILES IN BALTIMORE BEFORE REFUELING WHOAAAA!!!!!!

• 

  Solid Performer - 1995 Audi 90
  By gerafe - February 21 - 2:00 am

  This is my 6th Audi & second quattro. Apart from a minor rear-end collision (the other guys fault), a tire with a separated belt, and routine maintenance, this Audi has spent no time "in the shop". The pearl white exterior still looks great people who dont know Audi think its new. Were looking forward to our next Audi !

• 

  living with an S4 AVANT - 2001 Audi S4
  By c o guy - February 21 - 2:00 am

  I went from an A4 avant to an S4 avant by accident. I visited the dealership to purchase some touch-up paint for the A4...a friend there asked me If I liked the S4, to which I replied yes except for the shift linkage. He tossed me the keys to an S4 AVANT Tip and said "go drive this for a while" well after an hour I ended up with a new car! It has been flawless for me and is great fun to drive. most people dont realize that a little eurpoean stationwagon can turn in a sub 6 second 0-60 time. It performs flawlessly in daily city driving as well as extended road trips. If it has a flaw it would be that at 120 mph you feel like you are doing 60. I LOVE this car!

• 

  early problems - 2004 Audi A8
  By unhappy owner2 - February 21 - 2:00 am

  In the 10 weeks ive owned the car, my remote controls have died out three times. The dealership keeps fixing it and it dies out again, So far the dealership cannot figure it out. The service is nothing like the great experienve Ive had with Lexus.

• 

  A Great Auto - 2001 Audi S4
  By magik - February 20 - 2:00 am

  5.5 sec to 60mph the 04 S4 with 340hp is only 0.1-0.2 sec faster and has a very harsh ride but a little better handling and shifter (but at a $50K price). Winter requires snow tires. Large trunk and full-size spare tire. Owners manual calls for 0w-30 or 5w-30 oil the local dealer only carries 10w-30 so I have to bring my own oil in. Only reliability problem was a seat heater needing replacement at 49K. Nice Bose needs bass help the Avant has a subwoofer. Touchy brakes stop quickly. Ive averaged 24.4mpg since 3/01 - trip computer exaggerates mpg by 10%. I track every fill-up. Over one 10K stretch, the trip computer overstated the actual by 2.4 mpg

• 

  Im going to throw this car... - 2004 Audi TT
  By ...over a cliff - February 20 - 2:00 am

  WOW - I should have nver bought this $36,000 headache. At 5 months old, this car cries with more aches than a $2000 Geo -I took this heap of junk into service 4 times already to fix my piercing brake noise problem (probably with more visits to come), had the window motor replaced after its second repair visit and to top it off, my TT decides it wants to stall out on me when I start it up. When I met with the Regional Rep., he questioned, "Well, would you want to have unreliable brakes have reliable brakes that squeal?" Did those words actually come out of his mouth? - So, do all safe brakes squeal? Ugh…I shouldve talked to a wall instead

• 

  The Best Wagon I have ever owned - 2002 Audi A4
  By I love my Avant - February 20 - 2:00 am

  After driving a Subaru for 6 years, the Audi Avant 3.0 is a dream. and the price differential of the two is not so big anymore and the folks at Audi Of Nashua are outstanding. Everyone is friendly and helpful. But lets get to the car. Styling is superb - in and out. Performance of the 3.0 is superb. I love the way the car drives, passes, and handles the curvy roads. Room isnt bad for storing your bike or 4 Ski Bags. If I needed more room, I would have gone with the A-6. Whats not to like

• 

  Happy Wagoner - 2004 Audi A4
  By rbenj - February 19 - 10:00 am

  Wanted a versatile do-it-all vehicle (be fun, sporty, stylish, and practical (cargo and winter). Love the design and features (though maybe not the complexity and weight); still undecided about the suspension tuning. I endlessly debated the Sport Package but the stock ride is as firm as I want day-to-day on bad roads, and only in certain situations have I wished that things were more pulled-together. (I think better AWD driving technique would help!) The Avant?s position in space is hard to judge now, but I?m sure I?ll adjust to the dimensions and sightlines over time. 2200 miles/6 months on the car, no problems and no rattles/squeaks.

• 

  Good Techology, terrible phone system - 2004 Audi A8
  By robertpica - February 19 - 2:00 am

  I immediately recognized the technology advances over BMW and Mercedes. Buyers need to beware of Motorola V60 phone functionality. It does not work with the onboard MMI system and is basically a glorified hands free kit (effectively USD 1,000) for no added value. Voice activation is approximate at best and does not work when raining Suprisingly, none of the professional reviewers noticed that the phone system is archaic and a real problem. The Mercedes S class do have numbers that upload to the onboard computer. Another issue to be careful with is the choice of wheel rims. I have the 19" with sport tires which account for a very bumpy ride.