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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  This ones good! - 1998 Audi A4
  By happy for 8 years - December 16 - 2:00 am

  Bought new 69,000 miles in 5 years. Very few problems, radio replaced, new dash cover, all under warranty. Average 24 mpg in mixed use driving. Ride quality has deteriorated in last 10k miles, rear dampers need replacing. Great highway car relaxed, quiet, very comfortable. V6 power adequate. Dealer experience very favorable (Commonwealth VW/Audi). This is my second A4, and they both have been excellent. None of the repair nightmares so sommon on this list. My cars are very well maintained, and driven sensibly. Bose stereo, drivers seat, and overall interior ambience have kept me enjoying these cars for this long (8 years and 120,000 miles between the two).

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  true stealth - 2001 Audi S4
  By sforza - December 14 - 2:00 am

  fast but some turbo lag almost no one knows how fast this car really is my 4th audi and not my last

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  The Ultimate Driving Machine - 2000 Audi A6
  By barrgen - December 13 - 2:00 am

  This car was made to roll. The only words that came to mind when I test drove the A6 4.2 was,...Ultimate driving machine. Everything about this car makes it fun to drive. Pick up, power, smoothness, ergonomics and safety are awesome. I like the fact that the car isnt ostentatious. Its understated elegance and comfort without making "a statement" about what you drive.

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  A8 my dust - 2002 Audi A8
  By docz - December 12 - 2:00 am

  fun. fun. fun. esp for such a large luxury sedan. we wanted a high performance car as well as something large enough to travel with small children. I cannot say enough about the performance for such a large vehicle. this car purrs like a cat at 2500-2800 rpm (95 mph) which is about the perfect cruising speed. Too bad we dont have an autobahn. fuel economy is good 17.5 in town 25.5 hwy w/ lead foot. minimal upkeep, great service and the finish/ trim is immaculate, even after 2 yrs

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  Love my 225QC!!!! - 2003 Audi TT
  By MahTT - December 12 - 2:00 am

  I just bought the last 2003 TTC225Q from the dealership nearby. This is the car Ive lusted after for 4 years now, and Im definately not dissappointed. I love the way it moves when I floor it, and the turbo lag isnt THAT bad. This is my first turbo car (previously had 2 GTI VR6s), and its a blast to drive. The build quality is exceptional. I cant wait to drive this for years to come.

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  Perfect handling and power - 2000 Audi A6
  By Nik - December 10 - 2:00 am

  The perfect car but unreliable, 30K mi, breaks (rotors and pads), engine and transmission seals leak, secondary cooling pump leaks, mass air flow sensor failed... the service department is slow, unresponsive and expensive.

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  Audi Encore - 2004 Audi A6
  By Jaxon - December 10 - 2:00 am

  This is my second 2.7T. I took advantage of an early lease turnback offer from Audi. I had my first one for 3 years and experienced no problems with the car. It is fun to drive, especially in tiptronic mode, and is amazing in wet and snowy conditions. I never had a wheel spinning incident in 3 years which I cant say for many front wheel drive cars I have owned in the past. This new A6 I just got feels like a tighter more refined version of my old one and the Onstar /satellite radio is really cool!

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  my tt - 2001 Audi TT
  By debbie - December 10 - 2:00 am

  I have enjoyed driving my TT. It has nice pick up and good fuel effiency. Its small but has alot to offer in extras.

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  Watch out! - 2002 Audi A4
  By Unhappy Ken - December 10 - 2:00 am

  This car is fun to drive, espically with the CVT. Seating takes some getting used to. The climate control system IS A FAILURE. When cold outside it is hot inside. When the temperature setting is 64 deg.F the cabin stays at 74. This is the LOWEST temperature available. Audi service has tried to fix it at least 5 times and finally concluded that it is "Operating within specification" since ALL of the cars do the same thing. All of them are wrong according to the mechanic. Also experienced many other failures that have been fixed.

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  Great car - 1999 Audi A4
  By jimjud.1 - December 9 - 2:00 am

  I have driven this 5 speed 2.8 Quatro A4 for almost two years. I love to drive it. It is a very solid car with excellent handling and responsive brakes. The only negatives Ive found so far is the lack of room in the back seat and some maintenance. I did have to have some major work done on the cam and tensioner seals and the rear drive seals. These were covered in my extended warranty. It did take a week to get the parts and have them installed. This was a minor inconvenience to me.