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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  Almost perfect - 2010 Audi S4
  By CF - May 15 - 12:48 am

  This car is so much fun to drive and so quiet, I have to keep checking the speedometer to make sure Im not speeding. Build quality is excellent. The car feels really solid. The manual transmission is a joy to use. It even makes shifting suggestions. The car has so much torque that Im often in 6th gear going 50 km/hr and still have decent passing power.

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  Great Car - 2007 Audi A4
  By Brenham - May 14 - 12:44 pm

  Exterior is sharp! Love everything about the car, except: the somewhat cheap looking center armrest in the front seat that looks slightly out of place, the lack of leg room in the rear and the slight turbo lag on taking off from a dead stop. Besides these, I love this car.

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  A nice change to the typical coupe - 2010 Audi A5
  By Alan - May 14 - 11:01 am

  I was in the market for a fun car and wanted a coupe. Everyone, and their mother has a 328i, C-class, and G37, all for good reasons. If you want a car thats a complete eye catcher, decent fuel economy, and just fun to get in everyday, this is a great choice. The only thing it lack is a little more power. That is easily fixed with an ECU tune, bringing the car from 211 hp to 240, and 258 tq, to 333 tq. That is is more tq than an S5, and makes the V6 middle option a complete waste of money. My initial ratings are with the car straight from the factory. Since the ECU tune, my I would rate it a 10 for performance and fuel economy.

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  Audi Convert - 2010 Audi A6
  By Audi Convert - May 13 - 10:00 pm

  Was a BMW person for 20 years, tried Infiniti, but always liked the Audi designs, and after making the comparison, decided to lease an Audi A6 Premium Plus (3.0T) from Audi of Alexandria. Had to drive 500 miles the day after getting the car, and found that the car just gets better and better at highway speeds (much of the trip was through 70 mph zones, and “of course” I never exceeded the speed limit. lol!). These cars are made for highway driving, but around town, has great balance of weight, power, handling and ride. Curb appeal is also very high as these are great looking cars! It’s one of those cars you can just admire from every angle with both a classic look, but with modern design.

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  A Great Car - 2001 Audi A8
  By moose - May 12 - 2:00 pm

  Ive had this car since new and have @ 67,000 miles on it. Had an extended warranty that was a nice addition, b/c out of warranty repairs can be costly. It most comfortable and the gas economy tho not great can be up in the 25-26 range on a trip. One of the drains on the sunroof still is blocked after 2 attempts to fix.

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  Best Audi A6 to date. - 2010 Audi A6
  By Bruce - May 11 - 2:07 pm

  I leased this car ( Prestige Model) for 39 months in December, 2009. Now have 2500 miles. This is the third Audi A6 I have leased and it is by far the best. The car has had zero defects to date. The feeling of quality and solidness is overwhelming - you literally look forward to driving this car every day. Handling is confident and predictable and cornering is very good.

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  Performance, Luxury and Practicality! - 2010 Audi S4
  By djs4 - May 11 - 1:33 am

  My last car was a 09 A5. I had considered the previous generation S4 but was wary about the fuel consumption of the V8 in the city and wanted the new B8 body style. I enjoyed the A5 but it left me longing for more performance (and 4 doors). Once I heard that the new S4 was running a supercharged V6 I had to check it out. One drive and I was hooked. Nothing else at the S4 price point offers the same combination of performance and luxury. This car is the ultimate sport sedan- step on it and youre gone or drive casually around town in Comfort Mode (w/ ADS or Sport Differential). If youre looking for a sports car experience in a versatile daily driver, this is your car.

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  New 2010 S5 convertible - 2010 Audi S5
  By steeda0011 - May 10 - 7:43 pm

  This is our third Audi convertible and this new S5 is a Superior car to the other two S4 convertibles we had. From the engine performance to the shape of the mirrors. Great car. Just not as fast as our 2009 BMW 335i coupe.

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  Wanted this car since 2005 - 2010 Audi A6
  By DaveB - May 8 - 10:26 pm

  First saw the A6 years ago at an auto show, and I was blown away with the interior, but couldnt afford it. Now I can, and worth the wait! Solid, luxurious, fast, cool..lots of adjectives to use to describe it but really you just have to drive it. Drove a 2011 Infinit M37 sport and 2010 BMW 535i sport the same day. The Infiniti disappointed with the driving experience (too soft and slow power delivery), and BMW was way behind in the gadgets (though the handling and power were great). Audi had all the best features of the competitors and a good price. The Prestige package and 19in wheels really round out the car. I heavily researched this purchase, and am satisfied with the decision.

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  Love it - 2010 Audi A4
  By Van der Venckiytrht - May 8 - 12:44 pm

  Test drove everything out there. To be honest, not as good as BMW but much better value. Wife has a 335i. Different league of car. But Audi makes an excellent auto and love drive and fit and finish.