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:

• 

  Wonderful Machine - 2010 Audi S4
  By David - April 10 - 6:30 am

  I took what was in the dealership and that included the DSG 7 speed, differential, drive select, sound system and Sat Nav. I would normally have only selected the the DSG and diff, but they all work well. The differential is a must, but the drive select works well with a comfort mode that has a much softer throttle, compliant suspension and lighter steering - I use it around town. The striking feature of the car is the usability of the performance. The car is extremely safe and stable at all times and very comfortable in long trips - no more back ache and numbness. The real world performance is surprising - no sound or fury at traffic lights - a gentle right foot, and the car is gone

• 

  Another Great Audi - 2009 Audi A5
  By Togs - April 8 - 10:42 pm

  This is my 4th Audi. Ive had 3 A4s (2 wagons and 1 sedan), Lexus RX330 and a 545i as recent cars. The A5 blows them all away. the 3.2 easily competes w/ the 545 V8 and the driving performance is awesome. The system is WAY better than iDrive and the instruments are easy to use. It looks great, drives great and (as usual) is a completely reliable performance vehicle. Not a single issue. Only drawback are the seats. Read a lot about the regular (non S-Line) seats before I bought and still went with the standard seats. Coming from the Lexus, I had a really hard time with back and hip pain in the Audi seats. Tough comparison from a Lexus SUV to a sports car, but wishing for better comfort.

• 

  Still in love - 2010 Audi A3
  By Martin - April 8 - 6:13 pm

  At 4,000, am thoroughly in love: Blast to drive, lots of torque, great mountain road control with paddle gear selectors. Plus, averaging 40.8 mpg combined (no commute traffic, lots of freeway). Corners tight and flat, excellent control.

• 

  Great Car! - 2010 Audi Q5
  By FunToDrive - April 8 - 11:25 am

  We drive our Q5 in the LA area and love it! Its good looking, quick, quiet and fun!

• 

  This is a FUN Car - 2010 Audi A4
  By Riplip - April 6 - 10:57 pm

  First of all, before I purchased the A4, I looked at the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes c class, Infinity and even Cadillac CTS. I believe this is a typical sampling in this space. I picked the A4 for the roomy interior (at least for a small sedan), torque and interior design. It may not have the fastest top speed/acceleration in its class, believe me, with the torque, its good enough. Love the interior and sound system. Its a fun car to drive.

• 

  Not for Poseurs - 1999 Audi A4
  By Chris - April 6 - 2:26 pm

  Our Audi A4 Quattro WAGON 2.8 V6 5spd was very hard to find! It has front AND side impact airbags. It’s not a turbo (no sludge problems!) It was before dual exhaust, so it has a SINGLE muffler! It’s the later 1999 production with the newer (better) style dash and elipsoloid headlights. Mine is the simplest/best A4 to own. With a good mechanic who doesn’t rip you off, you’ll have the suspension fully sorted and many trouble-free miles. The build quality on these cars is incredible – we’ve hit 130K with no drama and never roadside breakdown. Am now parting with it (Vermont – thanks – ask Craig to see the listing) only saying goodbye to “Shanta” because we’re moving overseas.

• 

  Great SUV - 2010 Audi Q5
  By The_Boston_Runner - April 6 - 10:26 am

  This is by far the best SUV in this size and price range. We test drove the XC60, RX350, GLK350, X3, SRX and the RDX. The Q5 comes out on top quality wise.

• 

  The Best Entry-Level Luxury Sedan - 2010 Audi A4
  By Mark - April 2 - 3:32 pm

  I have owned four Audis and a number of other European cars and this one is the pinnacle so far. The build quality and choice of materials (inside and out)are segment leaders. The engine has unbelievable torque given its size and the ride is very compliant with minimal body movement. The steering is also sublime - it seems to know where you want the car to be pointed. This generation of A4 finally has real rear- seat space as well.

• 

  Pleasantly Surprised - 2010 Audi A4
  By TD in Tarrytown - April 2 - 11:52 am

  Our Audi A4 has exceeded all our expectations. The ride quality is outstanding and the handling in the snow/heavy rains has been phenomenal. Although my wife is the primary driver, I love to drive the car on the weekends. The ride is tight and although the speed sensitive steering takes some getting used to, it was rock solid at highway speeds. This vehicle represents a great value compared to the competition.

• 

  Highly Recommended Vehicle - 2010 Audi S4
  By JoeLinux - April 2 - 11:41 am

  Only 700 chars, so Ill be brief: 0-60, better than: - BMW 335i/xi - Infiniti G37S - Volkswagen GTI 0-60, slower than: - BMW M3 - Porsche Carrera S - Chevrolet Corvette 1/4-mi, better than: - Ford Mustang GT - Camaro SS - Nissan 370Z 1/4-mi, slower than: - Mitsubishi Evo X - Porsche Cayman S - Lexus IS-F Interior fit & finish is superb, and bucket seats are excellent (esp. in two-tone). MMI interface is way better than BMWs iDrive, only the external cables are expensive (why not just have standard inputs?) Brakes are phenomenal, and cornering is breathtaking. Also of note, Audis 333 hp rating is horribly wrong (possibly due to delayed RS4)