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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  an awesome car - 2004 Audi A4
  By JordanK31 - January 17 - 10:00 am

  This car seems that it will last forever. We just bought it for the family and we love it. I am seriously going to buy one when I get a new car.

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  3.0 quattro 2005 A4 - 2005 Audi A4
  By mjrupkp - January 12 - 10:00 am

  LOVE this car! traded in sebring chrysler convertible that i "thought" I loved. NO COMPARISON!

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  Great Car - 2003 Audi A4
  By Jeff Wilson - January 9 - 2:00 am

  The new Audi 2003 Avant A4 is a great car, but the turbo lag is very noticible, far more than I anticipated. Now, if you want an all-wheel drive car, then I can think of no better car to get if you apreciate a sporty ride, and great build quality. I had the Subaru Oakback LL Bean edition, and while the Audi is $3000 more, and just as fast, all the other features of the Audi make it worth while. I love the body style, Bose Stero is awsome, handles great, build quality is excellent, lots of storage, and not bad gas milage for a turbo engine. I love the car, but the turbo lag is a serious issue to consider.

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  Love this car!! - 2006 Audi A4
  By Jennifer - January 4 - 8:53 am

  Ive had so many people come up to me saying how much they love the looks of my car. Ive been so happy with it. I love that it tells me when I need to bring it in for service, since Im a complete "auto-illiterate."

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  Audi from Hell - 2003 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By Troubled and Bitter - January 3 - 4:46 am

  After 30,000 miles the Audi sevice people gave up on trying to fix the surge/lag problem that my 2003 Audi allroad has developed. I have spent $6,100 on new turbos (2),a torque converter, ECU, transmission control unit...etc. This car has had roughly $10,000 in warrenty work with no fix. Now they have made me an insulting offer to get me out of the car as a "courtesy" to buy another piece of junk Audi. Ive owned Audi or Volkswagen products since, my 1970 Audi super 90, 1978 Scirocco, 1987 Quantum, 1998 A4 Avant, and 2003 allroad and after all that they make a lame offer of settlement. Its Audis service problem not mine. Unless things change and change dramatically I will never buy another Volkswagen or Audi product again...GO Toyota !!!

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  A4 1.8T fwd, 5-speed - 2003 Audi A4
  By ryanfish - January 3 - 2:00 am

  Great car, clearly the best for the price. Good dealers, no pressure. The nicest interior, and great gas milage. Great seats. Was also considering Infiniti G35 or a real nice Altima. Opted for the 4 cylinder A4 and glad I did.

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  Great Car - 2006 Audi A4
  By Mike - December 30 - 5:36 am

  This car is very fun to drive. It handles well. Great interior/exterior fit and finish. Seats are firm and comfortable. Controls and instruments are easy to read and user friendly. Performance is a bit unresponsive when first starting up from a stop while in Drive.

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  New A3 a Fine Addition To the Audi Line - 2006 Audi A3
  By ready4c - December 28 - 1:10 am

  I have only owned the car for a week, and have put on about 300 miles, but it is solid, quiet and fast. Yes, it is rather expensive for its size, but the list of features is long and all are useable.

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  Perfect Car - 2007 Audi A4
  By Ellroy - December 24 - 3:50 pm

  The car drives great. It has tight handling and responsive control, its easy to operate and the controls are great. Its a beautiful car.

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  Car gets lost in comparison - 2003 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By audiconvert - December 23 - 10:00 am

  I am a wagon fan. We used to drive Volvos, but shifted to Audis after numerous test drives. The Audi Allroad is the most complete car we have had. Great interior and exterior, great sound system, fun engine, great versatility because of the pneumatics that allow you to increase clearance at the touch of a button, the only downside is very average gas mileage and some parts problems from third- parties. Having had both, there is no comparison between this car and the VolvoXC70 (which is a great car) - the Allroad is just better -- more fun, more capable. If I had to have only one car (and didnt need a third row of seats) this would be it.