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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  Best Car Ever - 2003 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By kmurphy - August 23 - 10:00 am

  Lots of exclusivity and support from Dealer & Manufacturer

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  Pretty Impressive - 2003 Audi A4
  By audi driver - August 17 - 10:00 am

  Out the gate I was pretty impressed ! low price compared to Merc and bmw. good value for what you get.. the Quatro corners like its on rails !

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  2003 Audi A4 Quattro 5A - 2003 Audi A4
  By bobs A4 - August 17 - 10:00 am

  We were deciding between a BMW 330i and an Audi A4. Audi won due to value and more of an updated interior/exterior. Beautifully laid out interior and lighting. Extremely comfortable seating. The tiptronic mode and sport mode for the Audi works very well although not as well as the Audi A4 with the CVT transmission or the BMW 330i. When driving the the A4 hard, this vehicle has excellent grip and braking, and decent acceleration. The lighting system for night time driving is a site to behold. All lights in the interior are red and easy on the eyes yet clear to read (looks like an airplane cockpit) with Xenon lights that really light up the road in front of you.

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  Great Car, Great Value - 2003 Audi A4
  By lenl - August 17 - 10:00 am

  Beautiful car, elegant styling, runs great,quick from 0-50...actually feels much quicker than the 6 cylinder in city driving. Had a BMW and loved it, wanted a change & ended up paying less for the Audi & I love it. The radio was a pleasant surprise - very good (with or without the Bose stuff). Lastly - a full size spa......AND RIM! In my case a 17" Sport rim which comes in handy in case you scuff up a rim or dent one (which we all have done).

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  Great Car - 2002 Audi A4
  By rdlg2002 - August 15 - 9:13 am

  Excelent Car Audi A4 2002

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  Solid, speedy, lots for the $$ - 2005 Audi A6
  By NJPal - August 14 - 3:23 pm

  My 2005 Audi A6 3.2 quattro feels like it is magnetically sealed to the road. Even with strong acceleration and excellent handling, the ride is very comfortable. The MMI system provides an amazing level of control over nearly every aspect of the car, IF YOU WANT IT; but does not require a computer science background to make use of most things. The Sirius radio (not an option we were necessarily looking for) is SUPERB.

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  This is a great car. - 2004 Audi A4
  By rgold28 - August 11 - 2:00 am

  I test drove the Passat V6, the Jetta V6 and ended up with the Audi A4 1.8T. I did not like the jerkey shift in the Passat, it did not feel as comfortible as the Audi. The Audi dealer was very helpful in explaining all the features of our new car. The test drive was quite long, we went on the freeway and the quattro system was explained in detail. I was told the Audi was one of the safest cars in its class. The quattro is a dream in the rain. My insurance premium is only $1000 per year. I think this is the best all around car in the world for performance, reliability, safety, fuel economy and comfort. My wife and i argue over whom is going to drive the new Audi.

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  Outstanding Audi A4 Quattro - 1999 Audi A4
  By Roy M - August 8 - 2:00 am

  AWD traction is out of this world. The A4 has always performed well beyond expectations.

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  Audi A4 - 2002 Audi A4
  By Sychuang - August 8 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle tracks like nothing I have ever driven. The interior is superior to anything that I tested on the market.

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  A great start with a great car - 2004 Audi A4
  By 204meca - July 31 - 10:00 am

  We sought a combo of comfort, a good combo of performance and economy & cost less < $30K. After looking at Accords, Passats, Camrys, Mazda 6 & 3, Acura TSX we choose an A4. We had to special order 1.8T CTV with the interior package as the only option to control cost. After 5 months & 5,4000 miles were very pleased. On a 1,800K trip the comfort was supurb & we got 38 mpg. This is not a race car, but power is more than ample & we love the smoothness of the CVT & excellent gas mileage. Too soon to rate the long term reliablity, but it has been flawless so far. This car definitely has the feel of a winner!