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 excellent car, with some drawbacks - 2003 Audi A4
  By 2002A4Quattro1.8T - August 13 - 2:00 am

  Audi has crafted a truly fine automobile here. The interior is better executed than almost ANY other, regardless of price, anf the understated elegance of the exterior is sure to look good for many years to come. With 13K miles so far, and driving in all conditions, Id say this car is a 9.5 out of 10. The quattro and ESP together make it unflappable in inclement weather.

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  A6 - 2000 Audi A6
  By unknown - August 10 - 7:01 pm

  i bought this car 2 mos ago with 83k. i loved it at first. i feel safe in it. i just had the timing belt go before it should have and cause major engine damage. i have heard a lot about sensors going bad. i would never buy another one with out a warranty. it is just not wise or financially practical because something is bound to go wrong because of the notorious electrical problems, and the cost to fix is high.

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  I love my AWD A6 Wagon - 1996 Audi A6
  By TRW - August 9 - 11:43 am

  My first Audi was a 1987 Audi Coupe manual transmission and I loved it for 7 years when I sold it. I bought the 1996 Audi in 2000 with 48k miles on it and have had a great experience with it. The cars loves the snow and can get me anywhere in any kind of weather. I can pack all my family of 6 in the car easily with the help of the back-facing rear seat. The car is very peppy and very fun to drive. The interior design is beautiful with its red lighted gauges. The only trouble we had was with the Audi CD player that didnt survive long after we had it installed by Audi. Enjoy the ride!

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  Audi S4 - Hard to Beat! - 2004 Audi S4
  By audimania - August 6 - 11:59 am

  Leased silver sedan with automatic trans in October 2003. Car has 35,000 miles. It is truly a drivers car - on windy, country roads, it handles as well as my Porsche 911. The handling is superior as are the brakes and ride quality. Reliability has been a bit of an issue - transmission had to be replaced - would have cost in excess of $6500 if car had not been under warranty. In short, if you can accept the extremely mediocre gas mileage, and want to carry 4 in relative comfort, and you want a smile on your face every time you drive, this is the machine.

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  LOVE THIS CAR!!!! - 1997 Audi A8
  By KD - August 5 - 2:49 pm

  I purchased this car new. I feel it is an AWESOME car, the experience to have this car will stay in my memory forever. I LOVE the way it drives, very powerful and solid, can move QUICKLY when needed and beautiful inside and out! I cant imagine driving another car!

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  Its pretty decent for the price - 2005 Audi A4
  By caaz - August 4 - 7:08 am

  The car is a pretty good car, but if it didnt have maintenance and a really good warranty I would have gone broke by now. The A4 after 2000 miles started having problems with the engine, then around 15000 miles the windows on the car would not go up or down and so was the sunroof which was stuck during the rainy season in california. At around 22000 miles the cars transmission light started going off and on, went to the dealership to only find out the transmission module had broken. But thanks to the warranty it was covered or would have cost me over 6000 dollars to replace, but I had no car for over a month.

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  OK - 2001 Audi A6
  By Khos - August 2 - 3:41 pm

  Nice car, powerful engine and fun to drive, but it does not offer reliability. Last summer it spent 2 months at the dealership because of a weird problem with a computer part. Before that, had a problem with the brakes, before that the front seat moved back and forth, by itself when driving in reverse. Do I like this car, yeah I do, its a nice car to drive. Would I buy another Audi .... NO WAY !!! I need to rely on my car and cant afford to have it in the shop so often.

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  Can we go topless? - 2005 Audi S4
  By Inquisitor - July 28 - 3:16 am

  I bought this car in late 2004 and after a year and half, I figured I could finally do a complete review of it. I cross-shopped and found the S4 cab was best all-around. Up to 80 mph, the wind noise with the open top is astonishingly low - the best of any convertible Ive ever been in. The handling is superb for a convertible, but remember it is a front-heavy AWD vehicle, so drive it correctly or helloooo scary understeer - learned this at an Audi Club driving event. When done right, its awesome through the twisties. Overall, this is a grown-up, amazing sleeper of a cruiser.

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  squeeky brakes are standard - 2004 Audi A4
  By Frozen Fingers - July 27 - 10:00 am

  i puchase a 2004 A4 and seem to have a clicking noise when i put the car in gear and start moving and squeeky brakes come standard. dealership told me that is normal??????

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  2001 Audi A4 Quattro 2.8 - 2001 Audi A4
  By Steve - July 23 - 5:51 pm

  First of all, I can safely say that I still would have made the purchase back in October 2000, knowing what I know now. The only major disappointment in this vehicle has been the mileage. It has averaged probably less than 20 MPG (I mostly drive city), and even a fuel tank with 100% freeway miles is probably only averaging 25 or 26 MPG, which isnt great. Still, thats a minor quibble. The engine has been a complete dream. No problems whatsoever. the only glitches on the vehicle have been a leaking washer fluid gasket on the high pressure headlights, a broken elastic piece on the glovebox door, and a loose door handle on the drivers side. Thats it - in over 5 years. Ill buy again.