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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  1 sweet car - 2002 Audi A4
  By Ali - October 13 - 4:01 pm

  Sweet car, but taillights keep going out. Love the power memory seats, only car in its class I know of that has rear heated seats, love the looks, turns a lotta heads. I think audi is a great German brand, its a real nice car (I have the auto).

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  May be Im just lucky... - 2001 Audi A6
  By Boris - October 6 - 4:06 pm

  ... but I havent had any problems. Its an awesome car, well engineered, quite reliably built considering the number of features it has. Audi brand is definitely underrated in North America, but it is one of the hottest in Europe. Every time I get into my Audi I feel better already. It is excellent for highway cruising, but it also easily reveals its sporty character when pushed a little bit harder. And one more thing - safety. This is my second Audi A6, the first one was totaled after I was T-boned by Mercedes SUV at about 50 mph - pretty nasty collision. Not a slightest injury to myself, thanks to the side airbags and rigid body structure.

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  allroad...allright! - 2004 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By Scott Z - September 26 - 10:00 am

  This is one beautiful car. The interior is outstandingly elegant and practical. The 2.7 is a sweet engine, but the turbo lag does take some getting use to. Build quality is very good to excellent, but does not equal the Japanese hi-qual cars. Its a delight to drive under all weather conditions. The styling has it all over the boxey Volvo wagon IMHO! The car doesnt need a V-8, even though one is now available. An upgraded chip for the V-6 adds another 65 hp! Fuel economy is not great, but the range with the 18.5 gallon tank is still good at 350 miles. The adjustable height suspension is a nice feature.

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  i need a 6th gear.... - 2004 Audi A4
  By audigirl - September 26 - 10:00 am

  great salesman at dealership....love my Audi...no problems thus far...supper fun to drive, BOSE system should be standard.

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  fun to drive - 2005 Audi S4
  By rad97 - September 21 - 7:47 pm

  I was trying to decide which car to lease, so I test drove BMW 330, Lexus GS430, Infiniti M45 and FX45. They were all good cars, but for the money and performance the Audi S4 sedan was the best. For 49K you get the fastest and best handling car with all wheel drive to boot. Only complaint is small fuel tank and having to switch to snow tires for the winter.

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  Dont get burned!!! - 1999 Audi A4
  By JCC - September 21 - 5:34 pm

  I recently sold my 1999 A4 AWD 2.8 65K miles. I owned it for exactly 1 year. After 1 year, the transmission needed to be replaced. The estimate was $5000- $7000. I said fix it good enough to drive across town to the Nissan dealer. In addition, it was due for its 60K mile service >$650. The service person made an excellent point in saying, "If you cant afford the routine maintenence, then you cant afford the vehicle. I got caught up in being a pretentious fool. You shouldnt. Buy something else!

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  very nice! - 2004 Audi A4
  By jmell - September 20 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car for 3 months now and am very pleased. It is my first convertable and has been more than what I expected. Stylish, easy to drive, and lots of fun.

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  So far, so good - 2002 Audi A4
  By jp834 - September 18 - 10:00 am

  Bought the car in December in Upstate NY, the next day it snowed..The traction control and ESP are awesome. I would have never made it out of the driveway with my old Volkswagen. I only have a couple complaints. The lack of horsepower (for those with new A4s the HP improves after about 3000 miles) We need the 4.2!!. Not enough leg room on the right side for a tall driver, significant brake fade under hard braking conditions, heavy and cumbersome in hard corners, but, Im in love with it anyway!! Cant wait for the new S4.

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  A6 review - 2006 Audi A6
  By PA guy - September 15 - 10:02 pm

  My second A6. Mix of great things and some annoyances. Biggest issue is steering wheel which doesnt align straight when car is going straight. Not fixable because of the design and quite irritating when driving. Lower drivers seat cushion doesnt move much so for some average size folks not a comfortable position. Also the impeccable interior design of the last generation A6 design drops with absence of single CD capability, usable second cup holder and airbag and door lock lights that are very bright. Goodies two: Navigation is very easy. Automatic electronic key is far nicer than you would guess. Great trunk with quality folding seats.

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  So sweeet! - 1999 Audi A4
  By Dukes of Hazard - September 12 - 10:00 am

  Sweet ride. Handles great, a blast to drive. Suggest getting some bolt-ons for that lag between the turbo (before 2800rpm. Hot interior, Great engine. I fell in love the second I drove one.