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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  Pure awesome-ness - 2009 Audi A4
  By Lohnek - July 2 - 2:56 am

  I own a 2009 A4 2.0T FSI Quattro Prestige S-Line. What an amazing and fun car to drive! Pros: Performance: responsive, good handling, grips the road and can make tight corners, 0-60 in 6.7 sec as advertised, smooth ride even with sport suspensions. Styling: beautifully done interior, exterior styling is amazing with nice flowing lines, still loving the LED lights after 26K. Reliability: reliable, no maintenance issues at all, all in all, a great car! Other: B&F audio is a must! 31 mpg highway Cons: Stock tires are noisy at high speeds above 60 mph -Torque steer issues that Audi has no fix for still. MMI interface does not support other languages -18 mpg city -Slow start off the line

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  Hard to Beat - 2010 Audi A4
  By jmcycle - July 1 - 7:36 pm

  Ive had this car for about a month and 600 miles. So far, it is awesome- handling, comfort, and power are amazing. I am excited and proud every time I get in it. It has made me re- think the numbers (i.e. horsepower) on paper. I dont understand how something with "only" 211hp can be so fast. I also test drove the BMW 328IX and it didnt feel anywhere near as fast as this car. I also love that I get such good gas mileage out of something with so much power. Safety is unmatched as well-5 stars in every category.

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  First German Car - 2010 Audi Q5
  By Boards - July 1 - 9:26 am

  After years of Japanese vehicles I transitioned to that which I always wanted. Was set up to buy an A-4 but wanted a little utility and was willing to compromise on performance. So far very happy with features and performance.

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  Pleased with purchase overall - 2001 Audi A6
  By Thomas - June 30 - 1:36 pm

  I purchased this car over a year ago and thought a review would be of some help for others looking to purchase one. This is a great looking, great handling and riding vehicle considering the $4500 I paid for it. It was maintained well by the previous owner and had 130K on it when I purchased it. About 13,000 miles later here is what I have replaced: Aux. Fan for AC - $100, Two Front axles - $150, Front Brake Pads - $68.00, and Two Cam Seals - $16.00 for both. Audi wanted $1,800 to replace cam-seals. It took me approx 8 hrs to repair that problem. These are nice cars that are capable of running for a long time if maintained properly. If you are on a tight budget, dont buy one.

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  Out of the world - 2010 Audi A5
  By mgur1 - June 27 - 8:02 pm

  After driving first 1500 miles decided to Post a comment. The car is fantastic, love every minute of driving, style, performance. Had VW passat 6v, worried if a5 is agile enough with 4 cylinders. No more worries, delivers enough power not to feel a difference. Car just glued to the road, no body roll at all.

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  Audi Rocks - 2010 Audi Q5
  By smartboy23 - June 26 - 11:22 pm

  Replaced my 2008 Honda Pilot. I had leased A4 in 2005 and was very happy with Audi as a brand. Great car/SUV. Love it, of course smaller than Honda Pilot but works for me.

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  Positive German Experience - 2010 Audi Q5
  By Foxmoor - June 26 - 7:22 pm

  This is my first German car and its a great one - beautifully finished, good mix of power and economy, and reasonably fun handling. I sold a Mini Cooper to upsize to the Q5 and dont regret it a bit. The quality is first-rate and my wife feels safer in a larger vehicle with outstanding crash test results.

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  First Time Audi Buyer - 1999 Audi A4
  By Tommy - June 25 - 5:22 pm

  I liked the car because of the brand (big fan) and how it looks good and the ability of the Quattro system. Bought a 10 year old car for about $10K. Ive owned it for 16 mos. I disliked it because Ive spent over $5,500 in repairs. It didnt have problem at first month but afterward, timing belt $1.5K, bearings changed all of them @ $700, twice in LR wheel within 1 year, CV shafts $500, flex pipe $400, spark plugs+wire set twice bc engine stutters 200 etc. The worst is my car was put in all the money, theres more to fix ABS Module $400, engine oil leak and clutch $2.5K, brake pad worn signal, rear axle leak etc. and then some guy totaled my car on the hwy. ALL $$$ I put in, gone.

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  Audi R8 First 3 Months Review - 2010 Audi R8
  By MPS - June 25 - 12:46 pm

  This car is simply amazing in every regard except fuel economy, but I guess that is to be expected with this caliber of vehicle. Styling and Performance are incredible. Gets looks and attention everywhere it goes. This takes some getting use to.

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  Ultimate bad weather beater - 1995 Audi A6
  By alex - June 24 - 7:55 pm

  Hi, I own an 1995 audi a6 sedan which i purchased 2 years ago with 250,000k on it. i paid $1000 for it and has spend another $500 replaced timing belt, moonroof seal ext. so far the best $1000 Ive ever spent. despite high mileage the car still runs good, very comfortable, confident in all weather conditions, great attention to details, high quality interior, would like to get better millage but for the size of the car i think it not so bad, engine is underpowered, slow like a teenager to clean his room. definitely love the quattro.