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:

• 

  Nice, smooth, sleek - 2010 Audi A6
  By nigerian audilover - June 5 - 8:03 pm

  Bought my 1st Audi ever, 10,000 miles and going,love it,used to drive a Range Rover sport supercharged before.Audi handling is much better,even in the snow,glue to the ground. Feels safe in the cold, snowy,winter. Checked out the BMW 5series, Acura TL, Volvo, Mercedes Benz E-350 but fell in love with LED lights. Drive it everyday, acceleration wonderful, sound system great,love the MMI. Bluetooth perfect.

• 

  What can be better? - 2010 Audi A4
  By Hmoeti - June 5 - 7:38 am

  A4 2010 2.0 premium plus/sport package/Nav. This car got it all: Luxury, Style, Power, Technology and Fuel Efficiency. Love the turbo engine. Sport tuned make a big difference. Almost got a BMW 335i. NO regrets. Saved $12K and have everything I wished for. Fuel efficiency with such a performance is a big plus! Dealership much more flexible than BMW.

• 

  Dream car - 2007 Audi A4
  By Kaypo - June 4 - 9:45 am

  Traded in an old Sebring convertible for the Audi Quattro. Wanted an all- weather convertible. Couldnt be more pleased. The car is absolutely beautiful on the outside, and has Audis workmanship and reliability. Weve had it five months. Absolutely no issues. Inside, its fine for me tight for my six-foot-one husband. We were able to drive anywhere in one of the worst winters we had, and the top- down experience is fabulous. It takes close to 30 seconds to get the top up or down, but you get used to that. Its the only awd convertible on the market - I hope Audi remains committed.

• 

  Absolute Tank! - 2001 Audi A6
  By sjs - June 3 - 9:33 pm

  We bought it back in June of 06 with 131,000 miles on it, it now has 171,000. It was purchased as an extra vehicle for my wife who has tried her hardest to kill it. She has been in three accidents one of them quite serious, we fixed it and it runs and drives great. I change the oil every 5,000 with synthetic of course. I do it myself to save money. It does have some of the leaky issues and the drivers side window is testy, but to its credit its almost 10 years old been put through the ringer by my wifes poor driving skills, and believe me, if you only knew. It is an awesome vehicle. Worth every penny. I wouldnt hesitate to buy another Audi. It takes a lickin and keeps on tickin.

• 

  Good car but not perfect - 2010 Audi Q5
  By pathguy - June 2 - 5:32 pm

  Side mirrors are too big and create large blind spots. I needed to take car in to have transmission "reprogrammed" in second week of owning the car. otherwise, Q5 is a good car.

• 

  First import for my garage - 2009 Audi A3
  By Andy - June 2 - 9:47 am

  Coming from a Chevy-only-world I could not be any happier. Power, style, handling, its all there in spades. The combination of redesigned 2.0T-TFSI, DSG transmission and Haldex AWD is amazing. It is so fun to drive I find myself taking the long-way home almost every day. And the hatch makes it extremely practical. My dog loves cruising around, grinning at everyone through the back window. And the folding back seats have made room for a new grill, small patio set and almost everything I need to haul. On top of all this the A3 is top-rated for safety and sips so little gas I have no concerns with non-stop spirited driving.

• 

  New Audi Q5 (Premier) first impression - 2010 Audi Q5
  By David Olson - June 1 - 4:30 pm

  I have had my Q5 for one month (1300 miles). Moved up from 2005 Subaru Outback XT (turbo). The car feels bigger than it is (probably high hood), but the handling is superb. Nice turn radius, positive/stable in twisties, and smooth/fast acceleration. Steering feels 1:1 and no issue. Noted comment on hesitation from stop to start havent experienced this. Shifting smooth all the way up sport mode is RESPONSIVE. Interior is beautiful. MMI and voice work, but there is a learning curve: reading instruction book helps! It is more expensive than the Suby (for the money, very good value). But if a luxury compact SUV is your thing, then the Q5 is an excellent choice I highly recommend the Q5.

• 

  Audi A8 L Luxury for Life - 2007 Audi A8
  By Strausburg - June 1 - 3:54 pm

  Better than a Benz, BMW, Acura, Lexus for the L body style and large class of cars.

• 

  Love it so far. - 2008 Audi A4
  By FirstA4 - May 30 - 10:36 am

  Bought it CPO 3 months, 2K miles ago and love it. No issues so far-knock on wood. Very fun to drive w/ 6-sp manual. Interior is luxurious.. Armrest is a bit awkward-it covers the parking brake. Ive cracked my elbow on it several times when its lifted up. Armrest lid latch broke-this is a common problem. Dealer replaced under warranty. Overall, lot of fun to drive. Before buying, I drove two G35s and three 328is, and dont regret for a second going with the Audi. The Infinity and BMW had much more power, but A4 was just more fun to drive. G35 had too much plastic in the cockpit. BMW oddly enough felt too refined - like it was driving and I was along for the ride.

• 

  Love my Q7 TDI! - 2010 Audi Q7
  By kkb - May 30 - 8:40 am

  I have had my TDI for about a month and I LOVE it! I consistently get about 25 mpg on my commute, a mixture of stop and go highway and side roads. It has great power and I love the panoramic sunroof with electric shade. I had a chance to use my air conditioned seats the other day and let me tell you, what a great feature! All in all, I am very happy with my purchase.