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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  A4 3.0Q 6spd Man - 2003 Audi A4
  By A4Effort - January 24 - 2:46 pm

  I wanted a sports sedan with AWD. At the time, the G35x was still a few months away. The 225hp BMW330xi decently optioned was $43,000+. The BMW doesnt have an in-dash 6CD, dual climate control or a compass - garage door opener could be installed "after-market" and it costs $43,000? My 6spd 220hp A43.0Q stickered $39,000, but sold for a lot less. I had one problem with headlight washers - nothing more. Im getting only about 20 mpg, which is pretty poor for this size car. My previous car, a 95 Nissab Maxima easily got near 25 mpg. The interior is beautiful, except for the bizarre set-up with the armrest / brake, and the worst cupholder this side of Yugo. The acceleration could be better, but I love the AWD. The transmission pretty rubbery vs. BMW

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  Love the car, hate the reliability. - 2003 Audi Allroad Quattro
  By Toby Smith - January 24 - 2:00 am

  We have a love hate relationship with this car. In much the same way as you love the blacksheep of the family. Our allroad is fast (abeit with a little lag), smooth and very well thought out. The interior is prety much perfect, as is the exterior styling. It has and does everything we need as a family car with great aplomb. On the flip side it has been off the road for more than 2 weeks in less than 16k miles. The brakes were redone 3 times, new turbos have been installed, new interior lights, some squeeks and rattles were fixed, new drivers seat frame & motors, and a new gearbox was installed. This was all covered by the warranty but when is enough enough?

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  Convertible Top Troubles - 2004 Audi A4
  By Charles - January 13 - 5:53 pm

  This past December while lowering my soft top, I heard a rip. After raising the top, a small tear was noted. With Audis inclusive warranty, I called Crown Eurocar (my dealer) and was given an appointment for 2 weeks. When the car went in to Crown the service department rep said, "yea it is ripped and would need to be replaced (first day lostthey had refused to just look at it without appt.). Returned 2 weeks later for repair.Loaner given and told it should take a day to repair. Next day the only tech who could repair it was out. Finally it was determined that a defect was responsible, the car had slipped quality control and the entire top had to be replaced (after ok from Audi)

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  Black Beauty - 2003 Audi A4
  By Audia4 - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Fantastic luxury & comfort features for a car in this price range. My only complaints are lack of power,car is too heavy for a 1.8t engine, and had problems with excessive wind noise above 50 mph from the drivers side door. Latter complaint was somewhat fixed by dealer.

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  Great Looking, But ... - 2003 Audi A4
  By IrvThal - January 13 - 10:00 am

  I purchased a 1998 Audi 1.8 T and almost immediately had problems when the passenger side seat fell off its tracks and the cruise control didnt work. While the problems were resolved, about four years after my ownership bega, I started having serious problems with the car. Last year, less than five years after purchase, I put $3,000 into repairs. Audis may look great -- but be VERY careful of their reliability and upkeep!

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  Audi TT roadster - 2005 Audi TT
  By mark - January 10 - 12:00 am

  Great ride. All wheel drive with regular tires great in rain/snow. New tiptronic is a blast. Hope no design problems with this new system as dealer just had to replace transmission. First to second gear was grinding with only 9000 miles on car. Tiptronic stays in gear past red line and doesnt change, be careful.

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  Never Again - 2005 Audi A8
  By Leonard Bellavia - January 9 - 12:54 pm

  Thought I would get away from BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar this time out. Worse mistake Ive ever made. Most items are terrific but this vehicle suffers from an inherent problem that Audi admits there is no fix for. It jerks forward from a stop on the slightest application of the accelerator. Get whiplash eveytime I leave a stop sign. They are all the same but owners will not admit it after spending this much. Takes 35 seconds to switch from FM to AM. No rear coat hanger. Interior light button tiny and buried among 6 other similar buttons on ceiling. Nav system poorly designed. Car has no sex appeal. I just bought wife new STS and aside from putting A8 to shame on all fronts, it gets WOWS everywhere.

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  Emotional Attachment - 2001 Audi TT
  By gepetoh - January 4 - 10:51 pm

  My 2001 Audi TT at the time was by far the biggest head turner of all cars not named Ferrari or Lamborghini, and it cost a heck of a lot less. The driving experience is superb due to the way it makes me feel, rather than the individual parts. The TT is by no means a performance ace. There is noticeable turbo lag, and it goes 0-60 in 7.5 or so, but it feels faster. Its lateral grip is excellent, although not comparable to the sportier Porsche Boxster or Honda S2000. Overall, the car feels sportier than it actually is. The real winner is the design, both internally and externally. There are some creaks that are rather annoying at times, however, and I had to take it in for two minor and one major service.

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  A bit disappointed with 2002 A4 - 2002 Audi A4
  By cllk55mag - January 4 - 2:43 pm

  it has been in the shop twice for check engine light issues. It will be going in for a third time for cruise control problems. The car interior makes "wear and tear" noises that should not be evident in a brand new car. I have an 89 Benz that has less squeaks. Im guessing the sport suspension induced the squeaks, coupled with driving the car in San Franciscos terrible city streets. For a car that weighs as much as a Toyota 4Runner, I find the V6 lacking.

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  My Third Audi - 2005 Audi A8
  By RAY MARTINEZ - January 3 - 2:19 pm

  My 05 A8 is my third Audi. MY 2001 A8L runs with such zip and jetlike take off that it it is without a doubt a magnificent vehicle. I prefer the A8 to the BMWs because of the luxury feel that you get with, combined with the great speed. A few things to improve on include the cup holders and CD location but overall this is a great car. So I bought a new 2005 A8L this August and it it blows away all the other top luxury cars That Ive road tested. Its handling on wet pavement is all you can expect from any car that still rides on the ground.