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Audi

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Audi
Audi
source
NameAudi AG
TypePublic company
Traded asFWB: NSU, OTCQX: AUDVF
Foundation16 July 1909 (as August Horch's second company)
FounderAugust Horch
LocationIngolstadt, Bavaria, Germany
Key peopleGernot Döllner (CEO), Jürgen Rittersberger (CFO)
IndustryAutomotive industry
ProductsLuxury vehicles, commercial vehicles
Production1,895,240 vehicles (2023)
Revenue€69.9 billion (2023)
Operating income€6.3 billion (2023)
Num employees87,000 (2023)
ParentVolkswagen Group
DivisionsAudi Sport GmbH
SubsidLamborghini, Ducati, Italdesign
Homepagewww.audi.com

Audi. A German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, which also includes brands like Porsche, Bentley, and Škoda Auto. The company's name, derived from the Latin translation of founder August Horch's surname, signifies its enduring commitment to engineering excellence and premium brand positioning within the global automotive market.

History

The company's origins trace back to 1899 when engineer August Horch founded August Horch & Cie. in Cologne. Following a dispute with the board, Horch established a second company in 1909 in Zwickau, which he named using the Latin translation of his surname. The iconic four rings emblem, adopted in 1932, symbolizes the merger of Audiwerke with Horch, DKW, and Wanderer to form Auto Union AG, a significant entity in pre-war German automotive industry. After World War II, the company was re-established in West Germany, with Auto Union GmbH formed in Ingolstadt in 1949. The Volkswagen Group acquired the company from Daimler-Benz in 1964, a pivotal moment that led to the introduction of the Audi 100 and the modern revival of the brand under engineering chief Ludwig Kraus. The launch of the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system in 1980 fundamentally altered the brand's image towards high-performance and technological leadership.

Products and models

The brand's lineup is structured around a letter-number nomenclature, primarily featuring sedans, SUVs, coupés, and convertibles. Core model series include the A3, A4, A6, and A8 for passenger cars, and the Q2, Q5, Q7, and Q8 for its SUV range. High-performance variants are developed by its Audi Sport GmbH division, formerly quattro GmbH, and are badged under the S and RS monikers, such as the RS 6 Avant and R8 supercar. The brand also produces electric vehicles under the e-tron sub-brand, including the Q4 e-tron and e-tron GT, the latter co-developed with Porsche. Limited-production models and concept cars are often showcased at major international auto shows like the International Motor Show Germany.

Technology and innovation

The manufacturer is renowned for pioneering several key automotive technologies. Its most famous innovation is the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system, which debuted in the Audi Quattro and became a benchmark for traction and handling. In lighting technology, it introduced full-LED headlamps on the R8 in 2008 and later Matrix LED and digital matrix LED headlights. The Virtual Cockpit, a fully digital instrument cluster, first appeared in the TT in 2014. For its electric vehicles, the company developed the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture in collaboration with Porsche. Other significant technologies include its aluminum space frame construction used in the A8 and R8, and the Modular Infotainment Platform for its MMI systems.

Motorsport

The brand has a storied history in international motorsport, achieving legendary status in rallying during the Group B era with the Audi Quattro, driven by champions like Walter Röhrl and Hannu Mikkola. It dominated the World Rally Championship in the early 1980s. The company later achieved tremendous success in sports car racing, with victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the early 2000s using turbocharged TDI diesel engine technology in the R8, R10 TDI, and R15 TDI prototypes. Its Audi Sport team, operating under the Audi Sport GmbH division, also competed successfully in the DTM and the FIA World Endurance Championship. In Formula One, the company powered the Williams and Sauber teams from 2006 to 2021 under the banner of its high-performance division.

Corporate affairs

The company operates as a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, one of the world's largest automotive conglomerates. Its global production network includes major manufacturing plants in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm in Germany, Brussels in Belgium, Győr in Hungary, and Foshan in China through its joint venture with FAW Group. The brand's strategic direction is closely aligned with the Volkswagen Group's overarching plans, including the accelerated shift towards electric mobility under its Vorsprung 2030 strategy. It holds ownership of several prestigious subsidiaries, including the Italian supercar maker Lamborghini and motorcycle manufacturer Ducati, and has a strategic partnership with the design firm Italdesign. The company's global headquarters and primary research and development center remain located at its historic site in Ingolstadt.

Category:Car manufacturers of Germany Category:Volkswagen Group Category:Companies based in Bavaria Category:1909 establishments in Germany