Audi, this name has always stood for automotive innovation, top quality and,
of course, the famous phrase "lead by technology". The company's history
since 1968 has been shaped by Ludwig Kraus and Ferdinand Piëch, whose
visions and ambitions have turned the Audi brand into an established premium
supplier. In which motorsport also plays a major role : 13 victories at Le Mans
since the year 2000.
Where did the logo with the
four rings come from ? DKW, one of the most successful German car manufacturers of the 1920s, took over
Audi GmbH in 1928. Four years later, Horchwerke AG and Wanderer were also taken
over by DKW. The merger of these four companies was called Auto Union AG, and the
logo with the four rings represented the four manufacturers of the consortium. The
memorable emblem has been on every Audi since then, although in principle only one
of the four rings stands for Audi.
What does "lead by
technology" mean ? "Vorsprung durch Technik" (lead by technology) plays a central role in Audi's external
image. The all-wheel drive system known as "quattro", the procon-ten safety system,
corrosion protection through fully galvanized bodies or the first self-supporting
aluminum body in a saloon - all this manifested Audi's reputation as a progressive
company.
Where did the name Audi
come from ? Mechanical engineer August Horch founded his own automobile company in Cologne
in 1899. In 1900 the first vehicle he designed himself left the production halls. Among
the achievements of his work was the first German car with a four-cylinder engine.
In the reliability tests, which were very popular at that time, Horch models received
good placings, which proved the high quality of the Horch designs. Unfortunately,
the sporting successes could not be confirmed in further competitions, which led to
problems between Horch and the supervisory board. As a consequence, Horch left his
company in 1909. Shortly afterwards he wanted to found a new company and the son
of his investor Franz Finkentscher helped him to find a suitable name. He translated the
word Horch into Latin : Audi ("to hear").
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