Which city will Audi. Audi factories

Whose car brand is Audi

The country where Audi is assembled, and whose brand Audi has gained considerable popularity in the world market, is Germany (also Slovakia, Hungary, Belgium, (Russiauntil 2015 year, car factory near St. Petersburg)

Is it a member of other companies, divisions, corporations, groups?

Audi is part of Volkswagen Group since 1964

What does the emblem, sign, logo Audi mean

Brief Audi brand history

This is one of the oldest car brands, it appeared thanks to the work of August Horch, whose company Audi began its journey in 1910.

Its center was the Saxon town of Zwickau. For the first time, he began working on the creation of cars back in the 19th century, but in 1901 there was a conflict with the stock company Horch Werke, because of which Horch himself, being the founder, was forced to leave his own factory.

However, the entrepreneur, whose Audi brand subsequently gained considerable popularity, did not lose his head and started all over again. Every driver who owns an Audi car may be interested in the fact that this name is just a translation of the name of the creator (from German “listen”) into Latin.

Over time, the company, whose production had already been established, became part of the Auto Union conglomerate, the unification of all the factories where Audi was produced took place in 1932. August Horg himself became the head of the department for the creation of luxury cars, at the same time both Audi and Horch cars were produced.

Not only those people who own an Audi car, but also owners of other brands are familiar with the memorable four-ring logo. This logo was worn by Auto Union itself back in 1930, they symbolized the four German factories whose production of Audi and Horch operated until the Second World War.

Company for a long time specialized in the production of racing cars designed by Ferdinand Porsche. Audi cars have received 33 Grand Prix victories. During the war, the factory in Zwickau was badly damaged, production equipment was stolen by the Soviet Union, which was subsequently installed at the MZMA plant. However, the developments of the German manufacturer did not go for the future, and Soviet Union, and then Russia is still lagging behind in terms of the automotive industry.

From 1950 to 1964 on production facilities Audi produced cars of the DKW brand. At the end of this period, Volkswagen began to produce Audi cars, although the first such car under the corresponding trademark appeared only fifteen years later. Production was established in the Bavarian city of Ingolstadt.

Nowadays, Audi AG is part of the Volkswagen Group, and continues to produce luxury cars that have occupied a significant share in the European car market. Main production facilities The companies are based in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. The company also expanded beyond Germany, in particular, factories were opened in Slovakia, Hungary and Belgium. In 2006, the company raised the production of cars to 924,085 thousand units, and a year later the total number of cars produced increased by one million a year.

Where is Audi assembled in Russia

A plant near St. Petersburg was opened, however, due to the foreign policy of the state, foreign investors and manufacturers began to leave the market one by one, including Audi.

Audi realizes its "Superiority high technology» in six factories with legendary automotive manufacturing traditions. Advanced logistics processes, the synchronized Audi Production System and more than 60,000 highly qualified employees guarantee Audi's consistently high standards worldwide. Whether in Germany, Belgium, Hungary, India or China, all Audi production plants demonstrate highest quality, efficiency and compatibility with the environment.

In Germany, Audi manufactures at two sites with a rich tradition in the automotive industry - in the cities of Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. It is here that technical developments are mainly carried out, and many discoveries have been made here. Visitors have a great opportunity to get into the history and philosophy of the four rings brand. Since 2010, the Brussels plant has been producing the Audi A1. About 1.9 million high-tech engines are produced annually at the Hungarian plant in the city of Gyor. In addition, at Aurangabad and Changchun factories, Audi manufactures premium vehicles for the growing markets of China and India.

Factory in Ingolstadt (Germany)

Over 500,000 vehicles roll off the production line of AUDI AG's largest plant every year. It is here that the production lines for the Audi A3, Audi A4, Audi A5 and Audi Q5 are installed. The Audi TT Coupé and Audi TT Roadster models produced in partnership with Audi Hungaria also pass through the body shop and paint shop.

Factory in Neckarsulm (Germany)

As a traditional center for automotive production, the Neckarsulm city is home to premium models: the Audi A8, Audi A6 and Audi A4. Many typical Audi innovations see the light of day for the first time at this second largest Audi plant in Germany. quattro GmbH manufactures in Neckarsulm Audi models A6 and Audi R8. A visit to the Forum Audi in Neckarsulm is an unforgettable experience of immersing yourself in the fascinating world of automotive engineering.

Plant in Gyor (Hungary)

Győr, a Hungarian city on the Danube, is an ideal place for the production of high-tech engines and cars. Its advantages are not limited to a developed labor market with big amount skilled workers and highly educated graduates.

Factory in Changchun (China)

Audi's activities in China began 20 years ago. In 2007, the company's annual vehicle sales to Chinese customers surpassed the 100,000 mark for the first time. In the same year, more than 93,000 vehicles rolled off the lines of the traditional model factory in Changchun. Today, Audi is the fastest growing premium brand in China and Hong Kong. The company's market share in the premium car segment is about 42%.

Factory in Brussels (Belgium)

The creation of the fourth production site in Europe was the basis for sustaining the sustainable growth achieved by Audi and ensuring it in the long term. The Audi A1 has been produced in Brussels since 2010.

Factory in Aurangabad (India)

At its plant in Maharashtra, Audi manufactures vehicles for sale in the growing Indian market. The plant is located in the university city of Aurangabad. The Audi A6 has been produced here since 2006 and the Audi A4 since 2008. By 2015, the annual production of the Audi A6 should exceed 2,000 vehicles, and the Audi A4 - 11,000.

Factory in Bratislava (Slovakia)

AUDI AG manufactures the Audi Q7 in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Approximately 1300 people on a modern Volkswagen factory Slovakia assembles this powerful car from car kits - a representative of the SUV segment.

Factory in Martorell (Spain)

The production of the Audi Q3 model began in the first half of 2011. This compact car is assembled using state-of-the-art equipment at the SEAT plant in the Spanish city of Martorell. The annual production volume is over 100,000 vehicles. In 2009 and 2010. for the release of the Audi Q3, a new body shop and assembly line were built. The total capital investment in the production of this model in Martorel exceeded 300 million euros.

Audi was founded in 1910 by a young engineer, August Horch. This was his second attempt to start his own business: the first company, Horch & Co, was created back in 1899. However, in 1909 he was forced to leave Horch & Co by court order. The reason was disagreements with partner creditors.

Horch's new company, founded in the town of Chemnitz, at first, like the previous one, bore his name. When the city authorities found out about this, the court assigned a different name to the new company, "Audi". Some sources claim that one of Horch's business partners came up with it. He simply suggested using the same word, "Horch" (which means "listen" in German), but in the Latin version - "Audi".

The Audi logo is four silver rings. They symbolize the 1932 merger of four companies - DKW, Audi, Horch and Wanderer - into the Auto Union automobile concern. At first, the Audi emblem was installed only on cars designed for racing, and on production models flaunted nameplates - specially made plates.

Pre-war history of "Audi"

Audi-A was the firstborn new company. It came out in 1910. The next one was the Audi-B. This model was raced in Austria. The 2.5 thousand km long route passed through the Alps. In 1912, in Auto Alpenfart (as the Austrian races were called), the Audi-S proved to be excellent. This model was later called "Alpenziger", which means "Conqueror of the Alps".

Financial problems began with the firm in the twenties. First, she merged with another, then both became the property of Jörgen Skafte Rasmussen. The same problems forced small manufacturers to create the Auto Union concern in 1932. It included, among others, both companies created by Horch. True, by this time he himself had not been engaged in production for a long time (since 1916).

The concern produced two front wheel drive models, equipped with Wanderer motors. They were in demand and sold well until the war began.

Audi after the war

The Auto Union concern was nationalized at the end of the war. A major reform took place in 1949, when the basic rights of Auto Union were transferred to Mercedes-Benz. Then the controlling stake passed several times from one company to another. The Audi brand disappeared for several years.

The name Audi reappeared only in 1965, when Volkswagen took ownership of the shares. The four circles assigned by Audi since the merger of the four firms (1932) are emblazoned on the hoods of all models of this car.

By 1968, Audi was introduced to the markets in a wide range. Its sales have grown steadily.

Being the "daughter" of the famous Volkswagen, Audi gained worldwide fame largely thanks to the "Audi Quattro" model. This car had a "sporty appearance" and all-wheel drive. It was light, fast and amazingly stable. Few people could compete with the Quattro, which was confirmed by the results of several auto races.

Since 1958, the company has been called Audi AG. The German automotive company is part of Volkswagen composition Group is one of the most powerful world concerns.

The production of cars is increasing year by year. Since the 10th year of our century, it has exceeded 1 million pieces.

The Audi lineup is very extensive. It is represented by luxury cars, racing cars, supercars, and crossovers.

Thanks to its excellent technical characteristics, Audi is very popular, including in Russia. It should be noted that not only new cars are in demand here. The sale of the model is also excellent in the secondary car markets. And for especially ardent fans of German cars, you can advise special gadgets for your computer, such as a Mercedes flash drive.

CHANGE OF MANAGEMENT

In 1969 Neckarsulmer Automobilwerke bought the major shares of Volkswagen, which included Audi. The history of the company's creation indicates that at one time the company had the name Audi NSU Auto Union, but in 1985 it returned to the classic Audi AG.

The strategy of the renewed firm was to organize sales to the United States. It happened in 1970, and the first car that went to another continent was the Audi Super 90. This station wagon immediately got support from users. Later, their ranks were replenished with the Audi 80 model, which had slightly improved characteristics for buyers in the USA. After that, the real models received their designation in this market - Audi 80 and Audi 4000, respectively.

BACK TO START

In the 80s, some irregularities in the company's work were discovered, so its sales level fell sharply in the US regions. The year 1980 was remembered for the introduction to the market of a big novelty in the form of an all-wheel drive sports class coupe. Previously, a similar model was Audi Quattro, which used drive system trucks.

The creation of this model was indicated in 1977, when, during tests by the Bundeswehr, the flagship VW Iltis attracted everyone's attention. He had excellent qualities driving on ice and snow, so it was decided to implement such a system in Audi 80 cars. This model received a reinforced version with a 5-cylinder and 2.2-liter turbo engine, the power of which produced 147 kW, or 200 Horse power.

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The history of the company remembers the introduction of machines with all-wheel drive into mass production. Later, the quattro concept was also offered with other Audi flagships. On the basis of this car, a sports coupe was launched Audi class Coupe, which appeared in 1993. Later it was decided to use the original body, which would complement the lineup. This vehicle remained one of the best of its kind for a long time until it was withdrawn from sale in 2000. In general, the total number of manufactured units amounted to 72 thousand.

One of the models that the history of the brand remembered was the Audi 100. Its feature was the use six-cylinder engine V-type. This unit is considered the lightest among model line. But the Audi A4 saw its buyer in 1994. In the same year, the company created the RS2 Avant, a five-seat car with a 315-horsepower fuel-injected turbo engine.

A little later, the famous Golf IV platform laid the foundation for the flagship Audi A3. It was shown in 1996, receiving a lot of positive reviews. A year later, its mass production began. A year later, the presentation of the new flagships took place in Frankfurt am Main. The flagship Audi S4/S4 Avante/RS4 was a striking modification for the "sport" segment at that time. He used a 2.7 V6 biturbo engine for his work, which was able to produce 380 hp. With.

NEW GENERATION

The history of the concern saw a universal body for the new flagships in 1998. In order to focus on the development and production of such vehicles, it was decided to discontinue the production of the C4 series. Since the company began the production of fundamentally new machines in a short period of time, this was the beginning of the release of a new class B family.

But 1998 was also remembered for the premiere of the Audi TT, which had a coupe-type body. He was seen in Geneva, positively accepting the novelty. A year later, the same fate befell the roadster, which was shown in Frankfurt am Main. In 1999 it was modified sports model Audi A3, which received a turbocharged engine and transmission all-wheel drive type. Audi S8 is an analogue of the famous racing car, but has a 4.2 V8 engine using all-wheel drive.

Interesting facts, technology and motorsport

Audi was the first company to conduct crash tests (since 1938).

The Audi 80 in North America was initially sold under name Audi Fox, and later as the Audi 4000.

Audi has become the first automaker to create its own virtual world on the PlayStation Home resource. At the service of visitors - tours of the virtual Audi space Space and the opportunity to participate in the Vertical Run race.

Audi cars have won the prestigious Le Mans 24 race three times in a row - in 2000, 2001 and 2002. In honor of such a grand success in 2003 in Frankfurt was presented sports concept car Audi Le Mans quattro.

Key models in the history of the brand

Audi 80 is one of the most popular cars of the 20th century. The total volume of produced machines has more than 4 million copies. The model was produced for 30 years - from 1966 to 1996. Initially, the car was manufactured on the same platform as the Volkswagen Passat. In 1987, a new generation of the Audi 80 appeared on the B3 platform, which no longer had anything in common with Volkswagen. The body of the B3 was fully galvanized, providing such high corrosion protection that Audi increased guarantee period from 8 to 12 years old. Galvanized bodies are also used to build current Audi models.

Audi Quattro - the first rally car companies. Thanks to innovations in the rules that allowed the use of four-wheel drive cars in competition, Quattro was able to participate in the races. The car won two competitions in a row.

The development of the famous Audi TT began in September 1994 in California. The first concept car was shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1995. The next modification of the model, the Audi TT Coupe, was demonstrated by the developers to the visitors of the Tokyo Motor Show in 2005. The new TT was much lighter than the previous one thanks to the use of a combination of aluminum and steel materials.

The company began producing the Audi Q7 crossover in 2005. The first instance of criticism was seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The "E" platform model is based on the 2003 Audi Pikes Peak quattro concept.

Audi A3 – family hatchback. In 1996 - 2003, the first generation was produced, from 2003 to 2012 - the second. More recently, the third generation of a compact car has appeared, which quickly became popular in European countries. Audi A3 has many different awards.

Audiin Russia

One of the first Audis to appear in Russia was the Audi 80 B3. The famous "barrel" with the 89th body quickly became popular due to its simple design: motorists who were well versed in front-wheel drive VAZs could easily change parts for Audi. Some even upgraded their foreign cars by replacing parts domestic analogues. The Audi 80 was also loved in Russia for its high suspension strength - the car conquered domestic roads with unprecedented agility for a foreign car.

Today, Audi does not give up its position as a sales leader among premium cars in the domestic market. From January to August 2012, 22,292 copies were sold, up 41% from 2011 figures. But these cars are not stolen so often: according to statistics for Russia for 2010-2011, the Audi brand did not even make it into the top twenty. Our most popular models today are the Audi A3 Sportback, Audi A4, Audi A6, Audi Q3, Audi Q5 and Audi Q7.

In 2001, Audi opened a School in Russia driving skills Quattro. This is the first school established by a foreign car manufacturer in Russia. Throughout its existence, the Quattro School has been very popular among our compatriots: in 11 years, more than 16 thousand private and corporate clients have been trained.

Audi was the official sponsor of the Russian national team at the XXX Summer Olympic Games 2012 in London. The concern provided 129 cars as prizes for Russian athletes. The executive A8 models received gold medalists, the silver medalists were given the keys to the A7 Sportback, and the bronze medalists became the owners of the elegant A6. Audi was also selected official partner Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014.

One of the largest and most successful German automotive concerns has seen a chic development in recent years. Cars brand Audi always considered premium class, under the wing of the huge Audi-Volkswagen corporation, this brand has received enormous opportunities to use the most the best technologies, the most successful solutions in the technical and design part. It is these features of the car that attract their customers, despite the ever-increasing price tags and incredible equipment, in which you can find a lot of unnecessary parts. Audi today competes with BMW and is also one of the main rivals of Japanese and American luxury brands. It is this fate that the current features of the growth of the corporation envisage.

Among the first questions that potential car buyers ask is the question of assembling cars. Many people think that all Audi models are like cars. premium segment are assembled exclusively in Germany. In fact, the brand has a mass of assembly plants around the world, which explains its prevalence both on the distant shores of the Atlantic and in the difficult Australian market. Also interesting fact that Audi cars are officially recognized today best buy on secondary market, which increases their popularity due to the proven quality and huge service life. Let's look at the main features of the assembly of cars of this German brand.

Geographic distribution of Audi cars

The automotive companies that make up the Volkswagen AG group are incredibly widespread all over the world. Today it is one of the largest geographic concerns, which successfully operates on almost all continents. In most cases, only SKD machines take place outside of Germany, the main production assets are located within European country. As regards Audi cars, the company offers a wide assembly geography. The largest enterprises outside of Germany are located in North America, one of the first markets for the purchase of these vehicles. In general, in the world you can find companies related to Audi in the following countries:

• Germany - more than ten factories of different directions and large research and engineering centers;
• USA - the largest assembly and production unit with its own model range and technical features;
• Brazil - five enterprises that produce SKD for all Latin American countries;
• Argentina and Mexico are two other Latin countries where some models are assembled;
• South Africa - almost the entire range for Africa is assembled on large factory in this country;
• India and Malaysia are Asian concerns created to reduce the cost of some production processes;
• China is a huge division of Audi that designs and manufactures engines, bodies and all other parts for cars in Asia;
• Slovakia and Belgium - some engineering developments for the concern are carried out in these countries.

There are also assembly facilities for Audi cars in Russia, but they are not very common. The Volkswagen AG plant in Kaluga today assembles the Audi A6 and the Audi A8, two of the most popular sedans in their class for the Russian market. In most cases, these machines are sold to businesses or politicians, so the corporation left mass assembly in our country. The remaining models, which were previously assembled in Russia, left our conveyors and are exported to the country from Europe. This caused a slight increase in the price of cars, but the quality has increased significantly. Let's just say Kaluga assembly needs some changes in technological process. This is evidenced by the deteriorating reviews of the new popular A6 sedans.

The main assembly features of the Audi concern

The company has time to monitor all its divisions. The concern conducts strict quality control of the assembly, this is what became the reason for the removal from Russian production some Audi models, in particular the Q5 and Q7 crossovers. Customers expect more from a company than just decent quality. In Europe, the assembly of Audi takes place in full, every detail of the future vehicle subject to rigorous certification. It is worth noting that the corporation is actively developing technologies that will later be successfully inherited by other brands of the concern. Today, the main tasks and principles of the company are as follows:

• the highest quality of cars, the absence of any childhood diseases in new developments;
• extended testing of each technology that is introduced into the technical or functional part of the machines;
• certification of each individual piece of equipment, testing and grinding of parts at the factory;
• maximum automation of production even in those countries where it is more profitable to use manual labor;
• assembly control, which is carried out by German experts at each plant where Audi is assembled;
• multi-stage system for selecting materials for the interior, high-quality plastic and excellent layout;
• the most modern design features, a constant competition among the best designers of the company.

Audi is one of the few brands that does not have one permanent design office. The corporation collects a competitive submission from different departments of its designers, and then selects the best practices. However, other projects do not remain idle, because the company has brands such as Volkswagen, Skoda and Seat, which are less picky about the appearance of their equipment. That is why Audi always has the best design features among those presented to the management to choose from. However, this is a rather subjective field of activity, because someone likes the Spanish Seat much more than the classic stylish image of Audi.

New models - smart development of technology from Audi

Not a single model lingers today on the conveyor of a corporation for more than five years. Yes, and five years for such cars can be quite a long time. Therefore, in most cases, the corporation offers an updated style of its cars even before the old design becomes irrelevant. Many potential buyers are surprised at how quickly the design range of cars is being updated, but this is not too much of a concern for the company's picky management. In 2015, the corporation introduced quite big row new products and restylings, the main attention among which is attracted by the following updates:

• Audi RS4 Avant - a large station wagon with sports performance and futuristic design, stiff suspension and powerful engines, costs from 4,700,000 rubles;
• Audi RS5 Coupe - chic sport car with incredible style and very advanced technology, the car is able to surprise with sporty dynamics and a price of 4,800,000 rubles;
• Audi S6 Avant - a new model with sporty inclinations, low ground clearance and amazing dynamics, chic engines make the trip unforgettable, and the price is raised to 4,480,000 rubles;
• Audi Q3 and RS Q3 are amazing compact crossovers with a real zeal for the future, not only in design, but also in the technical part, the cars start at a price of 1,615,000 and 2,990,000 rubles, respectively;
• Audi Q7 - a generation-changing large crossover has become the focus of the company's lineup, optimal appearance and improved equipment began to cost from 3,630,000 rubles.

Do not forget about such design models as Audi TTS Coupe and Audi R8 Coupe. These are the most expensive and unique representatives of passenger cars from German concern, which proved their right to exist with unexpectedly high sales worldwide. New developments in the design of the automobile concern are becoming even more aggressive, the company offers more and more interesting features and presents unforgettable features of the technical part of its cars. Development does not stop even for a second, so next year we will look at the Audi lineup with completely different eyes. We invite you to be surprised by the new Audi technology watching a test drive Q7 2015 model year:

Summing up

A different look at Audi cars can provide both unexpected surprise and disappointment. Some people liked the soft, flowing lines of the premium sedans of the early 2000s, while others prefer the unique sharp and aggressive design of the current generation of cars. But we can safely say that the company is growing faster than its competitors, offering more available models with no less exciting technology under the hood. Also, it will not be superfluous to notice the unique developments of the corporation, which amaze the imagination with their capabilities.

While it is difficult to predict what will be further development geography of Volkswagen AG and Audi. But it can be unmistakably said that the growth and expansion of the corporation is inevitable. Today we see the future in the machines of this company. All European concerns are trying to imitate the technical and visual developments offered by the German luxury brand. How do you feel about modern style and features of the development of the technical part car company Audi?

This now world famous company was born in 1910 by a court decision. The case was indicted August Horch (August Horch) by his former colleagues from the company Horch. As a result of disagreements with partners, the wayward Horch was forced to leave own company, founded by him in the city of Zwickau in eastern Germany in 1899. Some time later, he created a new company in the same city, naturally giving it his name. For a short time there were two companies with the same name in one small town: by a court decision, the second one was given a new name audi, which in Latin means the same as Horch in German - " listen».

First Audi was equipped with a 4-cylinder engine of 2612 cm 3, similar to Horch's previous designs, which he created for the company Horch. But soon it was followed by new engines with a working volume of 3562, 4680 and 5720 cm 3. All had the so-called symmetrical valves: the intake was at the bottom, and the exhaust was strictly above it "upside down".
The persistence with which August Horch exhibited his cars in various competitions was only rewarded in 1911, when he Audi V with a 2.6-liter engine in the Alps Cup race in Austria, he completed the entire distance without penalty points. Taking into account all the shortcomings of the "B" series, a new model was developed in 1913 audi c, equipped with a 4-cylinder 3.5-liter engine, in which the crankshaft rotated on three bearings and was slightly shifted to the side from the cylinder axes. A conventional cone clutch had a leather friction surface. The wooden body on the chassis with a base of 2900 or 3200 mm was open with an elongated and pointed back, which, according to its creators, provided better streamlining and gave a swift appearance. In the years 1912-1914, this car achieved serious success in the competition for the Alpine Cup. Therefore he is known as Alpensieger- Conqueror of the Alps.

Before the war another one was created small car type "8/28" with an engine of 2071 cm 3, which continued to be produced even after the establishment of peace. But the most popular in the 20s was the 50-horsepower "Audi-K" with an overhead valve engine of 3.5 liters. The first 6-cylinder was "Audi-M", released in 1924. Its working volume was 4655 cm 3, and the camshaft was moved up for the first time. Crankshaft had 7 bearings, and the cylinder block was made of aluminum alloy, although the cylinder liners remained steel. The overhead camshaft acted directly on the valve stems. The brakes of all wheels were supplied vacuum booster. Max speed car reached 120 km / h.
First 8 cylinder engine in 4872 cm 3 appeared in 1928 on the car of the "R" series, which received the big name Imperator. It turned out to be the last own design audi, which was soon joined by another automotive firm DCW.

Jorgen Skafte Rasmussen (Jorgen Skafte Rasmussen), founder DKW, decided not to create new range Audi own engines, and purchased from the bankrupt American company Rickenbacker all its equipment and developments. next models Audi appeared in 1929. These were 6-cylinder Dresden and 8-cylinder Zwickau. In 1931 in gamma Audi light model entered "R" on chassis DKW with a 4-cylinder Peugeot engine of 1122 cm 3.
In 1932, 4 German firms DKW, Audi, Horch And Wanderer merged into a car company Auto union. First result joint work For Audi became a front-wheel drive series Front with a 6-cylinder overhead valve Wanderer engine in 2257 cm 3, followed by a rear-wheel drive Audi 920 with a 6-cylinder Horch engine in 3281 cm 3.

The front-wheel drive Audi Front has become a "collective product" of all Auto Union firms: the idea of ​​front-wheel drive for mass-produced cars belonged to the founder DKW Rasmussen, his 6-cylinder engine was developed on Wanderer and released on Horch, and the finished car bore the brand Audi. Despite the difficulties of learning new design, the car proved itself well and was produced until 1938. The front suspension was wishbone and transverse leaf spring, and in many ways resembled the Alvis design. Unlike most front-wheel-drive small cars, the Front belonged to the middle class. The cars were equipped with various multi-seat bodies and developed a speed of over 105 km / h. In 1937, an elegant three-seat sports version of the Front was presented at the Berlin Motor Show.

After the war, the territory of Germany, where the city of Zwickau was located, became part of the GDR. Former factory Audi was nationalized and produced at least famous cars Trabant. Brand Audi temporarily disappeared, since after the war the company Auto Union only made cars DCW. Only in 1957 did a single model appear called Auto Union 1000. Next year Auto Union came under the control of Daimler Benz, and in 1964, when the transition to the production of front wheel drive vehicles became the property of the Volkswagen Group. In 1965 the stamp Audi revived. The front-wheel drive was shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show Audi 1700 with a highly economical Daimler Benz engine with a compression ratio of 11.2 and a power of 72 hp.
Auto Union merged with NSU in 1969. new company became known as NSU Auto Union. The last organizational change came in 1984 when NSU Auto Union was renamed to simply Audi.
Curious things have happened throughout the firm's 104-year history. So, after its takeover by the Volkswagen concern in the mid-60s, the brand almost disappeared altogether: all the potential Audi decided to throw on mass production "Zhukov". And only the successful development of our own model - secretly from the management of the concern - allowed us to preserve the originality Audi.

We are ours, we will build a new brand.

The latest period in the history of the company covers the last quarter of a century. After joining Volkswagen for many years Audi was perceived in Germany as an ordinary folk brand. This continued until the early 80s, when cars with four rings on the radiator began to stand out again. innovative solutions. All-wheel drive modifications created in 1980 Quattro repeatedly achieved success in international rallies, which brought the brand Audi high prestige.
The initiator of the production of all-wheel drive cars Audi was an engineer Ferdinand Piech (Ferdinand Piech), who considered this process as natural as the transition from installing brakes only on rear wheels to brakes on all wheels. The appearance of mass all-wheel drive Audi is considered a revolutionary stage in the development of the automotive industry. The basis for all-wheel drive modifications were standard cars with front wheel drive. In the block with a gearbox they put transfer case with a differential that distributes torque almost equally on both axles. At first, there was also a mechanism for turning on or off. rear wheel drive. The first all-wheel drive Audi were designed primarily for sports competitions, where it would be possible to test the reliability of new designs. They were powerful 5-cylinder turbocharged engines. Influenced by all-wheel drive Audi laid a new direction in the creation production cars both for sports and for normal use.

Since then, the creation of a new image of the brand began, which became even more relevant by the beginning of the 90s - the fall of the European market forced Volkswagen management to reconsider their business approaches. Three options were considered: leave the brand Audi in the mass segment, simply transfer it to the "premium" segment, or aim at the "premium-progressive". We chose the latter and started building our own marketing strategy Audi - after all, until then the brand did not even have its own salons, cars were sold along with Volkswagen models. Moreover, until 1994, the brand's lineup amazed everyone with its scarcity: it had only two cars - Audi 80 And audi 100, which caused obvious dissatisfaction of customers and criticism of specialists.
Today's brand image rests on four principles: the use of high technology, emotionality, sportiness and global claims. Each performs a specific task, and all together pursue the main goal: in the next five to six years, at least double sales, catch up in global sales and perception with the main competitors - BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
However, at headquarters Audi AG these principles are also called tools with the help of which quite specific tasks of capturing markets are solved. So, the company was the first to make a four-wheel drive in a sedan, and this attracted new customers: if in 1995 about 50 thousand such models were sold, then in 2002 - four times more. Almost seven years Audi was the only one who used direct fuel injection on diesel engines. This allowed to reduce the noise of the engine, increased environmental friendliness and speed of cars. As a result, the sales of such machines grew from 100,000 to 300,000 a year in the same seven years. And the production of large series of cars with aluminum bodies generally influenced the development of the entire global automotive industry.

They relied on the emotionality of the brand when they were moving away from the image of a mass machine. " In the segment « premium» the atmosphere surrounding the client is very important, says Head of Global Communications Strategies Audi AG Graham Liesl. - By purchasing expensive model, the person in the first place buys emotions. He wants to feel the exclusivity of the car and the attitude towards himself, so everything needs to be done at the highest level.". First of all, the product itself must correspond to this level: its quality, specifications, design. How seriously the company takes this can be judged by today's development of the lineup. Since 1995, one or two new models began to appear annually. Starting with A4, the Germans issued for three years A3 And A4 Avant, A6 business model, A6 Avant station wagon And TT Coupe. In the next four years, the market appeared TT Roadster and all-terrain Audi allroad quattro, compact A2 and already new A4, A8 limousine and new A4 Avant, A4 convertible And second generation A8. Finally, in 2003, there was a new version models A3 and three completely innovative concepts - Pikes Peak, Nuvolari And Le Mans, submitted between January and September. Such a "rate of fire" is especially impressive, given that the creation of each model takes about five years and up to two billion euros.

Following the general concept of the brand, the company endows all new sporty character. This is expressed in excellent dynamic characteristics, powerful engines, suspensions, in the form of cars and interior design. Moreover, in addition to the basic models, sports modifications with the S index and supersport RS are produced. RS6, for example, it is impressive: its 450 horsepower literally provokes rapid throws and lane changes, and on the autobahn, only an electronic speed limiter did not allow it to jump beyond the mark of 250 km / h. But the marketing policy requires even more aggressive fueling of the sports spirit, and Audi actively sponsors competitions in alpine skiing, golf, sailing, supports two famous football clubs in Europe. All this works on the fourth postulate of the company, which sounds like this: Audi is one of the largest players in the global market. To do this, dealer networks are expanding in various regions of the world, joint ventures are being created to work in the promising Chinese market, and the share in Europe is expanding, where the German brand now owns 3.6% of the market. General level business and finance specialist Jurgen De Graeve tried to explain the claims of the company with a specific example: “ In the US we sell eighty-five thousand cars a year, and BMWs a quarter of a million. We intend to equalize our sales figures first, and then drive out competitors.».