Audi, history – Auto Story
Content
Audi began to be considered a premium car manufacturer only in the second half of the last century. And yet the German brand has one story which dates back to the early twentieth century. Let's find out together.
Audi, history
HistoryAudi starts thanks August Horch, a German engineer who founded the automobile company that bears his name in 1899. The company grows more and more, but August finds himself more and more isolated from the board of directors due to the high costs that he incurred in the field of "research and development".
In 1909, Horch acts on his own: at first he thinks about using his last name again, but after losing a civil case (Horch's trademark is registered) against the managers of his old company, he decides to use the term "audi" (Latin translation of the word "listen", "horch" by -German).
Beginnings
First Audi stories - Type A – born in 1910: assembles engine 2.6 gasoline 22 HP and is similar in many ways to the Horch 10PS. The cars of the German brand immediately achieved great success: thanks to the quality of the products, as well as the sporting victories: between 1912 and 1914. Type c won three issues in a row Austrian Alpine Tour, In time World War I production is intended for the military leaders of the German Empire.
Crisis of the first post-war period
The end of World War I is one of the worst times for Audi: new models fail and the German brand is forced to announce bankruptcy In 1927.
TheAudi bought DKW in 1928, but the last company also found itself in crisis after the collapse Wall Street In 1929.
The Auto Union
Auto Union was born in 1932: the automotive group, which, in addition to DKW and Audi – Horch и Wanderer. Audi, which represents the most prestigious marque of this giant, is left with only one model on the list - Enter YOUR front a front-wheel drive – but even she can't raise sales.
The car, considered too innovative for the time, was replaced in 1938 with a more traditional one. 920: the career of this model - and everything Audi – ends prematurely due to flash The Second World War.
Resurrection signed by Volkswagen
The Audi brand began to be used again only in 1965: the credit belongs to the Volkswagen Group, which took over a year earlierAuto Union by Daimler Benz (owner of the German giant since 1958). The 72nd model presented at the Paris Motor Show, the first of the four rings of the new circuit: it is nothing more than one. DKW F102 equipped with a four-stroke (instead of two) 1.7 engine with 72 hp.
A real turning point forAudi arrived, however, in 1968 (with the launch of the flagship 100) and in 1972 80: and Sedan that next year won a prestigious award Car of the Year... 50's little 1974, on the other hand, anticipates form Volkswagen Polo.
Four-wheel drive
The House of Four Rings needed to change its image, which was too conservative at the time, and for this reason it launched it in 1980. Quattro: coupe four-wheel drive who, between 1982 and 1984, won four World Rally Championship (two pilots - with Hannu Mikkola e Stig Blomqvist – and two brands).
The choice – innovative at the time – to offer four-wheel drive vehicles on vehicles other than SUVs proved to be the right one forAudiwho still baptizes with initials four all his cars are 4WD.
In 1983, the third generation of the flagship was released. 100 becomes Car of the Year while during the second half of the eighties we are witnessing a (completely successful) attempt by the German manufacturer to compete with BMW and Mercedes, culminating in the prestigious V8 from 1990.
Nineties success
Around the mid ninetiesAudi decides to focus on innovation to challenge competitors: flagship A8 first production car equipped with aluminum (material used in 1999 also for small minivan A2).
Among other models that help to increase sales, we note the sedan. A4 since 1994 compact A3 1996 and sports car TT from 1998.
Real
XNUMX century sees Audi offer an increasingly complete range of products and a range of cutting edge technologies such as ad motors direct injection gasoline, Speed a dual clutch S tronic и shine a LED .
Finally, sporting success 24 Hours of Le Mans (12 wins between 2000 and 2013) for gasoline, turbodiesel and hybrid vehicles, as well as nine titles (six drivers and three manufacturers) in the German DTM Touring Championship between 2002 and 2011.
