A commitment to our heritage: a journey with Audi Tradition through more than a century of "Vorsprung durch Technik".

"Vorsprung durch Technik" is Audi's tagline in Germany. Literally translated, it means "advancement through technology"; however, English cannot fully capture the meaning of "Vorsprung" which means "to leap ahead."

Brand Milestones

Audi AG has a strong tradition of car and engine manufacturing that extends back to the 19th century. Below are key milestones throughout the history of Audi.

	August Horch and Audi 1899: The first chapter in the history of Audi began when August Horch established his motor vehicle company known as Horch & Cie. Motorwagenwerke. It was, however, ten years later that he founded his second car manufacturing company: Audi Automobilwerke in Zwickau. more
	Focus on safety In 1921, Audiwerke AG took the motoring world by surprise when it unveiled the new Audi 14/50 hp Type K, Germany's first left-hand-drive car. It was then that Audi branched out into more than just engine and suspension technology, it began to channel more energy into the areas of driving safetyand ease of operation. more
	The four rings 1932: The interlocking rings symbolize the initial merger of four automobile manufacturers based in the German state of Saxony: Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer became Auto Union AG, then the second-largest motor vehicle manufacturing group in Germany. more
	A new start in Ingolstadt 1949: Originally just a depot for Auto Union's spare parts, the former garrison town of Ingolstadt became the new headquarters for Auto Union GmbH. From here, the company continued the motor-vehicle traditions embodied by the four ring emblem. more
	The brand born again 1965: The new DKW F 102 model appeared on the market. This was the brand's first post-war car and featured a four-stroke engine. This truly marked the beginning of a new era, and with that, the brand deserved a new name. Audi, a name rich in tradition, was revived. more
	Vorsprung durch Technik 1969: With Volkswagenwerk AG as the parent company, Auto Union GmbH and NSU Motorenwerke AG of Neckarsulm merged under the new name "Audi NSU Auto Union AG". 1971 saw the appearance of the famous Audi slogan "Vorsprung durch Technik". more

Personalities

August Horch

Pioneering automobile engineer

Jorgen Skafte Rasmussen

"Father of the DKW"

Johann Baptist Winklhofer

Founder of Wanderer Werke

Carl Hahn

Initiator of modern marketing

Richard Bruhn

'Father of the Auto Union' in Chemnitz

Christian Schmidt

From knitting machine to bicycle

Bernd Rosemeyer

A legendary racing driver

Ludwig Kraus

Technical policy-making

Ferdinand Piech

A new brand profile for Audi

Four Rings - The Book

Read Four Rings: The Audi Story