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 Audi was established in Germany in 1910 as founder August Horch’s second car company. His first - Horch - was one of three brands that merged with Audi to form the Auto Union in 1932. The current logo of the four rings dates from this time, with each of the rings representing a company.
Much of Auto Union's post war production focused on the DKW brand, but with Daimler-Benz taking over in 1959 Audi became more important. Then, in 1964, the company passed to Volkswagen - helping the VW brand modernise through the sharing of its technology. Another German company was brought on board in 1969 as Audi merged with NSU, with Audi models now being produced at NSU’s Stuttgart plant.
In 1980 Audi released the Quattro, the first model to make use of its new all-wheel drive system. Although only produced in limited numbers the Quattro saw great success in rallying and helped Audi develop a reputation as a leader in automotive technology.
Recently the brand has enhanced that reputation by being the only manufacturer to produce 100% galvanised vehicles, meaning they resist rust and corrosion much more effectively than competitors. Audi also developed the Direct-Shift Gearbox - allowing for significantly faster gear shifts.
Currently most of the brand’s products are regarded as luxury cars, with the TT seen as the model which has earned Audi greater credibility in the modern marketplace with its unique design. This credibility was confirmed in 2005 as the A6 was named the inaugural World Car of the Year.
EuroNCAP Safety Ratings for Audi cars
The European New Car Assessment Programme produces reports on the safety of vehicles based on the results of several crash tests. As well as measuring how the car will hold up in a crash the risk to a pedestrian struck by the car is assessed. The star ratings (maximum 5) of key Audi models are shown below.
A2 |
2002 |
4 |
1 |
A3 |
1998 |
4 |
2 |
A3 |
2003 |
4 |
1 |
A4 |
1997 |
3 |
2 |
A4 |
2001 |
4 |
1 |
A6 |
1998 |
3 |
2 |
A6 |
2004 |
4 |
1 |
TT Roadster |
2003 |
4 |
0 |
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