AUDI AG HISTORY

Audi traces its long and rich history back to 1899 when the company's founder, August Horch, opened his first car company.

In 1901 the company produced its first vehicles and there followed eight years of manufacturing before Horch, after differing opinions with the Board of Management, decided to leave and established a second car company. Wishing to use his name again, but unable to due contractual obligations with the still functioning Horch company, he adopted the Latin for his own name and the Audi name was born.

Since then, the company has gone on to forge a reputation as a premium automotive manufacturer that has continuously pushed the boundaries of design, technology and engineering in its pursuit of excellence.

The merger of four companies in 1932 – Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer – created Auto Union GmbH, the forerunner to what is now Audi. During this time the company furthered an already distinguished motorsport heritage with its awe-inspiring Audi Union grand prix cars. These cars set the standard on the world grand prix stage and proved an invaluable test bed for the company's development of vehicle design, power plant and aerodynamics.

This reputation for pushing the envelope and always striving to find new, better, safer and more efficient ways to do things has marked the evolution of the company ever since. 

Then in 1969,  NSU Motorenwerke was merged with Auto Union GmbH, adding even greater depth and expertise to the brand and completing the company that is now known as Audi AG.

Advanced design, engineering and manufacturing techniques have continually raised the bar in terms of the company's vehicles. From actively crash testing vehicles as early as1938, to developing crumple zones from the late '50s and continually testing for optimum performance and safety, Audi's reputation has grown.

In 1980, the unveiling of quattro permanent all-wheel drive not only marked another technological milestone for the company, but effectively changed the face of world motorsport forever, a theme that has recurred throughout the company's history.

From outstanding success in the DTM (German Touring Car Masters), to international success in Rallycross, circuit racing and sports prototypes, few manufacturers can boasts Audi's success.

Indeed over an 18 year period, Audi not only dominated World Endurance Championship (WEC) racing, but continually raised the bar throughout that time.

An extraordinary 13 victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, first winning with a TFSI engine (2001), before going on to become the first manufacturer to win with a TDI engine (2006), and then first to win with a hybrid powertrain (2012). In 185 races contested to during that period, Audi's Le Mans prototypes achieved 106 victories, 80 pole positions and 94 fastest race laps. On two occasions, Audi won the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) with the Audi R18 e-tron quattro race car, and from 2000 to 2008, Audi won the coveted American Le Mans Series (ALMS), nine times in succession.

The company is now taking its extensive knowledge of e-mobilty to the Formula E series where no doubt the proud motorsport tradition will continue.

A great deal of what has been achieved on the race tracks of the world has seen its way into series production vehicles. As well as the aforementioned  quattro permanent all-wheel drive and the Audi Space Frame (ASF) in 1994, to LED Matrix headlights and laser lighting, customers continue to benefit from the testing environment of motorsport.

Audi's guiding philosophy of Vorsprung durch Technik – advancement through technology – remains at the centre of design and engineering at Audi. The company is at the very forefront of hybrid and electric mobility as well as piloted driving technology, with exciting advancements pointing the way towards the next chapter in what is an extraordinary automotive story to date.

Audi Australia History

Audi vehicles and many of their forebears began arriving in Australia from the 1960s, and right up until the late 1990s were imported into the country by a number of independent vehicle importers. In 2001, AUDI AG signed a joint venture agreement with Astre German Automotive Pty Ltd to create Audi Australia Pty Ltd, operating as the sole importer of the German marque until in January 2004 Audi Australia became a wholly owned subsidiary of AUDI AG. This milestone signalled what continues to be a significant growth period in Audi's Australian history, and has seen Audi become the fastest growing premium brand in the country ever since.

Boasting a national dealer network of 40 metropolitan and provincial dealers, Audi Australia has achieved 12 years of record growth year on year, finishing 2016 with 24,258 vehicle sales. The company has also forged a reputation for excellence in aftersales and service areas, consistently setting the standard in satisfaction surveys Australia-wide.

Audi Australia's commitment to customer service and overall satisfaction has seen the establishment of Audi 24 Hour Roadside Assist, Audi Financial Services and the all-new Audi Experience program – a multi-tier loyalty program designed to provide Audi owners with exclusive lifestyle experiences, from cultural to culinary experiences, design, fashion to high-adrenalin activities such as sailing and and motorsport.

Indeed, Audi Australia has forged strong partnerships with likeminded  organisations and businesses to offer customers an unrivalled ownership experience. With strong long-standing partnerships with Sydney Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company and contemporary art galleries such as QAGOMA and Museum of Contemporary Art well as strong ties to the film industry, the company's support of the arts is well documented.

The Audi Australia ambassador program celebrates 20 years and is second to none, boasting ambassadors form a range of disciplines, all recognised as leaders in their fields.

The Audi driving experience is likewise recognised as the benchmark for high-performance driver training in Australia, while Audi Hamilton Island Race Week – celebrating its 12th year of partnership in 2017 – is the largest and most celebrated offshore regatta in the southern hemisphere and a social event without peer.

Boasting the youngest model line-up of any premium brand represented in the Australian market, the appeal of Audi, with its innovative technology and reputation for luxury and performance make it one of the leaders in the Australian prestige, performance market.