What the brand stands for

The heritage of a premium brand is important - research has shown that Audi drivers like to be associated with a long and successful premium brand. The Audi motorcar company originated in Germany in 1909 when it was founded by August Horch. The name for the company was devised by a 13 year old (the son of one of the original directors) who suggested that Horch should translate his name which means 'listen' in German, into Latin - Audi (Audio). The name Audi first appeared on a car in 1910. Right from the start, the company was known for its innovation, a notable example being the introduction of headlights that turned sideways to reduce drag - somewhat of an innovation for 1912!

Most people associate Audi with its four rings logo. This resulted from the merger of four leading motor manufacturers Audi, Horch, Wanderer and DKW during the depression years of the 1930s. The merger was successful because each company had its own particular speciality. From 1932 -1969 the company was known as Auto Union. This was later changed to Audi NSU from 1969 - 1977 before finally being simplified to Audi AG.

Audi has always had close connections with Porsche because Ferdinand Porsche worked with Wanderer in the design of motor cars in the early 1930s. In the late 1980s Audi assembled sports cars on behalf of Porsche. Audi has also had close connections with Grand Prix racing, having won 3 Grand Prix and 4 hill climbing championships.

In 1964 Audi became part of the Volkswagen Group and today is a key member within the Group's premium brand family, which also includes famous names such as Bentley, Lamborghini and Bugatti. Audi lies at the forefront of many key technological breakthroughs in the industry - including being the first company to develop catalytic converters across a whole product range in the 1980s, the introduction of quattro 4 wheel drive in 1980, and the development of the first aluminium production car in the world during the 1990s. Today, Audi emphasises its leading edge in technological developments through its advertising and other communications.

The Audi Brand is based on a number of values that are illustrated below: