Anyone knows the brand with the 4 rings, that German brand known for its luxury and performance, which began in 1899 at the hand of August Horch, and which began as Audi Automobilwerke.
The company’s main headquarters and largest plant, which today resides in Ingolstadt, was opened in 1949 when the company decided to convert an Auto Union warehouse into its headquarters. Later in 1964, the Volkswagen group acquired the majority of the shares of Auto Unión, which had belonged to Daimler since 1958.
Audi has a long tradition and heritage in competition, in the mid-1930s they had great success in Grand Prix races, in which Audi cars were given their distinctive nickname, the Silver Arrows. This was because their bodies had no paint, and only showed the steel and aluminum in their pure color.
The rally was another scenario in which Audi stood out, despite having only one victory under its belt with the much loved Audi S1 Quattro, and precisely for this it is remembered. Audi-patented Quattro all-wheel drive technology allowed it to beat more powerful rear-wheel drive Group B cars, due to its ease and maneuverability in elements such as ice, snow and dirt.
The brand also achieved 13 victories in the LeMans 24 Hours between 2000 and 2014, with only two victories being snatched from the hands of Bentley and Peugeot. Since 1971 its slogan has been “At the forefront of technology”, and it is that Audi has always aimed to trace its way in the automotive world with cutting-edge technology and without following trends.
Elements such as Quattro technology, the implementation of the first four-stroke engines, the popularization of the four-cylinder in-line, and in 1989 nothing more and nothing less, the introduction at the Frankfurt motor show of the world-renowned TDI engine.
Today Audi dominates practically all aspects of automotive technology, especially safety, as it is one of the brands that puts the most effort in developing rollover and accident tests. Comfort is nothing if it does not go hand in hand with security.