Audi

Audi AG is a German automotive company belonging to the concern Volkswagen Group and specializing in producing cars under the brand Audi. The headquarters is situated in Ingolstadt, Germany. Chairman of the Board of Directors is Martin Ingolstadt. The concern Audi was created in the result of the merger of four companies releasing cars and motorbikes under brands DKW, Horch, Audi and Wanderer. The first car of trademark Wanderer appeared in 1913.

In 1921 the firm achieved a peculiar breakthrough. In the same year the first German car with the left-hand drive control was manufactured. Until that time the firm was engaged in producing engines and suspensions but afterwards it also began to pay attention to easiness of control. In 1928 this brand was acquired by the company DKW and in 1931 the world`s first car with front drive named DKW F1 was released. The global economic crisis contributed to it as cars with large volume of engine were no longer in demand because of financial problems. At that time the head of the company requested workers to develop a compact auto with front drive.

In 1932 plants Audi, Horch and DKW united into Auto Union AG. Four rings which are familiar to everybody became its symbol. After such a merger the firm became the second car producer in Germany. In 1950 the first post-war passenger car of Audi named DKW F89 P Master Class appeared. In 1958 joint-stock company Daimler-Benz AG bought 88% of Auto Union and later acquired the firm. In 1964 Audi joined Volkswagen and later it was decided to produce all new models of the concern that lost its independence under trademark Audi. At first after uniting Volkswagen didn`t want Audi to develop its own cars. However, Audi created a middle class car Audi 100 in 1968.

In 1980 year the company created full drive Quattro that presented the world`s first passenger car equipped with permanent four-wheel drive. From 1985 the company has been constantly increasing the number of technical developments which include completely galvanized body, perfect aerodynamic design, wide use of petrol engines with technology of direct injection, extra-powerful 8-liter and 12-liter engines.

In 1993 Audi Group was established. Later it adopted Hungarian and Brazilian subsidiary Cosworth Technology, Italian company Automobili Lamborghini and Spanish car manufacturer SEAT. The firm is dynamically developing in the majority of directions. From 1998 year up to present days Audi has been releasing two-door coupe Audi TT that was initially presented as a concept car. This model is offered with full drive that has already become traditional. In 2005 the company developed its first offroader Audi Q7 equipped with permanent four-wheel drive and numerous additional options. During its existence Audi faced many booms and recessions entering the 21 century as a world famous brand embodying legendary German quality.