title
stringlengths 1
251
| section
stringlengths 0
6.12k
| text
stringlengths 0
716k
|
|---|---|---|
Museum of Work | External links | External links
Arbetetsmuseum Official site
Category:Museums in Östergötland County
Category:Buildings and structures in Norrköping
Category:Industry museums in Sweden
Category:Cultural heritage of Sweden |
Museum of Work | Table of Content | Short description, Overview, Exhibitions, The history of Alva, Industriland, Framtidsland (Future country), EWK – The Center for Political Illustration Art, See also, References, External links |
Audi | Short description | Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. A subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide.
The origins of the company are complex, dating back to the early 20th century and the initial enterprises (Horch and the Audiwerke) founded by engineer August Horch. Two other manufacturers (DKW and Wanderer) also contributed to the foundation of Auto Union in 1932. The modern Audi era began in the 1960s, when Auto Union was acquired by Volkswagen from Daimler-Benz. After relaunching the Audi brand with the 1965 introduction of the Audi F103 series, Volkswagen merged Auto Union with NSU Motorenwerke in 1969, thus creating the present-day form of the company.
The company name is based on the Latin translation of the surname of the founder, August Horch. , meaning 'listen', becomes in Latin. The four rings of the Audi logo each represent one of four car companies that banded together to create Audi's predecessor company, Auto Union. Audi's slogan is , which is translated as 'Progress through Technology'. Audi, along with German brands BMW and Mercedes-Benz, is among the best-selling luxury automobile brands in the world. |
Audi | History | History |
Audi | Birth of the company and its name | Birth of the company and its name
Automobile company Wanderer was originally established in 1885, later becoming a branch of Audi AG. Another company, NSU, which also later merged into Audi, was founded during this time, and later supplied the chassis for Gottlieb Daimler's four-wheeler.
On 14 November 1899, August Horch (1868–1951) established the company A. Horch & Cie. in the Ehrenfeld district of Cologne. In 1902, he moved with his company to Reichenbach im Vogtland. On 10 May 1904, he founded the August Horch & Cie. Motorwagenwerke AG, a joint-stock company in Zwickau (State of Saxony).
After troubles with Horch chief financial officer, August Horch left Motorwagenwerke and founded in Zwickau on 16 July 1909, his second company, the August Horch Automobilwerke GmbH. His former partners sued him for trademark infringement. The German Reichsgericht (Supreme Court) in Leipzig,Audi AG motion picture 1994: "The Silver Arrows from Zwickau", running time approx. 49 mins. eventually determined that the Horch brand belonged to his former company.Audi History audiusa.com
thumb|1923 Audi Type E
Since August Horch was prohibited from using horch as a trade name in his new car business, he called a meeting with close business friends, Paul and Franz Fikentscher from Zwickau. At the apartment of Franz Fikentscher, they discussed how to come up with a new name for the company. During this meeting, Franz's son was quietly studying Latin in a corner of the room. Several times he looked like he was on the verge of saying something but would just swallow his words and continue working, until he finally blurted out, "Father – audiatur et altera pars... wouldn't it be a good idea to call it audi instead of horch?".August Horch: "Ich baute Autos – Vom Schmiedelehrling zum Autoindustriellen", Schützen-Verlag Berlin 1937 Horch in German means 'hark' or 'hear', which is audi in the singular imperative form of audire—'to listen'—in Latin. The idea was enthusiastically accepted by everyone attending the meeting. On 25 April 1910 the Audi Automobilwerke GmbH Zwickau (from 1915 on Audiwerke AG Zwickau) was entered in the company's register of Zwickau registration court.
The first Audi automobile, the Audi Type A 10/ Sport-Phaeton, was produced in the same year, followed by the successor Type B 10/28PS in the same year.
Audi started with a 2,612 cc straight-four engine model Type A, followed by a 3,564 cc model, as well as 4,680 cc and 5,720 cc models. These cars were successful even in sporting events. The first six-cylinder model Type M, 4,655 cc appeared in 1924.
August Horch left the Audiwerke in 1920 for a high position at the ministry of transport, but he was still involved with Audi as a member of the board of trustees. In September 1921, Audi became the first German car manufacturer to present a production car, the Audi Type K, with left-handed drive.Audi chronicle 1915–1929. audi.com Left-hand drive spread and established dominance during the 1920s because it provided a better view of oncoming traffic, making overtaking safer when driving on the right. |
Audi | The merger of the four companies under the logo of four rings | The merger of the four companies under the logo of four rings
In August 1928, Jørgen Rasmussen, the owner of Dampf-Kraft-Wagen (DKW), acquired the majority of shares in Audiwerke AG.Audi chronicle 1930–1944. Audi.com In the same year, Rasmussen bought the remains of the U.S. automobile manufacturer Rickenbacker, including the manufacturing equipment for 8-cylinder engines. These engines were used in Audi Zwickau and Audi Dresden models that were launched in 1929. At the same time, 6-cylinder and 4-cylinder (the "four" with a Peugeot engine) models were manufactured. Audi cars of that era were luxurious cars equipped with special bodywork.
In 1932, Audi merged with Horch, DKW, and Wanderer, to form Auto Union AG, Chemnitz. It was during this period that the company offered the Audi Front that became the first European car to combine a six-cylinder engine with front-wheel drive. It used a power train shared with the Wanderer, but turned 180 degrees, so that the drive shaft faced the front.
Before World War II, Auto Union used the four interlinked rings that make up the Audi badge today, representing these four brands. However, this badge was used only on Auto Union racing cars in that period while the member companies used their own names and emblems. The technological development became more and more concentrated and some Audi models were propelled by Horch- or Wanderer-built engines.
Reflecting the economic pressures of the time, Auto Union concentrated increasingly on smaller cars through the 1930s, so that by 1938 the company's DKW brand accounted for 17.9% of the German car market, while Audi held only 0.1%. After the final few Audis were delivered in 1939 the "Audi" name disappeared completely from the new car market for more than two decades. |
Audi | World War II | World War II
Richard Bruhn, a Nazi party member, was Auto Union's chairman of the board from 1932 to 1945 and then again after the war when the company was reestablished. In 2014 Audi became the last major German car company, after Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler, to commission a study of their wartime activities.Audi's Nazi past, May 26, 2014, DW, https://www.dw.com/en/audi-comes-clean-about-its-nazi-past/a-17664050 The investigation found that the company worked with the SS to build seven labor camps where more than 3,700 prisoners were put to work for Auto Union.May 26, 2014, Audi Used Forced Labour under Nazis in Germany, The Local.de, https://www.thelocal.de/20140526/audi-used-forced-labour-under-nazis-in-germany In addition, 16,500 more people were forced to work at the company's factories in Zwickau and Chemnitz, and another 18,000 at an underground plant in Bavaria where 4,500 people died.
Some of the company's factories were bombed by the Allies. |
Audi | Post-World War II | Post-World War II
thumb|IFA F9
With no prospect of continuing production in Soviet-controlled East Germany, Auto Union executives began the process of relocating what was left of the company to West Germany. A site was chosen in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, to start a spare parts operation in late 1945, which would eventually serve as the headquarters of the reformed Auto Union in 1949.
On 17 August 1948, Auto Union AG of Chemnitz was deleted from the commercial register. These actions had the effect of liquidating Germany's Auto Union AG. The remains of the Audi plant of Zwickau became the VEB (for "People Owned Enterprise") or AWZ (in English: Automobile Works Zwickau).
The former Audi factory in Zwickau restarted assembly of the pre-war models in 1949. These DKW models were renamed to IFA F8 and IFA F9 and were similar to the West German versions. West and East German models were equipped with the traditional and renowned DKW two-stroke engines. The Zwickau plant later manufactured the infamous Trabant until 1991, after it was acquired by the Volkswagen Group following the reunification of Germany, and has since been substantially rebuilt. In 2021, production of the Audi Q4 e-tron began at the plant, marking the return of Audis being manufactured at Zwickau after over 80 years. |
Audi | New Auto Union unit | New Auto Union unit
A new West German headquartered Auto Union was launched in Ingolstadt with loans from the Bavarian state government and Marshall Plan aid. The reformed company was launched 3 September 1949 and continued DKW's tradition of producing front-wheel drive vehicles with two-stroke engines. This included production of a small but sturdy 125 cc motorcycle and a DKW delivery van, the DKW F89 L at Ingolstadt. The Ingolstadt site was large, consisting of an extensive complex of formerly military buildings which was suitable for administration as well as vehicle warehousing and distribution, but at this stage there was at Ingolstadt no dedicated plant suitable for mass production of automobiles: for manufacturing the company's first post-war mass-market passenger car plant capacity in Düsseldorf was rented from Rheinmetall-Borsig. It was only ten years later, after the company had attracted an investor, when funds became available for construction of major car plant at the Ingolstadt head office site.
In 1958, in response to pressure from Friedrich Flick, then the company's largest single shareholder,Oswald, p 263 Daimler-Benz took an 87% holding in the Auto Union company, and this was increased to a 100% holding in 1959. However, small two-stroke cars were not the focus of Daimler-Benz's interests, and while the early 1960s saw major investment in new Mercedes models and in a state of the art factory for Auto Union's, the company's aging model range at this time did not benefit from the economic boom of the early 1960s to the same extent as competitor manufacturers such as Volkswagen and Opel. The decision to dispose of the Auto Union business was based on its lack of profitability. Ironically, by the time they sold the business, it also included a large new factory and near production-ready modern four-stroke engine, which would enable the Auto Union business, under a new owner, to embark on a period of profitable growth, now producing not Auto Unions or DKWs, but using the "Audi" name, resurrected in 1965 after a 25-year gap.
In 1964, Volkswagen acquired a 50% holding in the business, which included the new factory in Ingolstadt, the DKW and Audi brands along with the rights to the new engine design which had been funded by Daimler-Benz, who in return retained the dormant Horch trademark and the Düsseldorf factory which became a Mercedes-Benz van assembly plant. Eighteen months later, Volkswagen bought complete control of Ingolstadt, and by 1966 were using the spare capacity of the Ingolstadt plant to assemble an additional 60,000 Volkswagen Beetles per year. Two-stroke engines became less popular during the 1960s as customers were more attracted to the smoother four-stroke engines. In September 1965, the DKW F102 was fitted with a four-stroke engine and a facelift for the car's front and rear. Volkswagen dumped the DKW brand because of its associations with two-stroke technology, and having classified the model internally as the F103, sold it simply as the "Audi". Later developments of the model were named after their horsepower ratings and sold as the Audi 60, 75, 80, and Super 90, selling until 1972. Initially, Volkswagen was hostile to the idea of Auto Union as a standalone entity producing its own models having acquired the company merely to boost its own production capacity through the Ingolstadt assembly plant—to the point where Volkswagen executives ordered that the Auto Union name and flags bearing the four rings were removed from the factory buildings. Then VW chief Heinz Nordhoff explicitly forbade Auto Union from any further product development. Fearing that Volkswagen had no long-term ambition for the Audi brand, Auto Union engineers under the leadership of Ludwig Kraus developed the first Audi 100 in secret, without Nordhoff's knowledge. When presented with a finished prototype, Nordhoff was so impressed he authorised the car for production, which when launched in 1968, went on to be a huge success. With this, the resurrection of the Audi brand was now complete, this being followed by the first generation Audi 80 in 1972, which would in turn provide a template for VW's new front-wheel-drive water-cooled range which debuted from the mid-1970s onward.
thumb|Audi 80 assembly line in Wolfsburg, 1973
In 1969, Auto Union merged with NSU, based in Neckarsulm, near Stuttgart. In the 1950s, NSU had been the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles, but had moved on to produce small cars like the NSU Prinz, the TT and TTS versions of which are still popular as vintage race cars. NSU then focused on new rotary engines based on the ideas of Felix Wankel. In 1967, the new NSU Ro 80 was a car well ahead of its time in technical details such as aerodynamics, light weight, and safety. However, teething problems with the rotary engines put an end to the independence of NSU. The Neckarsulm plant is now used to produce the larger Audi models A6 and A8. The Neckarsulm factory is also home of the "quattro GmbH" (from November 2016 "Audi Sport GmbH"), a subsidiary responsible for development and production of Audi high-performance models: the R8 and the RS model range. |
Audi | Modern era | Modern era
thumb|Participation certificate of the Audi NSU Auto Union AG, issued August 1969
The new merged company was incorporated on 1 January 1969 and was known as Audi NSU Auto Union AG, with its headquarters at NSU's Neckarsulm plant, and saw the emergence of Audi as a separate brand for the first time since the pre-war era. Volkswagen introduced the Audi brand to the United States for the 1970 model year. That same year, the mid-sized car that NSU had been working on, the K70, originally intended to slot between the rear-engined Prinz models and the futuristic NSU Ro 80, was instead launched as a Volkswagen.
After the launch of the Audi 100 of 1968, the Audi 80/Fox (which formed the basis for the 1973 Volkswagen Passat) followed in 1972 and the Audi 50 (later rebadged as the Volkswagen Polo) in 1974. The Audi 50 was a seminal design because it was the first incarnation of the Golf/Polo concept, one that led to a hugely successful world car. Ultimately, the Audi 80 and 100 (progenitors of the A4 and A6, respectively) became the company's biggest sellers, whilst little investment was made in the fading NSU range; the Prinz models were dropped in 1973 whilst the fatally flawed NSU Ro80 went out of production in 1977, spelling the effective end of the NSU brand. Production of the Audi 100 had been steadily moved from Ingolstadt to Neckarsulm as the 1970s had progressed, and by the appearance of the second generation C2 version in 1976, all production was now at the former NSU plant. Neckarsulm from that point onward would produce Audi's higher-end models.
The Audi image at this time was a conservative one, and so, a proposal from chassis engineer Jörg Bensinger was accepted to develop the four-wheel drive technology in Volkswagen's Iltis military vehicle for an Audi performance car and rally racing car. The performance car, introduced in 1980, was named the "Audi Quattro", a turbocharged coupé which was also the first German large-scale production vehicle to feature permanent all-wheel drive through a centre differential. Commonly referred to as the "Ur-Quattro" (the "Ur-" prefix is a German augmentative used, in this case, to mean 'original' and is also applied to the first generation of Audi's S4 and S6 Sport Saloons, as in "UrS4" and "UrS6"), few of these vehicles were produced (all hand-built by a single team), but the model was a great success in rallying. Prominent wins proved the viability of all-wheel-drive racecars, and the Audi name became associated with advances in automotive technology.
In 1985, with the Auto Union and NSU brands effectively dead, the company's official name was now shortened to simply Audi AG. At the same time the company's headquarters moved back to Ingolstadt and two new wholly owned subsidiaries; Auto Union GmbH and NSU GmbH, were formed to own and manage the historical trademarks and intellectual property of the original constituent companies (the exception being Horch, which had been retained by Daimler-Benz after the VW takeover), and to operate Audi's heritage operations.
thumb|right|Audi Quattro
In 1986, as the Passat-based Audi 80 was beginning to develop a kind of "grandfather's car" image, the type 89 was introduced. This completely new development sold extremely well. However, its modern and dynamic exterior belied the low performance of its base engine, and its base package was quite spartan (even the passenger-side mirror was an option). In 1987, Audi put forward a new and very elegant Audi 90, which had a much superior set of standard features. In the early 1990s, sales began to slump for the Audi 80 series, and some basic construction problems started to surface.
Through the early 1990s, Audi began to shift its target market upscale to compete against German automakers Mercedes-Benz and BMW. This began with the release of the Audi V8 in 1990. It was essentially a new engine fitted to the Audi 100/200, but with noticeable bodywork differences. Most obvious was the new grille that was now incorporated in the bonnet.
By 1991, Audi had the four-cylinder Audi 80, the 5-cylinder Audi 90 and Audi 100, the turbocharged Audi 200 and the Audi V8. There was also a coupé version of the 80/90 with both four- and five-cylinder engines.
Although the five-cylinder engine was a successful and robust powerplant, it was still a little too different for the target market. With the introduction of an all-new Audi 100 in 1992, Audi introduced a 2.8L V6 engine. This engine was also fitted to a face-lifted Audi 80 (all 80 and 90 models were now badged 80 except for the USA), giving this model a choice of four-, five-, and six-cylinder engines, in saloon, coupé and convertible body styles.
The five-cylinder was soon dropped as a major engine choice; however, a turbocharged version remained. The engine, initially fitted to the 200 quattro 20V of 1991, was a derivative of the engine fitted to the Sport Quattro. It was fitted to the Audi Coupé, named the S2, and also to the Audi 100 body, and named the S4. These two models were the beginning of the mass-produced S series of performance cars. |
Audi | Audi 5000 unintended acceleration allegations | Audi 5000 unintended acceleration allegations
Sales in the United States fell after a series of recalls from 1982 to 1987 of Audi 5000 models associated with reported incidents of sudden unintended acceleration linked to six deaths and 700 accidents. At the time, NHTSA was investigating 50 car models from 20 manufacturers for sudden surges of power.
A 60 Minutes report aired 23 November 1986, featuring interviews with six people who had sued Audi after reporting unintended acceleration, showing an Audi 5000 ostensibly suffering a problem when the brake pedal was pushed. Subsequent investigation revealed that 60 Minutes had engineered the failure—fitting a canister of compressed air on the passenger-side floor, linked via a hose to a hole drilled into the transmission.
thumb|Audi 100 C3, sold as the Audi 5000 in the U.S.
Audi contended, prior to findings by outside investigators, that the problems were caused by driver error, specifically pedal misapplication. Subsequently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) concluded that the majority of unintended acceleration cases, including all the ones that prompted the 60 Minutes report, were caused by driver error such as confusion of pedals. CBS did not acknowledge the test results of involved government agencies, but did acknowledge the similar results of another study.
In a review study published in 2012, NHTSA summarized its past findings about the Audi unintended acceleration problems: "Once an unintended acceleration had begun, in the Audi 5000, due to a failure in the idle-stabilizer system (producing an initial acceleration of 0.3g), pedal misapplication resulting from panic, confusion, or unfamiliarity with the Audi 5000 contributed to the severity of the incident."
This summary is consistent with the conclusions of NHTSA's most technical analysis at the time: "Audi idle-stabilization systems were prone to defects which resulted in excessive idle speeds and brief unanticipated accelerations of up to 0.3g [which is similar in magnitude to an emergency stop in a subway car]. These accelerations could not be the sole cause of [(long-duration) sudden acceleration incidents (SAI)], but might have triggered some SAIs by startling the driver. The defective idle-stabilization system performed a type of electronic throttle control. Significantly: multiple "intermittent malfunctions of the electronic control unit were observed and recorded ... and [were also observed and] reported by Transport Canada."
With a series of recall campaigns, Audi made several modifications; the first adjusted the distance between the brake and accelerator pedal on automatic-transmission models. Later repairs, of 250,000 cars dating back to 1978, added a device requiring the driver to press the brake pedal before shifting out of park. A legacy of the Audi 5000 and other reported cases of sudden unintended acceleration are intricate gear stick patterns and brake interlock mechanisms to prevent inadvertent shifting into forward or reverse. It is unclear how the defects in the idle-stabilization system were addressed.
Audi's U.S. sales, which had reached 74,061 in 1985, dropped to 12,283 in 1991 and remained level for three years,—with resale values falling dramatically. Audi subsequently offered increased warranty protection and renamed the affected models—with the 5000 becoming the 100 and 200 in 1989—and reached the same sales levels again only by model year 2000.
A 2010 BusinessWeek article—outlining possible parallels between Audi's experience and 2009–2010 Toyota vehicle recalls—noted a class-action lawsuit filed in 1987 by about 7,500 Audi 5000-model owners remains unsettled and remains contested in Chicago's Cook County after appeals at the Illinois state and U.S. federal levels. |
Audi | Model introductions | Model introductions
In the mid-to-late 1990s, Audi introduced new technologies including the use of aluminium construction. Produced from 1999 to 2005, the Audi A2 was a futuristic super mini, born from the Al2 concept, with many features that helped regain consumer confidence, like the aluminium space frame, which was a first in production car design. In the A2 Audi further expanded their TDI technology through the use of frugal three-cylinder engines. The A2 was extremely aerodynamic and was designed around a wind tunnel. The Audi A2 was criticised for its high price and was never really a sales success but it planted Audi as a cutting-edge manufacturer. The model, a Mercedes-Benz A-Class competitor, sold relatively well in Europe. However, the A2 was discontinued in 2005 and Audi decided not to develop an immediate replacement.
The next major model change came in 1995 when the Audi A4 replaced the Audi 80. The new nomenclature scheme was applied to the Audi 100 to become the Audi A6 (with a minor facelift). This also meant the S4 became the S6 and a new S4 was introduced in the A4 body. The S2 was discontinued. The Audi Cabriolet continued on (based on the Audi 80 platform) until 1999, gaining the engine upgrades along the way. A new A3 hatchback model (sharing the Volkswagen Golf Mk4's platform) was introduced to the range in 1996, and the radical Audi TT coupé and roadster were debuted in 1998 based on the same underpinnings.
The petrol engines available throughout the range were now a 1.4 L, 1.6 L and 1.8 L four-cylinder, 1.8 L four-cylinder turbo, 2.6 L and 2.8 L V6, 2.2 L turbo-charged five-cylinder and the 4.2 L V8 engine. The V6s were replaced by new 2.4 L and 2.8 L 30V V6s in 1998, with marked improvement in power, torque and smoothness. Further engines were added along the way, including a 3.7 L V8 and 6.0 L W12 engine for the A8. |
Audi | Audi AG today | Audi AG today
Audi's sales grew strongly in the 2000s, with deliveries to customers increasing from 653,000 in 2000 to 1,003,000 in 2008. The largest sales increases came from Eastern Europe (+19.3%), Africa (+17.2%) and the Middle East (+58.5%). China in particular has become a key market, representing 108,000 out of 705,000 cars delivered in the first three quarters of 2009. One factor for its popularity in China is that Audis have become the car of choice for purchase by the Chinese government for officials, and purchases by the government are responsible for 20% of its sales in China. As of late 2009, Audi's operating profit of €1.17 billion ($1.85 billion) made it the biggest contributor to parent Volkswagen Group's nine-month operating profit of €1.5 billion, while the other marques in Group such as Bentley and SEAT had suffered considerable losses. May 2011 saw record sales for Audi of America with the new Audi A7 and Audi A3 TDI Clean Diesel. In May 2012, Audi reported a 10% increase in its sales—from 408 units to 480 in the last year alone.
Audi manufactures vehicles in seven plants around the world, some of which are shared with other VW Group marques although many sub-assemblies such as engines and transmissions are manufactured within other Volkswagen Group plants.
Audi's two principal assembly plants in Germany are:
Ingolstadt, the former Auto Union site originally opened in 1945 and substantially rebuilt by Daimler-Benz in 1962, and acquired by Volkswagen in 1964 (Q2, A3, A4, A5)
Neckarsulm, the former NSU plant, acquired by Volkswagen in 1969: (A4, A5 (cabrio), A6, A7, A8, R8, and all RS variants) - a satellite plant at nearby Böllinger Höfe produces the e-tron GT
Outside of Germany, Audi produces vehicles at:
Aurangabad, India, since 2006
Bratislava, Slovakia, shared with Volkswagen, SEAT, Škoda and Porsche (Q7 and Q8)
Brussels, Belgium, acquired from Volkswagen in 2007 (e-tron)
Changchun, China, since 1995
Győr, Hungary (TT, A3, Q3)
Jakarta, Indonesia, since 2011
Martorell, Spain, shared with SEAT and Volkswagen (A1, Q3)
San José Chiapa, Mexico (2nd gen Q5)
In September 2012, Audi announced the construction of its first North American manufacturing plant in Puebla, Mexico. This plant became operative in 2016 and produces the second generation Q5.
From 2002 up to 2003, Audi headed the Audi Brand Group, a subdivision of the Volkswagen Group's Automotive Division consisting of Audi, Lamborghini and SEAT, which was focused on sporty values, with the marques' product vehicles and performance being under the higher responsibility of the Audi brand.
In January 2014, Audi, along with the Wireless Power Consortium, operated a booth which demonstrated a phone compartment using the Qi open interface standard at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). In May, most of the Audi dealers in the UK falsely claimed that the Audi A7, A8, and R8 were Euro NCAP safety tested, all achieving five out of five stars. In fact none were tested.
In 2015, Audi admitted that at least 2.1 million Audi cars had been involved in the Volkswagen emissions testing scandal in which software installed in the cars manipulated emissions data to fool regulators and allow the cars to pollute at higher than government-mandated levels. The A1, A3, A4, A5, A6, TT, Q3 and Q5 models were implicated in the scandal. Audi promised to quickly find a technical solution and upgrade the cars so they can function within emissions regulations. Ulrich Hackenberg, the head of research and development at Audi, was suspended in relation to the scandal. Despite widespread media coverage about the scandal through the month of September, Audi reported that U.S. sales for the month had increased by 16.2%. Audi's parent company Volkswagen announced on 18 June 2018 that Audi chief executive Rupert Stadler had been arrested.
In November 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency implicated the 3-liter diesel engine versions of the 2016 Audi A6 Quattro, A7 Quattro, A8, A8L and the Q5 as further models that had emissions regulation defeat-device software installed. Thus, these models emitted nitrogen oxide at up to nine times the legal limit when the car detected that it was not hooked up to emissions testing equipment.
In November 2016, Audi expressed an intention to establish an assembly factory in Pakistan, with the company's local partner acquiring land for a plant in Korangi Creek Industrial Park in Karachi. Approval of the plan would lead to an investment of $30 million in the new plant. Audi planned to cut 9,500 jobs in Germany starting from 2020 till 2025 to fund electric vehicles and digital working.
In February 2020, Volkswagen AG announced that it plans to take over all Audi shares it does not own (totalling 0.36%) via a squeeze-out according to German stock corporation law, thus making Audi a fully owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. This change took effect from 16 November 2020, when Audi became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group.
In January 2021, Audi announced that it is planning to sell 1 million vehicles in China in 2023, comparing to 726,000 vehicles in 2020. |
Audi | Technology | Technology |
Audi | Audi AI | Audi AI
Audi AI is a driver assist feature offered by Audi. The company's stated intent is to offer fully autonomous driving at a future time, acknowledging that legal, regulatory and technical hurdles must be overcome to achieve this goal. On 4 June 2017, Audi stated that its new A8 will be fully self-driving for speeds up to 60 km/h using its Audi AI. Contrary to other cars, the driver will not have to do safety checks such as touching the steering wheel every 15 seconds to use this feature. The Audi A8 will therefore be the first production car to reach level 3 autonomous driving, meaning that the driver can safely turn their attention away from driving tasks, e.g. the driver can text or watch a movie. Audi will also be the first manufacturer to use a 3D Lidar system in addition to cameras and ultrasonic sensors for their AI. |
Audi | Bodyshells | Bodyshells
Audi produces 100% galvanised cars to prevent corrosion,Corrosion protection. audiusa.com and was the first mass-market vehicle to do so, following introduction of the process by Porsche, c. 1975. Along with other precautionary measures, the full-body zinc coating has proved to be very effective in preventing rust. The body's resulting durability even surpassed Audi's own expectations, causing the manufacturer to extend its original 10-year warranty against corrosion perforation to currently 12 years (except for aluminium bodies which do not rust). |
Audi | Space Frame | Space Frame
thumb|right|The Audi R8 uses Audi Space Frame technology.
Audi introduced a new series of vehicles in the mid-1990s and continues to pursue new technology and high performance. An all-aluminium car was brought forward by Audi, and in 1994 the Audi A8 was launched, which introduced aluminium space frame technology (called Audi Space Frame or ASF) which saves weight and improves torsion rigidity compared to a conventional steel frame. Prior to that effort, Audi used examples of the Type 44 chassis fabricated out of aluminium as test-beds for the technique. The disadvantage of the aluminium frame is that it is very expensive to repair and requires a specialized aluminium bodyshop. The weight reduction is somewhat offset by the quattro four-wheel drive system which is standard in most markets. Nonetheless, the A8 is usually the lightest all-wheel drive car in the full-size luxury segment, also having best-in-class fuel economy. The Audi A2, Audi TT and Audi R8 also use Audi Space Frame designs. |
Audi | Drivetrains | Drivetrains |
Audi | Layout | Layout
For most of its lineup (excluding the A3, A1, and TT models), Audi has not adopted the transverse engine layout which is typically found in economy cars (such as Peugeot and Citroën), since that would limit the type and power of engines that can be installed. To be able to mount powerful engines (such as a V8 engine in the Audi S4 and Audi RS4, as well as the W12 engine in the Audi A8L W12), Audi has usually engineered its more expensive cars with a longitudinally front-mounted engine, in an "overhung" position, over the front wheels in front of the axle line—this layout dates back to the DKW and Auto Union saloons from the 1950s. But while this allows for the easy adoption of all-wheel drive, it goes against the ideal 50:50 weight distribution.
In all its post Volkswagen era models, Audi has firmly refused to adopt the traditional rear-wheel drive layout favored by its two archrivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW, favoring either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The majority of Audi's lineup in the United States features all-wheel drive standard on most of its expensive vehicles (only the entry-level trims of the A4 and A6 are available with front-wheel drive), in contrast to Mercedes-Benz and BMW whose lineup treats all-wheel drive as an option. BMW did not offer all-wheel drive on its V8-powered cars (as opposed to crossover SUVs) until the 2010 BMW 7 Series and 2011 BMW 5 Series, while the Audi A8 has had all-wheel drive available/standard since the 1990s. Regarding high-performance variants, Audi S and RS models have always had all-wheel drive, unlike their direct rivals from BMW M and Mercedes-AMG whose cars are rear-wheel drive only (although their performance crossover SUVs are all-wheel drive).
Audi has recently applied the quattro badge to models such as the A3 and TT which do not use the Torsen-based system as in prior years with a mechanical center differential, but with the Haldex Traction electro-mechanical clutch AWD system. |
Audi | Engines | Engines
thumb|upright|Volkswagen Group W12 engine from the Volkswagen Phaeton W12
Prior to the introduction of the Audi 80 and Audi 50 in 1972 and 1974, respectively, Audi had led the development of the EA111 and EA827 inline-four engine families. These new power units underpinned the water-cooled revival of parent company Volkswagen (in the Polo, Golf, Passat and Scirocco), whilst the many derivatives and descendants of these two basic engine designs have appeared in every generation of VW Group vehicles right up to the present day.
In the 1980s, Audi, along with Volvo, was the champion of the inline-five cylinder, 2.1/2.2 L engine as a longer-lasting alternative to more traditional six-cylinder engines. This engine was used not only in production cars but also in their race cars. The 2.1 L inline five-cylinder engine was used as a base for the rally cars in the 1980s, providing well over after modification. Before 1990, there were engines produced with a displacement between 2.0 L and 2.3 L. This range of engine capacity allowed for both fuel economy and power.
For the ultra-luxury version of its Audi A8 fullsize luxury flagship sedan, the Audi A8L W12, Audi uses the Volkswagen Group W12 engine instead of the conventional V12 engine favored by rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW. The W12 engine configuration (also known as a "WR12") is created by forming two imaginary narrow-angle 15° VR6 engines at an angle of 72°, and the narrow angle of each set of cylinders allows just two overhead camshafts to drive each pair of banks, so just four are needed in total. The advantage of the W12 engine is its compact packaging, allowing Audi to build a 12-cylinder sedan with all-wheel drive, whereas a conventional V12 engine could have only a rear-wheel drive configuration as it would have no space in the engine bay for a differential and other components required to power the front wheels. In fact, the 6.0 L W12 in the Audi A8L W12 is smaller in overall dimensions than the 4.2 L V8 that powers the Audi A8 4.2 variants. The 2011 Audi A8 debuted a revised 6.3-litre version of the W12 (WR12) engine with . |
Audi | Fuel Stratified Injection | Fuel Stratified Injection
New models of the A3, A4, A6 and A8 have been introduced, with the ageing 1.8-litre engine now having been replaced by new Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) engines. Nearly every petroleum burning model in the range now incorporates this fuel-saving technology.
thumb|V8 FSI engine |
Audi | Direct-Shift Gearbox | Direct-Shift Gearbox
In 2003, Volkswagen introduced the Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG), a type of dual-clutch transmission. It is a type of automatic transmission, drivable like a conventional torque converter automatic transmission. Based on the gearbox found in the Group B S1, the system includes dual electro-hydraulically controlled clutches instead of a torque converter. This is implemented in some VW Golfs, Audi A3, Audi A4 and TT models where DSG is called S-Tronic. |
Audi | LED daytime running lights | LED daytime running lights
Beginning in 2005, Audi has implemented white LED technology as daytime running lights (DRL) in their products. The distinctive shape of the DRLs has become a trademark of sorts. LEDs were first introduced on the Audi A8 W12, the world's first production car to have LED DRLs, and have since spread throughout the entire model range. The LEDs are present on some Audi billboards.
Since 2010, Audi has also offered the LED technology in low- and high-beam headlights.
thumb|The DRL in an Audi A4 B8 |
Audi | Multi Media Interface | Multi Media Interface
thumb|left|Multi Media Interface-Menu on Audi virtual cockpit, Audi TT Mk3
Starting with the 2003 Audi A8, Audi has used a centralised control interface for its on-board infotainment systems, called Multi Media Interface (MMI). It is essentially a rotating control knob and 'segment' buttons—designed to control all in-car entertainment devices (radio, CD changer, iPod, TV tuner), satellite navigation, heating and ventilation, and other car controls with a screen.
The availability of MMI has gradually filtered down the Audi lineup, and following its introduction on the third generation A3 in 2011, MMI is now available across the entire range. It has been generally well received, as it requires less menu-surfing with its segment buttons around a central knob, along with 'main function' direct access buttons—with shortcuts to the radio or phone functions. The colour screen is mounted on the upright dashboard, and on the A4 (new), A5, A6, A8, and Q7, the controls are mounted horizontally. |
Audi | Synthetic fuels | Synthetic fuels
Audi has assisted with technology to produce synthetic diesel from water and carbon dioxide. Audi calls the synthetic diesel E-diesel. It is also working on synthetic gasoline (which it calls E-gasoline). |
Audi | Logistics | Logistics
Audi uses scanning gloves for parts registration during assembly, and automatic robots to transfer cars from factory to rail cars. |
Audi | Models | Models |
Audi | Current model range | Current model range
The following tables list Audi production vehicles that are sold as of 2025:
+ Audi cars A1 75px Sportback (5-door hatchback) A3 75px Saloon (sedan)
Sportback (5-door hatchback) A5 75px Saloon (5-door hatchback)
Avant (estate/wagon) A6 75px Saloon (sedan)
Avant (estate/wagon)
Allroad (crossover estate/wagon) A6 e-tron 75px Saloon (5-door hatchback)
Avant (estate/wagon) A7 75px Sportback (5-door hatchback) A8 75px Saloon (sedan) e-tron GT 75px 5-door fastback
+ Audi SUVs Q2 75px Q3 75px Q4 e-tron 75px Q5 75px Q5 e-tron 75px Q6 75px Q6 e-tron 75px Q7 75px Q8 75px |
Audi | S and RS models | S and RS models
+ S (Sport) models S3 75px Saloon (sedan)
Sportback (5-door hatchback) 75px Saloon (5-door hatchback)
Avant (estate/wagon) S6 75px Saloon (sedan)
Avant (estate/wagon) S6 e-tron 75px Saloon (5-door hatchback)
Avant (estate/wagon) S7 75px Sportback (5-door hatchback) S8 75px Saloon (sedan) 75px Crossover 75px Crossover 75px Crossover 75px Crossover
+ RS (Rennsport/racing sport) models RS e-tron GT 75px 5-door fastback RS3 75px Saloon (Sedan)
5-door hatchback 75px Avant (estate/wagon) RS7 75px Sportback (5-door hatchback) 75px Crossover 75px Crossover |
Audi | Electric vehicles | Electric vehicles
Audi is planning an alliance with the Japanese electronics giant Sanyo to develop a pilot hybrid electric project for the Volkswagen Group. The alliance could result in Sanyo batteries and other electronic components being used in future models of the Volkswagen Group.Audi Plans To Run On Sanyo Hybrid Batteries. lexisnexis.com (1 June 2008). Concept electric vehicles unveiled to date include the Audi A1 Sportback Concept, Audi A4 TDI Concept E, and the fully electric Audi e-tron Concept Supercar. |
Audi | Self-driving cars | Self-driving cars
In December 2018, Audi announced to invest 14 billion Euro ($15.9 billion) in e-mobility, self-driving cars. |
Audi | Production figures | Production figures
A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 Q2 Q3 Q4 e-tron Q5 Q5 e-tron Q6 Q6 e-tron Q7 Q8 e-tron / Q8 e-tron TT R8 e-tron GT 1998Volkswagen AG Annual Report 1999. (including 1998). p. 50. volkswagenag.com. — — 143,974 271,152 — 174,867 — 15,355 — — — — — — — — — — 13,682 — — 1999 — — 143,505 252,514 — 162,573 — 14,636 — — — — — — — — — — 52,579 — — 2000Volkswagen AG Annual Report 2000 . p. 53 volkswagenag.com — 32,164 136,141 231,869 — 180,715 — 12,894 — — — — — — — — — — 56,776 — — 2001Volkswagen AG Annual Report 2001 . p. 41 volkswagenag.com — 49,369 131,082 308,778 — 186,467 — 11,708 — — — — — — — — — — 39,349 — — 2002Volkswagen AG Annual Report 2002 . p. 77 volkswagenag.com — 37,578 125,538 360,267 — 178,773 — 10,942 — — — — — — — — — — 34,711 — — 2003Volkswagen AG Annual Report 2003 . p. 97 volkswagenag.com — 27,323 159,417 353,836 — 168,612 — 21,748 — — — — — — — — — — 32,337 — — 2004Volkswagen AG Annual Report 2004 . p. 91 volkswagenag.com — 19,745 181,274 345,231 — 195,529 — 22,429 — — — — — — — — — — 23,605 — — 2005Volkswagen AG Annual Report 2005 . p. 41 volkswagenag.com — 10,026 224,961 337,705 — 215,437 — 21,515 — — — — — — — 1,185 — — 12,307 — — 2006Volkswagen AG Annual Report 2006 . p. 45 volkswagenag.com — — 231,752 341,110 487 229,021 — 22,468 — — — — — — — 72,169 — — 23,675 164 — 2007Volkswagen AG Annual Report 2007 . p. 83 volkswagenag.com — — 231,117 289,806 25,549 243,842 — 22,182 — — — 162 — — — 77,395 — — 56,766 4,125 — 2008Volkswagen AG Annual Report 2008 . p. 83 volkswagenag.com — — 222,164 378,885 57,650 214,074 — 20,140 — — — 20,324 — — — 59,008 — — 41,789 5,656 — 2009Volkswagen AG Annual Report 2009 . p. 93 volkswagenag.com — — 206,747 282,033 84,883 182,090 — 8,599 — — — 105,074 — — — 27,929 — — 22,821 2,101 — 2010Volkswagen AG Annual Report 2010 . p. 111 volkswagenag.com 51,937 — 198,974 306,291 111,270 211,256 8,496 22,435 — — — 154,604 — — — 48,937 — — 26,217 3,485 — 2011 117,566 — 189,068 321,045 111,758 241,862 37,301 38,542 — 19,613 — 183,678 — — — 53,703 — — 25,508 3,551 — 2012 123,111 — 164,666 329,759 103,357 284,888 28,950 35,932 — 106,918 — 209,799 — — — 54,558 — — 21,880 2,241 — 2013 120,520 — 221,170 337,990 98,207 288,697 30,962 35,932 — 152,756 — 231,466 — — — 63,543 — — 18,358 2,500 — 2014 115,378 — 352,073 329,199 88,546 307,791 27,546 39,606 3 200,145 — 260,832 — — — 60,990 — — 17,654 2,214 — 2015 116,250 — 369,968 318,468 79,133 293,675 29,131 27,007 67 205,201 — 267,651 — — — 82,422 — — 35,510 2,074 — 2016 105,252 — 361,996 357,997 65,117 276,163 26,307 24,147 19,419 231,451 — 297,750 — — — 103,507 — — 26,886 3,688 — 2017 95,346 — 313,479 325,307 119,595 259,618 16,968 15,854 102,084 205,001 — 289,892 — — — 106,807 436 4 22,174 3,179 — 2018 80,387 — 304,947 344,623 111,544 254,848 20,058 24,541 108,454 167,800 — 298,793 — — — 110,099 22,414 2,425 12,118 1,764 — 2019 81,287 — 240,809 323,387 93,077 232,605 17,068 23,826 130,207 195,639 — 286,365 — — — 63,753 44,890 43,376 14,999 2,121 — 2020 62,099 — 206,877 243,578 56,786 271,678 18,083 20,591 124,403 219,665 — 276,015 — — — 65,806 38,126 42,901 8,646 1,517 244 2021 60,158 — 164,299 199,628 64,012 227,237 16,533 22,285 103,046 250,852 27,519 279,712 99 — — 56,600 35,406 44,972 8,489 1,679 9,602 2022 58,777 — 210,341 234,395 66,124 208,729 17,437 18,398 88,372 239,340 58,764 319,162 3,113 2,042 — 52,514 37,330 51,545 8,126 1,097 12,674 2023 64,859 — 246,279 237,830 75,584 257,111 34,622 20,442 94,406 233,472 125,441 334,480 5,506 5,151 7 74,891 47,002 54,856 9,530 2,127 10,045
Figures for different body types/versions of models have been merged to create overall figures for each model. |
Audi | Motorsport | Motorsport
Audi has competed in various forms of motorsports. Audi's tradition in motorsport began with their former company Auto Union in the 1930s. In the 1990s, Audi found success in the Touring and Super Touring categories of motor racing after success in circuit racing in North America. |
Audi | Rallying | Rallying
thumb|left|Walter Röhrl with his Quattro A2 during the 1984 Rally Portugal
In 1980, Audi released the Quattro, a four-wheel drive (4WD) turbocharged car that went on to win rallies and races worldwide. It is considered one of the most significant rally cars of all time, because it was one of the first to take advantage of the then-recently changed rules which allowed the use of four-wheel drive in competition racing. Many critics doubted the viability of four-wheel drive racers, thinking them to be too heavy and complex, yet the Quattro was to become a successful car. It led its first rally before going off the road, however, the rally world had been served notice 4WD was the future. The Quattro went on to achieve much success in the World Rally Championship. It won the 1983 (Hannu Mikkola) and the 1984 (Stig Blomqvist) drivers' titles, and brought Audi the manufacturers' title in 1982 and 1984.
thumb|Audi Quattro S1 driven at the 2007 Rallye Deutschland
In 1984, Audi launched the short-wheelbase Sport Quattro which dominated rally races in Monte Carlo and Sweden, with Audi taking all podium places, but succumbed to problems further into WRC contention. In 1985, after another season mired in mediocre finishes, Walter Röhrl finished the season in his Sport Quattro S1, and helped place Audi second in the manufacturers' points. Audi also received rally honours in the Hong Kong to Beijing rally in that same year. Michèle Mouton, the only female driver to win a round of the World Rally Championship and a driver for Audi, took the Sport Quattro S1, now simply called the "S1", and raced in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The climb race pits a driver and car to drive to the summit of the Pikes Peak mountain in Colorado, and in 1985, Michèle Mouton set a new record of 11:25.39, and being the first woman to set a Pikes Peak record. In 1986, Audi formally left international rallying following an accident in Portugal involving driver Joaquim Santos in his Ford RS200. Santos swerved to avoid hitting spectators in the road, and left the track into the crowd of spectators on the side, killing three and injuring 30. Bobby Unser used an Audi in that same year to claim a new record for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb at 11:09.22.
In 1987, Walter Röhrl claimed the title for Audi setting a new Pikes Peak International Hill Climb record of 10:47.85 in his Audi S1, which he had retired from the WRC two years earlier. The Audi S1 employed Audi's time-tested inline-five-cylinder turbocharged engine, with the final version generating . The engine was mated to a six-speed gearbox and ran on Audi's famous four-wheel drive system. All of Audi's top drivers drove this car; Hannu Mikkola, Stig Blomqvist, Walter Röhrl and Michèle Mouton. This Audi S1 started the range of Audi 'S' cars, which now represents an increased level of sports-performance equipment within the mainstream Audi model range. |
Audi | In the United States | In the United States
As Audi moved away from rallying and into circuit racing, they chose to move first into America with the Trans-Am in 1988.
In 1989, Audi moved to International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) GTO with the Audi 90, however as they avoided the two major endurance events (Daytona and Sebring) despite winning on a regular basis, they would lose out on the title. |
Audi | Touring cars | Touring cars
In 1990, having completed their objective to market cars in North America, Audi returned to Europe, turning first to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) series with the Audi V8, and then in 1993, being unwilling to build cars for the new formula, they turned their attention to the fast-growing Super Touring series, which are a series of national championships. Audi first entered in the French Supertourisme and Italian Superturismo. In the following year, Audi would switch to the German Super Tourenwagen Cup (known as STW), and then to British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) the year after that.
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), having difficulty regulating the quattro four-wheel drive system, and the impact it had on the competitors, would eventually ban all four-wheel drive cars from competing in the series in 1998, but by then, Audi switched all their works efforts to sports car racing.
By 2000, Audi would still compete in the US with their RS4 for the SCCA Speed World GT Challenge, through dealer/team Champion Racing competing against Corvettes, Vipers, and smaller BMWs (where it is one of the few series to permit 4WD cars). In 2003, Champion Racing entered an RS6. Once again, the quattro four-wheel drive was superior, and Champion Audi won the championship. They returned in 2004 to defend their title, but a newcomer, Cadillac with the new Omega Chassis CTS-V, gave them a run for their money. After four victories in a row, the Audis were sanctioned with several negative changes that deeply affected the car's performance. Namely, added ballast weights, and Champion Audi deciding to go with different tyres, and reducing the boost pressure of the turbocharger.
In 2004, after years of competing with the TT-R in the revitalised DTM series, with privateer team Abt Racing/Christian Abt taking the 2002 title with Laurent Aïello, Audi returned as a full factory effort to touring car racing by entering two factory-supported Joest Racing A4 DTM cars. |
Audi | 24 Hours of Le Mans | 24 Hours of Le Mans
thumb|Audi R10 TDI
thumb|Audi R18 e-tron quattro
Audi began racing prototype sportscars in 1999, debuting at the Le Mans 24 hour. Two car concepts were developed and raced in their first season - the Audi R8R (open-cockpit 'roadster' prototype) and the Audi R8C (closed-cockpit 'coupé' GT-prototype). The R8R scored a credible podium on its racing debut at Le Mans and was the concept which Audi continued to develop into the 2000 season due to favourable rules for open-cockpit prototypes.
However, most of the competitors (such as BMW, Toyota, Mercedes and Nissan) retired at the end of 1999.
The factory-supported Joest Racing team won at Le Mans three times in a row with the Audi R8 (2000–2002), as well as winning every race in the American Le Mans Series in its first year. Audi also sold the car to customer teams such as Champion Racing.
In 2003, two Bentley Speed 8s, with engines designed by Audi, and driven by Joest drivers loaned to the fellow Volkswagen Group company, competed in the GTP class, and finished the race in the top two positions, while the Champion Racing R8 finished third overall, and first in the LMP900 class. Audi returned to the winner's podium at the 2004 race, with the top three finishers all driving R8s: Audi Sport Japan Team Goh finished first, Audi Sport UK Veloqx second, and Champion Racing third.
At the 2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Champion Racing entered two R8s, along with an R8 from the Audi PlayStation Team Oreca. The R8s (which were built to old LMP900 regulations) received a narrower air inlet restrictor, reducing power, and an additional of weight compared to the newer LMP1 chassis. On average, the R8s were about 2–3 seconds off pace compared to the Pescarolo–Judd. But with a team of excellent drivers and experience, both Champion R8s were able to take first and third, while the Oreca team took fourth. The Champion team was also the first American team to win Le Mans since the Gulf Ford GTs in 1967. This also ends the long era of the R8; however, its replacement for 2006, called the Audi R10 TDI, was unveiled on 13 December 2005.
The R10 TDI employed many new and innovative features, the most notable being the twin-turbocharged direct injection diesel engine. It was first raced in the 2006 12 Hours of Sebring as a race-test in preparation for the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans, which it later went on to win. Audi had a win in the first diesel sports car at 12 Hours of Sebring (the car was developed with a Diesel engine due to ACO regulations that favor diesel engines). As well as winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2006, the R10 TDI beat the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP in , and in , (however Peugeot won the 24h in 2009) with a podium clean-sweep (all four 908 entries retired) while breaking a distance record (set by the Porsche 917K of Martini Racing in ), in with the R15 TDI Plus.
Audi's sports car racing success would continue with the Audi R18's victory at the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans. Audi Sport Team Joest's Benoît Tréluyer earned Audi their first pole position in five years while the team's sister car locked out the front row. Early accidents eliminated two of Audi's three entries, but the sole remaining Audi R18 TDI of Tréluyer, Marcel Fässler, and André Lotterer held off the trio of Peugeot 908s to claim victory by a margin of 13.8 seconds. |
Audi | Results | Results
Car Year 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 1 Position 4 3 1 1 4 3 3 3 1 6 3 3 Ret 1 5 2 3 4 2 3 1 2 2 3 1 1 1 Ret 1 Ret 2 1 2 1 1 4 3 3 Ret 2 Ret 3 Ret 5 4 Ret 4 17 1 Ret 5 3 Ret 7 4 Ret Ret 7 2 3 |
Audi | American Le Mans Series | American Le Mans Series
Audi entered a factory racing team run by Joest Racing into the American Le Mans Series under the Audi Sport North America name in 2000. This was a successful operation with the team winning on its debut in the series at the 2000 12 Hours of Sebring. Factory-backed Audi R8s were the dominant car in ALMS taking 25 victories between 2000 and the end of the 2002 season. In 2003, Audi sold customer cars to Champion Racing as well as continuing to race the factory Audi Sport North America team. Champion Racing won many races as a private team running Audi R8s and eventually replaced Team Joest as the Audi Sport North America between 2006 and 2008. Since 2009 Audi has not taken part in full American Le Mans Series Championships, but has competed in the series opening races at Sebring, using the 12-hour race as a test for Le Mans, and also as part of the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship season calendar. |
Audi | Results | Results
Year Manufacturer Chassis Team Rd1 Rd2 Rd3 Rd4 Rd5 Rd6 Rd7 Rd8 Rd9 Rd10 Rd11 Rd12 2000 Audi R8 Audi Sport North America 2 20 3 Ret 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 6 4 3 2 Ret 1 4 2 2 1 15 2001 Audi R8 Audi Sport North America 1 1 1 1 1 5 Ret 2 Ret Ret 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 4 1 1 2002 Audi R8 Audi Sport North America 5 14 1 2 3 2 Ret 1 1 6 1 2 1 2 1 1 4 3 1 2003 Audi R8 Audi Sport North America 1 2 2 1 1 7 1 2 3 Champion Racing 2 1 3 2 20 1 4 1 1 2004 Audi R8 Audi Sport UK 1 2 Champion Racing 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2005 Audi R8 Champion Racing 1 1 18 1 3 Ret 3 2 7 4 2 3 3 2 1 1 1 3 1 2 2006 Audi R8 Audi Sport North America 1 3 1 R10 Ret 1 2 1 4 7 2 1 4 1 2 1 1 1 2007 Audi R10 Audi Sport North America 4 1 7 3 2 5 5 2 2 3 1 1 1 2 12 6 23 3 3 4 2 17 3 2008 Audi R10 Audi Sport North America 3 Ret 2 Ret 21 2 2 2 DSQ 1 2 6 1 1 7 4 1 1 1 Ret 3 1 2009 Audi R15 Audi Sport North America 5 4 2010 Audi R15 Audi Sport North America 1 3 2012 Audi R18 Audi Sport Team Joest 16 1 2 2013 Audi R18 Audi Sport Team Joest 1 2 |
Audi | European Le Mans Series | European Le Mans Series
Audi participated in the 2003 1000km of Le Mans which was a one-off sports car race in preparation for the 2004 European Le Mans Series. The factory team Audi Sport UK won races and the championship in the 2004 season but Audi was unable to match their sweeping success of Audi Sport North America in the American Le Mans Series, partly due to the arrival of a factory competitor in LMP1, Peugeot. The French manufacturer's 908 HDi FAP became the car to beat in the series from 2008 onwards with 20 LMP wins. However, Audi were able to secure the championship in 2008 even though Peugeot scored more race victories in the season. |
Audi | Results | Results
Year Manufacturer Chassis Team Rd1 Rd2 Rd3 Rd4 Rd5 2003 Audi R8 Audi Sport Japan 1 2004 Audi R8 Audi Sport UK 2 1 1 Ret 1 2 3 1 Audi Sport Japan 3 4 2 2 2005 Audi R8 Team Oreca Ret 1 2 2 2008 Audi R10 Audi Sport Team Joest 5 6 4 4 1 2 2 2 3 4 2010 Audi R15 Audi Sport Team Joest 1 3 Ret 5 3 12 |
Audi | World Endurance Championship | World Endurance Championship |
Audi | 2012 | 2012
In 2012, the FIA sanctioned a World Endurance Championship which would be organised by the ACO as a continuation of the ILMC. Audi competed won the first WEC race at Sebring and followed this up with a further three successive wins, including the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans. Audi scored a final 5th victory in the 2012 WEC in Bahrain and were able to win the inaugural WEC Manufacturers' Championship. |
Audi | 2013 | 2013
As defending champions, Audi once again entered the Audi R18 e-tron quattro chassis into the 2013 WEC and the team won the first five consecutive races, including the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans. The victory at Round 5, Circuit of the Americas, was of particular significance as it marked the 100th win for Audi in Le Mans prototypes. Audi secured their second consecutive WEC Manufacturers' Championship at Round 6 after taking second place and half points in the red-flagged Fuji race. |
Audi | 2014 | 2014
For the 2014 season, Audi entered a redesigned and upgraded R18 e-tron quattro which featured a 2 MJ energy recovery system. As defending champions, Audi would once again face a challenge in LMP1 from Toyota, and additionally from Porsche who returned to endurance racing after a 16-year absence. The season-opening 6hrs of Silverstone was a disaster for Audi who saw both cars retire from the race, marking the first time that an Audi car has failed to score a podium in a World Endurance Championship race. The team won two races and finished second in the manufacturers' championship. |
Audi | 2015 | 2015
Audi won the first two races of the season, but thereafter failed to win again, finishing second in the manufacturers' championship. |
Audi | 2016 | 2016
For the third year in a row, Audi won two races and finished second in the manufacturers' championship. Audi had left WEC after the 2016 season. |
Audi | Results | Results
Year Manufacturer Chassis SEB SPA LMS SIL SÃO BHR FUJ SHA 2012 Audi R18 e-tron quattro 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 173 (209) 1st
Year Manufacturer Chassis SIL SPA LMS SÃO COA FUJ SHA BHR Totalpoints 2013 Audi R18 e-tron quattro 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 207 (207) 1st
Year Manufacturer Chassis Car SIL SPA LMS COA FUJ SHA BHR SÃO 2014 Audi R18 e-tron quattro 1 Ret 2 1 1 5 4 4 3 244 2nd 2 Ret 5 2 2 6 5 5 5
Year Manufacturer Chassis SIL SPA LMS NÜR COA FUJ SHA BHR 2015 Audi R18 e-tron quattro 1 1 3 3 2 3 3 2 264 2nd 5 5 4 4 3 4 4 6
Year Manufacturer Chassis SIL SPA LMS NÜR MEX COA FUJ SHA BHR 2016 Audi R18 e-tron quattro Ret 1 3 2 2 2 2 5 1 266 2nd EX 3 4 3 5 6 Ret 6 2 |
Audi | Formula E | Formula E
thumb|Audi e-tron FE04
thumb|Audi e-tron FE07
Audi provided factory support to Abt Sportsline in the FIA Formula E Championship, The team competed under the title of Audi Sport Abt Formula E Team in the inaugural 2014-15 Formula E season. On 13 February 2014 the team announced its driver line up as Daniel Abt and World Endurance Championship driver Lucas di Grassi.
Audi had left Formula E after the 2020-21 Formula E season. Audi continued to provide their powertrain to Envision Racing for the 2021-22 Formula E season. Through the seven seasons in Formula E, Audi secured 14 victories, one Drivers' Champion with Lucas di Grassi and one Teams' Champion.
Year Chassis Powertrain Tyres No. Drivers123456789101112131415 Points Audi Sport Abt Formula E Team 2014–15 Spark SRT01-e SRT01-e BEI PUT PDE BUE MIA LBH MCO BER MSC LDN 165 3rd 11 Lucas di Grassi 1 2 3 Ret 9 3 2 DSQ 2 4 6 66 Daniel Abt 10 10 15 13† 3 15 Ret 14 5 Ret 11 Abt Schaeffler Audi Sport 2015–16 Spark SRT01-e ABT Schaeffler FE01 BEI PUT PDE BUE MEX LBH PAR BER LDN 221 2nd 11 Lucas di Grassi 2 1 2 3 DSQ 1 1 3 4 Ret 66 Daniel Abt 11 7 8 13 7 3 10 2 Ret 2 2016–17 Spark SRT01-e ABT Schaeffler FE02 HKG MRK BUE MEX MCO PAR BER NYC MTL 248 2nd 11 Lucas di Grassi 2 5 3 1 2 Ret 2 3 4 5 1 7 66 Daniel Abt Ret 6 7 7 7 13 6 4 14 Ret 4 6 Audi Sport Abt Schaeffler 2017–18 Spark SRT01-e Audi e-tron FE04 HKG MRK SCL MEX PDE RME PAR BER ZUR NYC 264 1st 1 Lucas di Grassi 17 14 Ret Ret 9 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 66 Daniel Abt 5 DSQ 10 Ret 1 144 7 1 13 2 3 2018–19 Spark SRT05e Audi e-tron FE05 ADR MRK SCL MEX HKG SYX RME PAR MCO BER BRN NYC 203 2nd 11 Lucas di Grassi 9 7 12 1 2 15† 7 4 Ret 1 9 5 18† 66 Daniel Abt 8 10 3 10 4 5 18† 3 15 6 6 6 5 2019–20 Spark SRT05e Audi e-tron FE06 DIRSCLMEXMRKBERBERBER 114 6th 11 Lucas di Grassi 13 2 7 6 7 8 3 8 6216 66 Daniel Abt Ret 6 14 Ret 14 René Rast 10 13 Ret 163G4 2020–21 Spark SRT05e Audi e-tron FE07 DIR RME VLC MCO PUE NYC LDN BER BER 165 4th 11 Lucas di Grassi 9 8 Ret Ret 7 10 10 1 18 3 14 6 DSQ 1 20 33 René Rast 4 17 6 Ret 5 6 Ret 2 10 10 20 5 Ret 9 9 |
Audi | Formula One | Formula One
Audi has been linked to Formula One in recent years but has always resisted due to the company's opinion that it is not relevant to road cars, but hybrid power unit technology has been adopted into the sport, swaying the company's view and encouraging research into the program by former Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali.
Audi announced in August 2022 that it would enter the Championship as an engine manufacturer in . In October, Audi confirmed its partnership with Sauber Motorsport for the year 2026, acquiring a stake in the company for the German brand to enter the competition by renaming the team and supplying engines.
On 26 April 2024, Sauber announced they had signed Nico Hülkenberg for onwards on a multi-year contract, confirming him as their first driver in Formula One. Six months later, they confirmed that his teammate would be rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, the two replacing outgoing drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu. |
Audi | Current factory drivers | Current factory drivers |
Audi | Racecars | Racecars
YearCarImageCategory1979Audi 80Group 41981Audi QuattroGroup 41983Audi Quattro A1Group BAudi 80 Quattro A2Group BAudi Quattro A2framelessGroup B1984Audi Sport Quattro S1framelessGroup B1985Audi Sport Quattro E2framelessGroup B1986Audi Sport Quattro RS 002framelessGroup S1987Audi 200 QuattroGroup AAudi Coupé QuattroGroup A1988Audi 200 QuattroframelessTrans-Am1989Audi 90 QuattroframelessIMSA GTO1999Audi R8CframelessLMGTPAudi R8RframelessLMP9002000Audi R8framelessLMP900
LMP12004Audi A4 DTM R11framelessDTM2005Audi A4 DTM R12framelessDTM2006Audi A4 DTM R12 plusframelessDTMAudi R10 TDIframelessLMP12007Audi A4 DTM R13framelessDTM2008Audi A4 DTM R14framelessDTM2009Audi A4 DTM R14 plusframelessDTMAudi R8 LMSframelessGroup GT3Audi R15 TDIframelessLMP12010Audi R15 TDI PlusframelessLMP12011Audi A4framelessNGTCAudi R18 TDIframelessLMP12012Audi A5 DTM R17framelessDTMAudi R18 UltraframelessLMP1Audi R18 e-Tron quattroframelessLMP12013Audi RS5 DTM R17framelessDTM2014Audi R18 e-Tron quattroframelessLMP1Audi RS5 DTM RC3framelessDTMAudi S1 EKS RX quattroframelessRallycrossAudi S3 SaloonframelessNGTC2015Audi R8 LMSframelessGroup GT32016Audi R18 e-Tron quattroframelessLMP12017Audi e-tron FE04framelessFormula EAudi R8 LMS GT4framelessSRO GT4Audi RS 3 LMS TCRframelessTCR2018Audi e-tron FE05framelessFormula E2019Audi e-tron FE06framelessFormula EAudi R8 LMS GT2framelessSRO GT2Audi RS5 Turbo DTMframelessGT5002020Audi e-tron FE07framelessFormula E2021Audi A1 SSM R4framelessGroup R4Audi RS 3 LMS TCR (21)framelessTCR2022Audi RS Q e-tronframelessGroup T1.U |
Audi | Marketing | Marketing |
Audi | Branding | Branding
thumb|right|The logo used by Audi, 1995–2009
thumb|right|The logo used by Audi, 2009–2016
thumb|right|The typeface Audi Sans (used 1997–2009)
thumb|right|The typeface Audi Type (used since 2009)
The Audi emblem is four overlapping rings that represent the four marques of Auto Union. The Audi emblem symbolises the amalgamation of Audi with DKW, Horch and Wanderer: the first ring from the left represents Audi, the second represents DKW, third is Horch, and the fourth and last ring Wanderer. The design is popularly believed to have been the idea of Klaus von Oertzen, the director of sales at Wanderer—when Berlin was chosen as the host city for the 1936 Summer Olympics and that a form of the Olympic logo symbolized the newly established Auto Union's desire to succeed. Somewhat ironically, the International Olympic Committee later sued Audi in the International Trademark Court in 1995, where they lost.
The original "Audi" script, with the distinctive slanted tails on the "A" and "d" was created for the historic Audi company in 1920 by the famous graphic designer Lucian Bernhard, and was resurrected when Volkswagen revived the brand in 1965. Following the demise of NSU in 1977, less prominence was given to the four rings, in preference to the "Audi" script encased within a black (later red) ellipse, and was commonly displayed next to the Volkswagen roundel when the two brands shared a dealer network under the V.A.G banner. The ellipse (known as the Audi Oval) was phased out after 1994, when Audi formed its own independent dealer network, and prominence was given back to the four rings—at the same time Audi Sans (a derivative of Univers) was adopted as the font for all marketing materials, corporate communications and was also used in the vehicles themselves.
As part of Audi's centennial celebration in 2009, the company updated the logo, changing the font to left-aligned Audi Type, and altering the shading for the overlapping rings. The revised logo was designed by Rayan Abdullah.
Audi developed a Corporate Sound concept, with Audi Sound Studio designed for producing the Corporate Sound. The Corporate Sound project began with sound agency Klangerfinder GmbH & Co KG and s12 GmbH. Audio samples were created in Klangerfinder's sound studio in Stuttgart, becoming part of Audi Sound Studio collection. Other Audi Sound Studio components include The Brand Music Pool, The Brand Voice. Audi also developed Sound Branding Toolkit including certain instruments, sound themes, rhythm and car sounds which all are supposed to reflect the AUDI sound character.
Audi started using a beating heart sound trademark beginning in 1996. An updated heartbeat sound logo, developed by agencies KLANGERFINDER GmbH & Co KG of Stuttgart and S12 GmbH of Munich, was first used in 2010 in an Audi A8 commercial with the slogan The Art of Progress. |
Audi | Slogans | Slogans
Audi's corporate tagline is , meaning 'Progress through Technology'. The German-language tagline is used in many European countries, including the United Kingdom (but not in Italy, where is used), and in other markets, such as Latin America, Oceania, Africa and parts of Asia including Japan. Originally, the American tagline was Innovation through technology, but in Canada Vorsprung durch Technik was used. Since 2007, Audi has used the slogan Truth in Engineering in the U.S.Lavrinc, Damon. Audi planning TT and R8 lightweight "Sport" models. Autoblog. Retrieved 24 April 2010. However, since the Audi emissions testing scandal came to light in September 2015, this slogan was lambasted for being discordant with reality. In fact, just hours after disgraced Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn admitted to cheating on emissions data, an advertisement during the 2015 Primetime Emmy Awards promoted Audi's latest advances in low emissions technology with Kermit the Frog stating, "It's not that easy being green."
Vorsprung durch Technik was first used in English-language advertising after Sir John Hegarty of the Bartle Bogle Hegarty advertising agency visited the Audi factory in 1982. In the original British television commercials, the phrase was voiced by Geoffrey Palmer. After its repeated use in advertising campaigns, the phrase found its way into popular culture, including the British comedy Only Fools and Horses, the U2 song "Zooropa" and the Blur song "Parklife". Similar-sounding phrases have also been used, including as the punchline for a joke in the movie Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and in the British TV series Peep Show. |
Audi | Typography | Typography
Audi Sans (based on Univers Extended) was originally created in 1997 by Ole Schäfer for MetaDesign. MetaDesign was later commissioned for a new corporate typeface called Audi Type, designed by Paul van der Laan and Pieter van Rosmalen of Bold Monday. The font began to appear in Audi's 2009 products and marketing materials. |
Audi | Sponsorships | Sponsorships
thumb|left|Audi sponsors Bundesliga club Bayern Munich
Audi is a strong partner of different kinds of sports. In football, long partnerships exist between Audi and domestic clubs including Bayern Munich, Hamburger SV, 1. FC Nürnberg, Hertha BSC, and Borussia Mönchengladbach and international clubs including Chelsea, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, A.C. Milan, AFC Ajax and Perspolis. Audi also sponsors winter sports: The Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is named after the company. Additionally, Audi supports the German Ski Association (DSV) as well as the alpine skiing national teams of Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, France, Liechtenstein, Italy, Austria and the U.S. For almost two decades, Audi fosters golf sport: for example with the Audi quattro Cup and the HypoVereinsbank Ladies German Open presented by Audi. In sailing, Audi is engaged in the Medcup regatta and supports the team Luna Rossa during the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series and also is the primary sponsor of the Melges 20 sailboat. Further, Audi sponsors the regional teams ERC Ingolstadt (hockey) and FC Ingolstadt 04 (soccer). In 2009, the year of Audi's 100th anniversary, the company organized the Audi Cup for the first time. Audi also sponsor the New York Yankees as well. In October 2010 they agreed to a three sponsorship year-deal with Everton. Audi also sponsors the England Polo Team and holds the Audi Polo Awards. |
Audi | Marvel Cinematic Universe | Marvel Cinematic Universe
Since the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Audi signed a deal to sponsor, promote and provide vehicles for several films. So far these have been, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home. The R8 supercar became the personal vehicle for Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr.) for six of these films. The e-tron vehicles were promoted in Endgame and Far From Home. Several commercials were co-produced by Marvel and Audi to promote several new concepts and some of the latest vehicles such as the A8, SQ7 and the e-Tron fleet. |
Audi | Multitronic campaign | Multitronic campaign
thumb|Audi Centre Sydney, Zetland, New South Wales, Australia
In 2001, Audi promoted the new multitronic continuously variable transmission with television commercials throughout Europe, featuring an impersonator of musician and actor Elvis Presley. A prototypical dashboard figure—later named "Wackel-Elvis" ("Wobble Elvis" or "Wobbly Elvis")—appeared in the commercials to demonstrate the smooth ride in an Audi equipped with the multitronic transmission. The dashboard figure was originally intended for use in the commercials only, but after they aired the demand for Wackel-Elvis fans grew among fans and the figure was mass-produced in China and marketed by Audi in their factory outlet store. |
Audi | Audi TDI | Audi TDI
As part of Audi's attempt to promote its Diesel technology in 2009, the company began Audi Mileage Marathon. The driving tour featured a fleet of 23 Audi TDI vehicles from 4 models (Audi Q7 3.0 TDI, Audi Q5 3.0 TDI, Audi A4 3.0 TDI, Audi A3 Sportback 2.0 TDI with S tronic transmission) travelling across the American continent from New York to Los Angeles, passing major cities like Chicago, Dallas and Las Vegas during the 13 daily stages, as well as natural wonders including the Rocky Mountains, Death Valley and the Grand Canyon. |
Audi | Audi e-tron | Audi e-tron
The next phase of technology Audi is developing is the e-tron electric drive powertrain system. They have shown several concept cars , each with different levels of size and performance. The original e-tron concept shown at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show is based on the platform of the R8 and has been scheduled for limited production. Power is provided by electric motors at all four wheels. The second concept was shown at the 2010 Detroit Motor Show. Power is provided by two electric motors at the rear axle. This concept is also considered to be the direction for a future mid-engined gas-powered 2-seat performance coupe. The Audi A1 e-tron concept, based on the Audi A1 production model, is a hybrid vehicle with a range extending Wankel rotary engine to provide power after the initial charge of the battery is depleted. It is the only concept of the three to have range-extending capability. The car is powered through the front wheels, always using electric power.
It is all set to be displayed at the Auto Expo 2012 in New Delhi, India, from 5 January. It is powered by a 1.4 litre engine, and can cover a distance up to 54 km on a single charge. The e-tron was also shown in the 2013 blockbuster film Iron Man 3 and was driven by Tony Stark (Iron Man). |
Audi | Lawsuit on the use of the letter Q | Lawsuit on the use of the letter Q
In early 2005, Nissan North America Inc. filed a lawsuit against Audi over the use of the letter "Q" as a model name.
Audi is using the "Q" for the designation of their quattro four-wheel drive system, used in production cars for over twenty-five years (Audi's Quattro trademark is actually an umbrella term for several types of four-wheel-drive systems developed by Torsen, Haldex Traction AB, and Borg-Warner, the latter being used in the Q7). Nissan's Infiniti marque first used Q for their 1989 Infiniti Q45 flagship, but later expanded to its entire lineup, with Q for passenger cars (the Q30, Q40, Q50, and Q60) and QX for SUVs (the QX30, QX50, QX60, and QX70).
A settlement between Audi AG and Nissan was reached in late 2006. The agreement stipulates that Audi will only use the Q-prefix for three models, the Q3, Q5 and the Q7. Audi has since released other Q series cars as well, such as the Q2, Q6, and Q8. |
Audi | In video games | In video games
Audi has supported the European version of PlayStation Home, the PlayStation 3's online community-based service, by releasing a dedicated Home space. Audi is the first carmaker to develop such a space for Home. On 17 December 2009, Audi released two spaces; the Audi Home Terminal and the Audi Vertical Run. The Audi Home Terminal features an Audi TV channel delivering video content, an Internet Browser feature, and a view of a city. The Audi Vertical Run is where users can access the mini-game Vertical Run, a futuristic mini-game featuring Audi's e-tron concept. Players collect energy and race for the highest possible speeds and the fastest players earn a place in the Audi apartments located in a large tower in the centre of the Audi Space. In both the Home Terminal and Vertical Run spaces, there are teleports where users can teleport back and forth between the two spaces. Audi had stated that additional content would be added in 2010. On 31 March 2015 Sony shutdown the PlayStation Home service rendering all content for it inaccessible. |
Audi | See also | See also
DKW, Horch and Wanderer (company) – predecessors of Audi.
Volkswagen Group – parent company of current Audi. |
Audi | Notes | Notes |
Audi | References | References
|
Audi | External links | External links
Category:Car brands
Category:Car manufacturers of Germany
Category:Companies based in Baden-Württemberg
Category:Companies based in Bavaria
Category:Companies based in Ingolstadt
Category:Companies formerly listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange
Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1909
Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1939
Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1965
Category:Re-established companies
Category:German brands
Category:Luxury motor vehicle manufacturers
Category:Companies based in Saxony
Category:Sports car manufacturers
Category:Volkswagen Group
Category:German companies established in 1909 |
Audi | Table of Content | Short description, History, Birth of the company and its name, The merger of the four companies under the logo of four rings, World War II, Post-World War II, New Auto Union unit, Modern era, Audi 5000 unintended acceleration allegations, Model introductions, Audi AG today, Technology, Audi AI, Bodyshells, Space Frame, Drivetrains, Layout, Engines, Fuel Stratified Injection, Direct-Shift Gearbox, LED daytime running lights, Multi Media Interface, Synthetic fuels, Logistics, Models, Current model range, S and RS models, Electric vehicles, Self-driving cars, Production figures, Motorsport, Rallying, In the United States, Touring cars, 24 Hours of Le Mans, Results, American Le Mans Series, Results, European Le Mans Series, Results, World Endurance Championship, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, Results, Formula E, Formula One, Current factory drivers, Racecars, Marketing, Branding, Slogans, Typography, Sponsorships, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Multitronic campaign, Audi TDI, Audi e-tron, Lawsuit on the use of the letter Q, In video games, See also, Notes, References, External links |
Aircraft | short description | thumb|The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is the most produced aircraft in history.
An aircraft (: aircraft) is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or, in a few cases, direct downward thrust from its engines. Common examples of aircraft include airplanes, rotorcraft (including helicopters), airships (including blimps), gliders, paramotors, and hot air balloons. Part 1 (Definitions and Abbreviations) of Subchapter A of Chapter I of Title 14 of the U. S. Code of Federal Regulations states that aircraft "means a device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the air."
The human activity that surrounds aircraft is called aviation. The science of aviation, including designing and building aircraft, is called aeronautics. Crewed aircraft are flown by an onboard pilot, whereas unmanned aerial vehicles may be remotely controlled or self-controlled by onboard computers. Aircraft may be classified by different criteria, such as lift type, aircraft propulsion (if any), usage and others. |
Aircraft | History | History
thumb|alt=An illustration showcasing various 19th-century aviation prototypes and designs.|Aviation in 19th century
The history of aviation spans over two millennia, from the earliest innovations like kites and attempts at tower jumping to supersonic and hypersonic flight in powered, heavier-than-air jet aircraft. Kite flying in China, dating back several hundred years BC, is considered the earliest example of man-made flight. In the 15th-century Leonardo da Vinci created flying machine designs incorporating aeronautical concepts, but they were unworkable due to the limitations of contemporary knowledge.
In the late 18th century, the Montgolfier brothers invented the hot-air balloon which soon led to manned flights. At almost the same time, the discovery of hydrogen gas led to the invention of the hydrogen balloon. Various theories in mechanics by physicists during the same period, such as fluid dynamics and Newton's laws of motion, led to the development of modern aerodynamics; most notably by Sir George Cayley. Balloons, both free-flying and tethered, began to be used for military purposes from the end of the 18th century, with France establishing balloon companies during the French Revolution.Hallion (2003)
In the 19th century, especially the second half, experiments with gliders provided the basis for learning the dynamics of winged aircraft; most notably by Cayley, Otto Lilienthal, and Octave Chanute. By the early 20th century, advances in engine technology and aerodynamics made controlled, powered, manned heavier-than-air flight possible for the first time. In 1903, following their pioneering research and experiments with wing design and aircraft control, the Wright brothers successfully incorporated all of the required elements to create and fly the first aeroplane."Flying through the ages" BBC News. Retrieved 2024-10-18. The basic configuration with its characteristic cruciform tail was established by 1909, followed by rapid design and performance improvements aided by the development of more powerful engines.
The first vessels of the air were the rigid steerable balloons pioneered by Ferdinand von Zeppelin that became synonymous with airships and dominated long-distance flight until the 1930s, when large flying boats became popular for trans-oceanic routes. After World War II, the flying boats were in turn replaced by airplanes operating from land, made far more capable first by improved propeller engines, then by jet engines, which revolutionized both civilian air travel and military aviation.
In the latter half of the 20th century, the development of digital electronics led to major advances in flight instrumentation and "fly-by-wire" systems. The 21st century has seen the widespread use of pilotless drones for military, commercial, and recreational purposes. With computerized controls, inherently unstable aircraft designs, such as flying wings, have also become practical. |
Aircraft | Methods of lift | Methods of lift |
Aircraft | Lighter-than-air | Lighter-than-air
Lighter-than-air aircraft or aerostats use buoyancy to float in the air in much the same way that ships float on the water. They are characterized by one or more large cells or canopies, filled with a lifting gas such as helium, hydrogen or hot air, which is less dense than the surrounding air. Other gases lighter than air also theoretically work, however, such gases also needs to be same for human use (non-flammable, non-toxic).
Small hot-air balloons, called sky lanterns, were first invented in ancient China prior to the 3rd century BC and used primarily in cultural celebrations, although they also had military purposes. They, along with kites, were two forms of unmanned aircraft that originated from China. Kites were also used in the military, but unlike sky lanterns, their flight is caused by the differences of air pressure beneath and above the kite.thumb|Hot air balloons
thumb|Airship USS Akron over Manhattan in the 1930sA balloon was originally any aerostat, while the term airship was used for large, powered aircraft designs — usually fixed-wing.US patent 467069 "Air-ship" referring to a compound aerostat/rotorcraft.Ezekiel Airship (1902) wright-brothers.org altereddimensions.net "airship," – referring to an HTA aeroplane.The Bridgeport Herald, August 18, 1901 – "air ship" referring to Whitehead's aeroplane.Cooley Airship of 1910, also called the Cooley monoplane. – a heavier-than-air monoplane.Frater, A.; The Balloon Factory, Picador (2009), p. 163. Wright brothers' "airship."George Griffith, The angel of the Revolution, 1893 — "air-ship," "vessel" referring to a VTOL compound rotorcraft (not clear from the reference if it might be an aerostat hybrid.) In 1919, Frederick Handley Page was reported as referring to "ships of the air," with smaller passenger types as "Air yachts."Auckland Star, 24 February 1919 "Ships of the air," "Air yachts" – passenger landplanes large and small In the 1930s, large intercontinental flying boats were also sometimes referred to as "ships of the air" or "flying-ships".The Sydney Morning Herald, Monday 11 April 1938 – "ship of the airs," "flying-ship," referring to a large flying-boat.Smithsonian, America by air "Ships of the Air" referring to Pan Am's Boeing Clipper flying-boat fleet. |
Aircraft | Heavier-than-air{{Anchor | Heavier-than-air
Heavier-than-air aircraft or aerodynes are denser than air and thus must find some way to obtain enough lift that can overcome the aircraft's weight. There are two ways to produce dynamic upthrust — aerodynamic lift by having air flowing past an aerofoil (such dynamic interaction of aerofoils with air is the origin of the term "aerodyne"), or powered lift in the form of reactional lift from downward engine thrust.
Aerodynamic lift involving wings is the most common, and can be achieved via two methods. Fixed-wing aircraft (airplanes and gliders) achieve airflow past the wings by having the entire aircraft moving forward through the air, while rotorcraft (helicopters and autogyros) do so by having mobile, elongated wings spinning rapidly around a mast in an assembly known as the rotor. |
Aircraft | Fixed-wing Aircraft | Fixed-wing Aircraft
Gliders were one of the first forms of a fixed wing aircraft. They are a special type of aircraft that doesn't require an engine. The first person to successfully build a human-carrying glider was George Cayley, who also was the first to discover the four major aerodynamic forces. The first powered aircraft (Airplane) was invented by Wilbur and Orville Wright. |
Aircraft | Rotorcraft | Rotorcraft
A rotary-wing aircraft, rotorwing aircraft or rotorcraft is a heavier-than-air aircraft with rotary wings that spin around a vertical mast to generate lift. The assembly of several rotor blades mounted on a single mast is referred to as a rotor. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) defines a rotorcraft as "supported in flight by the reactions of the air on one or more rotors"."ICAO Annex 7." Retrieved on 30 September 2009.
Rotorcraft generally include aircraft where one or more rotors provide lift throughout the entire flight, such as helicopters, gyroplanes, autogyros, and gyrodynes Compound rotorcraft augment the rotor with additional thrust engines, propellers, or static lifting surfaces. Some types, such as helicopters, are capable of vertical takeoff and landing. An aircraft which uses rotor lift for vertical flight but changes to solely fixed-wing lift in horizontal flight is not a rotorcraft but a convertiplane.thumb|The Mil Mi-8 is the most produced rotorcraft. |
Aircraft | Other methods of lift | Other methods of lift
A lifting body is an aircraft which produces lift through the shape of its body, rather than its wings or rotors, like conventional aircraft. Lifting bodies were first experimented by NASA in the 1960s-70s, but the idea was already conceived in the 1950s.
A powered lift aircraft is one which has the capability of vertical takeoff and landing. These aircraft must transition from vertical to lateral movement, which is considered the most dangerous phases of a flight. Classes of powered lift types include VTOL jet aircraft (such as the Harrier jump jet) and tiltrotors, such as the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, among others.
An ornithopter is an aircraft that produces lift through the movement of its wings, akin to how a bird flies. |
Aircraft | Size and speed extremes | Size and speed extremes |
Aircraft | Size | Size
The largest aircraft by dimensions and volume (as of 2016) is the long British Airlander 10, a hybrid blimp, with helicopter and fixed-wing features, and reportedly capable of speeds up to , and an airborne endurance of two weeks with a payload of up to ."World's largest aircraft the Airlander makes maiden flight in UK," 16 August 2016, London 'Daily Telegraph' via Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 22 November 2016."Airlander 10, the world's largest aircraft, takes off for the first time," 19 August 2016, CBS News (TV) retrieved 22 November 2016.Kottasova, Ivana "The world's largest aircraft crashes after 2nd test flight" , 24 August 2016, CNN Tech on CNN, the Cable News Network. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
The largest aircraft by weight and largest regular fixed-wing aircraft ever built, , was the Antonov An-225 Mriya. That Soviet-built (Ukrainian SSR) six-engine transport of the 1980s was long, with an wingspan. It holds the world payload record, after transporting of goods, and has flown loads commercially. With a maximum loaded weight of , it was also the heaviest aircraft built to date. It could cruise at ."Watch the world's biggest plane land in Australia," 16 May 2016, Fox News. Retrieved 22 November 2016.Lewis, Danny, "The World's Largest Aircraft Might Lose its Title to a Blimp,", 18 September 2015, Smart News, Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.. Retrieved 22 November 2016."Ask Us – Largest Plane in the World," Aerospaceweb.org. Retrieved 22 November 2016. The aircraft was destroyed during the Russo-Ukrainian War.
The largest military airplanes are the Ukrainian Antonov An-124 Ruslan (world's second-largest airplane, also used as a civilian transport),"World's Second Largest Aircraft," 28 July 2013, NASA. Retrieved 22 November 2016. and American Lockheed C-5 Galaxy transport, weighing, loaded, over .Loftin, Laurence K., Jr., "Wide-Body Transports" , in Chapter 13, "Jet Transports," in Part II, "The Jet Age," in Quest for Performance: The Evolution of Modern Aircraft, NASA SP-468, 1985, Scientific and Technical Information Branch, NASA, Washington, D.C., Updated: 6 August 2004. Retrieved 22 November 2016. The 8-engine, piston/propeller Hughes H-4 Hercules "Spruce Goose" — an American World War II wooden flying boat transport with a greater wingspan (94m/260 ft) than any current aircraft and a tail height equal to the tallest (Airbus A380-800 at 24.1m/78 ft) — flew only one short hop in the late 1940s and never flew out of ground effect.
The largest civilian airplanes, apart from the above-noted An-225 and An-124, are the Airbus Beluga cargo transport derivative of the Airbus A300 jet airliner, the Boeing Dreamlifter cargo transport derivative of the Boeing 747 jet airliner/transport (the 747-200B was, at its creation in the 1960s, the heaviest aircraft ever built, with a maximum weight of over ), and the double-decker Airbus A380 "super-jumbo" jet airliner (the world's largest passenger airliner)."Airbus reviews A380 schedule," 29 April 2008, The New York Times. Retrieved 22 November 2016. |
Aircraft | Speeds | Speeds
The fastest fixed-wing aircraft and fastest glider, is the Space Shuttle, which re-entered the atmosphere at nearly Mach 25 or
The fastest recorded powered aircraft flight and fastest recorded aircraft flight of an air-breathing powered aircraft was of the NASA X-43A Pegasus, a scramjet-powered, hypersonic, lifting body experimental research aircraft, at Mach 9.68 or on 16 November 2004.
Prior to the X-43A, the fastest recorded powered airplane flight, and still the record for the fastest manned powered airplane, was the North American X-15, rocket-powered airplane at Mach 6.7 or 7,274 km/h (4,520 mph) on 3 October 1967.
The fastest manned, air-breathing powered airplane is the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, a U.S. reconnaissance jet fixed-wing aircraft, having reached on 28 July 1976. |
Aircraft | Propulsion and steering | Propulsion and steering |
Aircraft | Unpowered aircraft | Unpowered aircraft
The main feature of unpowered aircraft is the inability to directly provide thrust through its engines. This means that all unpowered aircraft rely on the environment for sustained flight. Gliders, for example, take advantage of their aerodynamic properties to enable them to travel long distances. Techniques such as thermal circling, where gliders fly into warm air which allows them to rise, prolongs flight time.
Due to the lack of an engine, initial propulsion assistance is usually necessary to ensure flight. A common glider launching method is aerotowing, where another aircraft tows the glider to an altitude from which sustained flight is possible. Steering for a glider is also rudimentary, while more complex gliders like sailplanes usually have joysticks for steering, more basic aircraft like hang gliders rely on the pilot's physical coordination to change the centre of gravity.thumb|Sailplane (Rolladen-Schneider LS4) |
Aircraft | Powered aircraft | Powered aircraft
A powered aircraft is an aircraft with a source of mechanical power, used to produce thrust. Such sources are generally engines, as is the case with airplanes, but can be human-powered in more extreme cases. |
Aircraft | Propeller aircraft | Propeller aircraft
Propeller aircraft, as their name suggests, rely on propellers to produce thrust for the airplane.thumb|A turboprop-engined DeHavilland Twin Otter adapted as a floatplane |
Aircraft | Jet aircraft | Jet aircraft
thumb| Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor
Compared to engines using propellers, jet engines can provide much higher thrust, higher speeds and, above about , greater efficiency. |
Aircraft | Rotorcraft | Rotorcraft |
Aircraft | Design and construction | Design and construction
The key parts of an aircraft are generally divided into three categories:
The structure ("airframe"Gove, P.B., editor: Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged, 1993, Merriam-Webster, Springfield, Mass., USACrane, D., editor: Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, Third Edition, ASA (Aviation Supplies & Academics), Newcastle, Washington, USA2012 Federal Aviation Regulations for Aviation Maintenance Technicians, 2012, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of TransportationGunston, Bill, editor: Jane's Aerospace Dictionary 1980, Jane's, London / New York / Sydney) comprises the main load-bearing elements and associated equipment, as well as flight controls.
The propulsion system ("powerplant""Glossary" in Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (PHAK), Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, D.C., retrieved 12 September 2022) (if it is powered) comprises the power source and associated equipment, as described above.
The avionics comprise the electrical and electronic control, navigation and communication systems.Wragg, David W. editor: A Dictionary of Aviation, 1974, Frederick Fell, New York |
Aircraft | Structure | Structure |
Aircraft | Aerostats | Aerostats
thumb|A modern aerostat used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS)
An aerostat or lighter-than-air aircraft relies on buoyancy to maintain flight. Aerostats include unpowered balloons (free-flying or tethered) and powered airships. The relative density of an aerostat as a whole is lower than that of the surrounding atmospheric air (hence the name "lighter-than-air"). Its main component is one or more gas capsules made of lightweight skins, containing a lifting gas (hot air, or any gas with lower density than air, typically hydrogen or helium) that displaces a large volume of air to generate enough buoyancy to overcome its own weight. Payload (passengers and cargo) can then be carried on attached components such as a basket, a gondola, a cabin or various hardpoints. With airships, which need to be able to fly against wind, the lifting gas capsules are often protected by a more rigid outer envelope or an airframe, with other gasbags such as ballonets to help modulate buoyancy.
Aerostats are so named because they use aerostatic buoyant force that does not require any forward movement through the surrounding air mass, resulting in the inherent ability to levitate and perform vertical takeoff and landing. This contrasts with the heavier-than-air aerodynes that primarily use aerodynamic lift, which must have consistent airflow over an aerofoil (wing) surface to stay airborne. The term has also been used in a narrower sense, to refer to the statically tethered balloon in contrast to the free-flying airship. This article uses the term in its broader sense. |
Aircraft | Aerodynes | Aerodynes
thumb|Airframe diagram for an AgustaWestland AW101 helicopter |
Aircraft | Power | Power
The source of motive power for an aircraft is normally called the powerplant, and includes engine or motor, propeller or rotor, (if any), jet nozzles and thrust reversers (if any), and accessories essential to the functioning of the engine or motor (e.g.: starter, ignition system, intake system, exhaust system, fuel system, lubrication system, engine cooling system, and engine controls).
Powered aircraft are typically powered by internal combustion engines (piston"Internal Combustion Engine," Glenn Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), retrieved 12 September 2022 or turbine"Engines," Glenn Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), retrieved 12 September 2022) burning fossil fuels—typically gasoline (avgas) or jet fuel. A very few are powered by rocket power, ramjet propulsion, or by electric motors, or by internal combustion engines of other types, or using other fuels. A very few have been powered, for short flights, by human muscle energy (e.g.: Gossamer Condor).Bryan, C.D.B.: The National Air and Space Museum, 1979 / 1984, Abrams, New YorkTaylor, Michael J.H., editor: Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation, 1989 ed., Portland House / Random House, New York"Electrified Aircraft Propulsion" (EAP), Glenn Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), retrieved 12 September 2022 |
Aircraft | Avionics | Avionics
The avionics comprise any electronic aircraft flight control systems and related equipment, including electronic cockpit instrumentation, navigation, radar, monitoring, and communications systems. |
Aircraft | Flight characteristics | Flight characteristics |
Aircraft | Flight envelope | Flight envelope
The flight envelope of an aircraft refers to its approved design capabilities in terms of airspeed, load factor and altitude.https://web.archive.org/web/20100601204507/http://www.access.gpo.gov/ecfr/graphics/pdfs/ec28se91.001.pdf |
Aircraft | Range | Range
thumb|The Boeing 777-200LR is one of the longest-range airliners, capable of flights of more than halfway around the world.
The maximal total range is the maximum distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing. Powered aircraft range is limited by the aviation fuel energy storage capacity (chemical or electrical) considering both weight and volume limits. Unpowered aircraft range depends on factors such as cross-country speed and environmental conditions. The range can be seen as the cross-country ground speed multiplied by the maximum time in the air. The fuel time limit for powered aircraft is fixed by the available fuel (considering reserve fuel requirements) and rate of consumption. The Airbus A350-900ULR is among the longest range airliners.
Some aircraft can gain energy while airborne through the environment (e.g. collecting solar energy or through rising air currents from mechanical or thermal lifting) or from in-flight refueling. These aircraft could theoretically have an infinite range.
Ferry range means the maximum range that an aircraft engaged in ferry flying can achieve. This usually means maximum fuel load, optionally with extra fuel tanks and minimum equipment. It refers to the transport of aircraft without any passengers or cargo. Combat radius is a related measure based on the maximum distance a warplane can travel from its base of operations, accomplish some objective, and return to its original airfield with minimal reserves. |
Aircraft | Flight dynamics | Flight dynamics
thumb|Flight dynamics
Flight dynamics is the science of air vehicle orientation and control in three dimensions. The three critical flight dynamics parameters are the angles of rotation in three dimensions about the vehicle's center of gravity (cg), known as pitch, roll and yaw. These are collectively known as aircraft attitude, often principally relative to the atmospheric frame in normal flight, but also relative to terrain during takeoff or landing, or when operating at low elevation. The concept of attitude is not specific to fixed-wing aircraft, but also extends to rotary aircraft such as helicopters, and dirigibles, where the flight dynamics involved in establishing and controlling attitude are entirely different.
Control systems adjust the orientation of a vehicle about its cg. A control system includes control surfaces which, when deflected, generate a moment (or couple from ailerons) about the cg which rotates the aircraft in pitch, roll, and yaw. For example, a pitching moment comes from a force applied at a distance forward or aft of the cg, causing the aircraft to pitch up or down.
A fixed-wing aircraft increases or decreases the lift generated by the wings when it pitches nose up or down by increasing or decreasing the angle of attack (AOA). The roll angle is also known as bank angle on a fixed-wing aircraft, which usually "banks" to change the horizontal direction of flight. An aircraft is streamlined from nose to tail to reduce drag making it advantageous to keep the sideslip angle near zero, though an aircraft may be deliberately "sideslipped" to increase drag and descent rate during landing, to keep aircraft heading same as runway heading during cross-wind landings and during flight with asymmetric power. |
Aircraft | Stability | Stability
thumb|The empennage of a Boeing 747-200A fixed wing is typically unstable in pitch, roll, and yaw. Pitch and yaw stabilities of conventional fixed wing designs require horizontal and vertical stabilisers,Crane, Dale: Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition, p. 194. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. Aviation Publishers Co. Limited, From the Ground Up, p. 10 (27th revised edition) which act similarly to the feathers on an arrow. These stabilizing surfaces allow equilibrium of aerodynamic forces and to stabilise the flight dynamics of pitch and yaw. |
Aircraft | Control | Control |
Aircraft | Environmental impact | Environmental impact
Aircraft engines produce gases, noise, and particulates from fossil fuel combustion, raising environmental concerns over their global effects and on local air quality.
Jet airliners contribute to climate change by emitting carbon dioxide (), the best understood greenhouse gas, and, with less scientific understanding, nitrogen oxides, contrails and particulates. Their radiative forcing is estimated at 1.4 that of alone, excluding induced cirrus cloud with a very low level of scientific understanding.
In 2018, global commercial operations generated 2.4% of emissions. Jet airliners have become more fuel efficient and emissions per revenue ton-kilometer (RTK) in 2018 were 47% of those in 1990. In 2018, emissions averaged 88 grams of per revenue passenger per km. While the aviation industry is more fuel efficient, overall emissions have risen as the volume of air travel has increased. By 2020, aviation emissions were 70% higher than in 2005 and they could grow by 300% by 2050.
Aircraft noise pollution disrupts sleep, children's education and could increase cardiovascular risk. Airports can generate water pollution due to their extensive handling of jet fuel and deicing chemicals if not contained, contaminating nearby water bodies. Aviation activities emit ozone and ultrafine particles, both of which are health hazards. Piston engines used in general aviation burn Avgas, releasing toxic lead.
Aviation's environmental footprint can be reduced by better fuel economy in aircraft, or air traffic control and flight routes can be optimized to lower non- effects on climate from , particulates or contrails.
Aviation biofuel, emissions trading and carbon offsetting, part of the ICAO's CORSIA, can lower emissions. Aviation usage can be lowered by short-haul flight bans, train connections, personal choices and aviation taxation and subsidies. Fuel-powered aircraft may be replaced by hybrid electric aircraft and electric aircraft or by hydrogen-powered aircraft.
Since 2021, the IATA members plan net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, followed by the ICAO in 2022. |
Aircraft | Uses for aircraft | Uses for aircraft |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.