Where is Audi A4 assembled? Choosing Audi A4

The Audi A4 is a D-class sedan that appeals to both ordinary consumers and government officials. The latest generation of the model was presented this year and has not yet reached our market.

In fact, the car became an updated version of the Audi 80 and was released in 1994. Some features of its predecessor are still recognizable in it. The car has the highest production volume in the German company's line. In terms of the number of cars, it is in fourth place after the models of the world's main manufacturers.

In March 2011, the five millionth copy of the car rolled off the assembly line. But we will look at where the Audi A4 is assembled in this article.

Where is the Audi A4 assembled for the world market:

— Germany, plant in Ingolstadt and Wolfsburg;

— China, plant in Changchun;

— Japan, plant in Tokyo;

— Ukraine, plant in Solomonovo;

— Indonesia, plant in Jakarta;

— India, plant in Aurangabad.

The car is delivered to Russia directly from Germany. We'll talk about the characteristics of the model later.

In 2013, the Audi A4 was supposed to be assembled in Russia. Large-unit assembly in Kaluga was authorized by German manufacturers.

The fact is that in our country, starting next year, officials are prohibited from buying cars not produced here. And the fourth Audi is quite popular among politicians.

The new production was announced back in August 2012. The chairman of the corporation said that Audi A4, A5 and A6 will be assembled in Russia.

But this year we not only decided not to introduce new production facilities, but also to close the old ones. The model range assembled in Kaluga has been reduced threefold. Now only Audi A6 and A8 are produced here. The plant's capacity allows it to produce 10 thousand cars per year. But it is not reported how many were released over the past 11 months of 2015. The economic situation does not allow the plant to operate at full capacity.

The conveyor was resumed in 2013, when the company’s management came up with the idea to increase production. All parts were supplied to us from Germany, and we were only fastened together.

Then 570 million euros were invested in the plant. Due to inflation, they actually disappeared.

In the first two months of this year, Audi A4 sales in Russia decreased by 23%. The rest of the dynamics are being kept secret for now.

Characteristics of the Audi A4 for our market

The Audi A4 is being modernized for the Russian market for the eighth time. But this model is completely redesigned. Some car enthusiasts were worried that it turned out worse than its predecessor. Let's see if this is true.

The weight distribution along the axles has become much improved. To be honest, it's almost perfect. The motor is located in the front axle. Therefore, the hood turned out to be a little loaded. Engineers slightly increased the wheelbase. Compared to the seventh generation, it has become 160 millimeters larger. The battery, oddly enough, was moved to the trunk.

The car has become much more controllable and stable. Now you can ride it quickly and actively. The body came out branded. It received a predatory front end and an aggressive bumper. The squinted front optics go well with the trapezoidal radiator grille.

For our market, the Germans made two modifications. We are talking about a four-door sedan and a five-door station wagon. The latter is not very popular among our consumers. But it still sells well. They also made a model similar to an SUV based on the sedan.

The classic car is extremely resistant to corrosion. Even if you peel off the paint a little, the metal will not rust. Passive safety for both passenger and driver received five stars in 2009. Here you can see the excellent LED lights that are everywhere. It looks technologically advanced, but in practice it is completely unsightly, or rather, expensive.

In the cabin you can feel all the high cost and premium quality of the brand. Solid and high-quality materials will not leave anyone indifferent. The parts were fitted very precisely, and the wear resistance of the skin has been proven over generations. Even in the basic version the car is equipped quite expensively.

The central part of the front panel is turned towards the driver. The seats have well-developed support and a zero position for the speedometer and tachometer needles. The wheelbase of 2810 millimeters is suitable for any road. There is enough space for anyone in the back seat. If you sit in the middle, the massive floor will interfere with you. The shelf near the rear window begins to creak over time, and the window regulators operate with a squeak. But these are all the shortcomings that were discovered.

Gasoline and diesel engines are presented on our market in different proportions. In gasoline units, the individual ignition coil may fail. The most popular engine is the 1.8 liter engine. But the most unclaimed 3.2-liter.

For gasoline units, the chain may stretch and the hydraulic tensioner may break. This happens when driving from 70 to 100 thousand kilometers. Therefore, do not forget to control the motor. The 1.8-liter engine pump may leak.

The Audi A4 can be front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. They are quite stable and passable. The transmission has no weak points. It's a six-speed manual. On the market you can find a variator or a robot. The latest dual-clutch transmission is a bit weak.

The car's suspension is similar to its predecessor's unit. There is a multi-link front and rear. The chassis is energy-intensive. The firmness settings vary, as do the shock absorbers. The four operating modes of the machine are changed with a button near the gear selector. Over time, it may become difficult to replace parts. The bolts may stop turning. You'll have to heat them up and drill them out.

The trunk volume is 480 liters. This is quite a lot for such a model. Electric parking brake. It is activated by a button near the gear selector.

The weak point of the car is the gasoline engine. He has chain stretching. The optics may also fail. Especially the front one. The LEDs at the back burn out.

In general, the advantages of the car include high safety, rich finishing materials and high-quality seats. Also, it is worth noting the trouble-free engine and good transmission. Stability and controllability are all praiseworthy.

The price of the car is quite high. But for the German assembly it is acceptable. Unfortunately, the optics often burn out, and the seats fold down only as an optional extra. But this is all unimportant, because the Audi A4 is very high quality and reliable. Therefore, if you value prestige and rich design, then you can afford it.

Audi AG is a German automotive company within the Volkswagen Group, specializing in the production of cars under the Audi brand. The headquarters is located in Ingolstadt (Germany).

The history of Audi AG is closely connected with the name of August Horch.

August Horch was born on October 12, 1868 in the village of Winningen, located in the Moselle River valley, into the family of a blacksmith. He first learned his father's trade. However, he did not show the abilities necessary for blacksmithing. And then, after several years of wandering, he began his studies at the then-famous technical school in the city of Mitvaida. After graduating from college, he qualified as an engineer and worked in various design bureaus in the cities of Rostock and Leipzig. He was particularly interested in the use of the internal combustion engine, which at that time was still just a formless mechanism.

In 1896, Horch was invited to head the production of motorcycles at Benz & Cie in Mannheim. However, Karl Benz, being a conservative innovator, did not support most of the ideas and proposals for changes in his designs. Dissatisfied with this situation, August Horch decides to organize his own business.

Together with one of the shareholders, he created the Horch & Cie company in Cologne in 1899. Along with providing services for repairing and equipping vehicles, since 1901 the company began to establish its own car production. However, when the available capital began to deplete, Horch, with drawings in his suitcase and ideas in his head, set off across Germany in search of money for his projects.

In Saxony, Horch found an industrialist who was interested in his ideas and was ready to finance them. Then in 1902 Horch moved with all his machines and equipment to Reichenbach, and then in 1904 to Zwickau. In 1909, disagreements arose between the shareholders, and August Horch left the company. But still his thirst for activity was not broken. With the help of his friend Franz Fikentscher, an established entrepreneur from Zwickau, he soon founded a new automobile company. The second company was also named after Horch. But this led to a lawsuit over the rights to the company's name. August Horch lost this case. For the young company it was necessary to find a new name. What to name the company?

Horst Fikentscher (grandson of Horst Fikentscher Franz) says that in his grandfather’s living room there were endless debates on this issue: “All possible and impossible proposals arose. In the adjacent room, my grandfather’s three high school sons also took part in the search for a name for the company. My father Heinrich, who was then 10 years old, stunned all the adults with a simple solution to a difficult problem: Horen, Horchen (listen, listen) are translated from German into Latin as “audire”, and the imperative form is “horch!” (listen!) - “Audi!” From that day on, everyone called my father only Audi.”

It only took a few years for the new Horch cars to gain recognition. For three years in a row, starting in 1913, the Audi team won the international route through the Austrian Alps, considered at the time the most difficult test test for cars. With the founding of the second company, the innovative phase of Horch's life ended. During the First World War, he took on organizational functions, and after the war he was invited as an expert on technical issues by many representatives of the German automobile industry.

A story of four rings
The Audi symbol - "Four Rings" - is a trademark of one of the oldest automobile manufacturers in Germany. It symbolizes the unification of four previously independent automobile manufacturers: Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer. They are the roots of modern AUDI AG.

1910-1920
In early 1909, after a legal dispute with the first Horch-Werke plants, August Horch renamed his second automobile plant Audi Automobil-Werke. When choosing a new name, Horch, who did not want to completely “give up” his own surname to his rivals, decided to use a pun. The word horch means “listen” in German, just like audi in Latin.

In mid-1910, the plant launched the first Audi car on the market. This car had a 2.6 liter four-cylinder engine producing 22 hp.

1920-1930
In 1920, Audi Automobil-Werke AG introduced a new brand name - Audi. In keeping with the fashionable business style of the time, Lucian Bernhard's flourishes replaced the vignette-adorned Audi emblem. Now a new emblem (gold letters on a blue background in an oval) adorned the radiators of Audi cars. When in 1965 the Volkswagen concern acquired 100% of the shares of the Auto Union concern (previously part of it belonged to the Daimler-Benz concern), which included Audi, the first post-war car was produced, bearing the Audi brand. It came to market with the Auto Union emblem, representing an interweaving of four rings, which was caused by the fact that Audi cars from 1949 to 1965 were produced under the Auto Union brand. Also on the right front fender and on the rear of the body there were emblems reminiscent of the first Audi emblem (the font was changed compared to the original version). This logo was changed with the launch of the NSU production line in 1977. She received a red-brown oval instead of a blue one. Since 1982, the branded oval has also decorated the side surfaces of car wings.

At the end of World War II, all Saxon Auto Union factories were destroyed as a result of Allied air strikes, and many employees and management of the concern left the Soviet occupation zone. All equipment that survived was dismantled and taken away. The company's management managed to move to Bavaria shortly before the end of the war. At the end of 1945, an Auto Union spare parts warehouse even appeared in the city of Ingolstadt. But it was still far from full production. Only on September 3, 1949, the production of motorcycles and delivery trucks was resumed. The company was registered in a new way and the company Auto Union GmbH appeared.

1950-1960
The first DKW passenger car after the war. Following the establishment of Auto Union GmbH in Ingolstadt in September 1949 and the start of production of motorcycles and light transport vehicles in the same year, production of the DKW, Auto Union's first post-war passenger car, began in August 1950. Until the end of 1961, DKW passenger cars were produced at the production facilities of Rheinmetall-Boersing AG in Düsseldorf.

In April 1958, the joint stock company Daimler-Benz AG bought 88% of the shares of Auto Union, and a year later bought out the company completely. The Ingolstadt company became its branch. But the popularity of the Volkswagen Käfer model had a negative impact on sales volumes of other small cars and the financial position of the Auto Union concern, and in 1964 the company became part of Volkswagen. In 1965, it was decided to release all new models of the concern that had lost its independence under the Audi brand. At first, after the takeover, Volkswagen did not want Audi to develop its own cars. They were going to produce the Volkswagen Beetle model at the enterprise's facilities. But Ludwig Kraus, who was the head of the design department at that time, decided to develop the model secretly from everyone. Ultimately, they found out about this in Wolfsburg, but they did not interfere. The fruit of this activity was the Audi 100 middle class car, which appeared in 1968.

In 1969, Volkswagenwerk AG merged Auto Union GmbH and NSU Motorenwerke AG from Neckarsulm. The company was named Audi NSU Auto Union AG with its head office in Neckarsulm. In 1974, a significant event occurred. Ferdinand Piëch became the head of the design department.

1970-1980
At the beginning of 1970, Audi began to export widely to the United States of America. At first, exports to the USA were limited to the Audi Super 90 model (sedan and station wagon), as well as the new Audi 100. Since 1973, they were joined by the Audi 80, which, unlike the European version, was also produced in a station wagon. Later, Audi models received their own designations on the US market: Audi 4000 for Audi 80, Audi 5000 for Audi 100.

1980-1991
In March 1980, the Audi stand at the Geneva Motor Show became a real sensation thanks to the presentation of a new all-wheel drive sports coupe. For the first time, a passenger car was offered with a drive concept that had hitherto only been used in trucks and SUVs. The idea of such a passenger car arose in the winter of 1976/77. during test runs on the VW Iltis army SUV being developed. The excellent behavior of this car when driving on ice and snow led to the idea of introducing VW Iltis all-wheel drive into the production Audi 80. In the same year, development work was carried out, which resulted in the creation of the Audi quattro sports coupe.

The sports debut of the Audi quattro took place at the beginning of 1981 at the January rally in Austria. The new Audis were beyond competition. Until 1985, no one could compete with them. And in 1986, group “b” in which Quattro competed was closed, as the FIA management considered these competitions too dangerous. This ended the racing career of this car.

In December 1982, serial production of the Audi quattro was launched - a serial sports coupe that had all-wheel drive and outstanding driving characteristics: Weighing about 1.5 tons, the car had a 200 hp engine, which allowed it to accelerate to 100 km / h in 7.1 seconds. In 1984, the Audi Sport Quattro became available to customers. It had a body shortened by 300 mm with Kevlar inserts and two engine options - 220 and 306 hp. The latter accelerated the Audi to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds. The maximum speed of this car reached 250 km/h. Gradually, the quattro® drive was also offered for other Audi models.

1990-1991
In 1990, Audi AG entered the German Production Car Championship (DTM) for the first time. The winner this season was Hans-Joachim Stuck, driving an Audi V8. The following year, Frank Biela, driving an Audi of the same model, was able to successfully defend the championship title.

Audi with V6 engine
In December 1990, the new Audi 100 (internal designation C4) was introduced, which for the first time in the history of the concern was also offered with a six-cylinder V-engine. The powerful (174 hp) power unit with a displacement of 2.8 liters was the most compact and lightest in its class. It had a new fuel injection system that provided the required high traction at low speeds and high power in the upper rev range.

1990-2000
At the Geneva Motor Show in March 1990, Audi AG presented the Audi duo, the production Audi 100 Avant quattro, which, in addition to the conventional gasoline engine, also featured an electric motor driving the rear axle. If necessary, the drive could be switched from a gasoline engine to an electric one. This hybrid vehicle was developed in particular for use in the public utility sector.

In 1993, the Audi Group was formed, which eventually included Hungarian and Brazilian divisions, the British Cosworth Technology and the Italian Automobili Lamborghini and the Spanish SEAT were absorbed. The company is developing dynamically in most of the auto directions that exist today. These are the business segment (A6), executive (A8), sports and racing cars (Audi TT, sports versions of the A4, R8 supercar), as well as crossovers Q7, Q5 and Q3.

2005 Audi hybrid
On September 12, 2005, at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt (Germany), Audi AG presented its new creation - the Audi Q7 hybrid SUV. The uniqueness of this car lies in the fact that it is equipped with two high-tech engines. Along with the 4.2-liter FSI V8 petrol engine, the Audi Q7 hybrid is equipped with a latest modification of the electric motor, which increases the technical torque by 200 Newton-nA-meter and power by 32 kW (44 hp).
It’s hard to believe that with all this, the technical data of the car can reduce fuel consumption by an average of 13%. Energy efficiency is optimized using Audi's innovation - intelligent energy management. In addition, the integrated quattro technology provides the SUV with impeccable performance in various road conditions.

2008 - Double victory for Audi all-wheel drive models
Two all-wheel drive Audi models won the “4-4 of the Year 2008” competition organized by the German magazine AUTO BILD ALLRAD. In the category of cars from 25,000 to 40,000 euros, the new Audi A4 quattro won, and in the category of all-wheel drive coupes and sports cars, the Audi R8 won. Following the “eight”, second place was taken by the Audi A5 quattro model.

Among other models of the German automaker, second and third places in the “over 40,000 euros” category were taken by the Audi A6 quattro and Audi A8 quattro. The presentation of prizes to the winners took place at the international exhibition Auto Mobil International (AMI) in Leipzig.

Audi brings its “High-Tech Excellence” to life at six sites with a legendary automotive manufacturing tradition. Advanced logistics processes, the synchronized production system of the Audi Production System and more than 60,000 highly qualified employees guarantee consistently high Audi standards worldwide. Whether in Germany, Belgium, Hungary, India or China, all Audi production plants demonstrate the highest quality, efficiency and compatibility with the environment.

In Germany, Audi carries out production at two sites with a rich automotive tradition - in the cities of Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. It is here that most technical developments are carried out, and many discoveries have been made here. Visitors have a great opportunity to gain insight into the history and philosophy of the Four Rings brand. Since 2010, the Brussels plant has been producing the Audi A1. About 1.9 million high-tech engines are produced annually at the Hungarian plant in Győr. In addition, at its Aurangabad and Changchun plants, Audi produces premium vehicles for the growing markets of China and India.

Plant in Ingolstadt (Germany)

Over 500,000 cars roll off the production line at AUDI AG's largest plant every year. It is here that the production lines for the Audi A3, Audi A4, Audi A5 and Audi Q5 are installed. The body shop and paint shop also house the Audi TT Coupé and Audi TT Roadster, produced in partnership with Audi Hungaria.

Plant in Neckarsulm (Germany)

In the city of Neckarsulm, which is a traditional center of automotive production, premium models are created: Audi A8, Audi A6 and Audi A4. Many typical Audi innovations first saw the light of day at this second-largest Audi plant in Germany. quattro GmbH produces the Audi A6 and Audi R8 in Neckarsulm. A visit to the Forum Audi exhibition center in Neckarsulm is an unforgettable experience of immersing yourself in the fascinating world of automotive engineering.

Plant in Győr (Hungary)

Győr, a Hungarian city on the Danube River, is an ideal location for the production of high-tech engines and automobiles. Its advantages are not limited to a developed labor market with a large number of skilled workers and highly educated graduates.

Factory in Changchun (China)

Audi's activities in China began 20 years ago. In 2007, the company's annual vehicle sales to Chinese customers exceeded 100,000 for the first time. That same year, more than 93,000 vehicles rolled off the lines of the traditional model manufacturing plant in Changchun. Today Audi is the fastest growing premium brand in China and Hong Kong. The company's market share in the premium car segment is about 42%.

Factory in Brussels (Belgium)

The creation of a fourth production site in Europe became the basis for maintaining the sustainable growth achieved by Audi and ensuring it in the long term. The Audi A1 has been produced in Brussels since 2010.

Plant in Aurangabad (India)

At its plant in Maharashtra, Audi produces cars for sale in the growing Indian market. The plant is located in the university city of Aurangabad. Since 2006, the Audi A6 has been produced here, and since 2008, the Audi A4. By 2015, the annual production of the Audi A6 should exceed 2,000 vehicles, and the Audi A4 - 11,000.

Factory in Bratislava (Slovakia)

AUDI AG produces the Audi Q7 in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Approximately 1,300 people at the modern Volkswagen Slovakia plant assemble this powerful vehicle - a representative of the SUV segment - from vehicle kits.

Plant in Martorell (Spain)

The production of the Audi Q3 model began in the first half of 2011. This compact car is assembled using ultra-modern equipment at the SEAT plant in the Spanish city of Martorell. The annual production volume is over 100,000 cars. In 2009 and 2010. A new body shop and assembly line were built for the production of the Audi Q3. The total capital investment in the production of this model in Martorell exceeded 300 million euros.

Every motorist knows the Audi company. Thanks to its consistent quality and original design, it has received admirers all over the world. Audi's history has gone through many difficult stages that have made the company what we know it today.

How it all started

Audi is a company from Germany that produces passenger vehicles. The company's main office is located in the village of Ingolstadt. The hundred-year history of the name and brand began in 1910, from the time when August Horch decided to register a company, the name of which he took from his last name. Horch means “to hear”, which is translated from Latin. At that time, the entrepreneur was already an auctioneer in one large company, but quickly left it for personal reasons. This was the impetus for starting my own business.

Augustus's work did not always have. In 1909, he created a 6-cylinder engine, which immediately failed in sales. This greatly crippled the company, causing it to almost go bankrupt. For this reason, the engineer was quickly fired, but not far away he quickly founded a new company called Horch.

Find out at first sight

Any self-respecting car enthusiast will recognize the Audi logo without error. The history of the emblem was formed around four companies that were united into a single force. Among them were Audi Werke, DKW, August Horch Automobile Werke and Wanderer. The grand merger happened in 1934.

As the history of the badge says, at first it was installed only in racing cars, and individual designs were created for production models. This was later changed, which only attracted potential buyers.

First ideas and steps

The object of work of the company's enterprises was the construction of machines. Famous engineers were hired to create original models. Already in the first year of its activity the Audi-A car was constructed. How this model was invented is still unknown to anyone.

Work recognition

Soon, several more models were released, which immediately received recognition from car enthusiasts. Germany appreciated the merits of the new brand. So, in 1911, big competitions took place in Austria. The history of the brand remembers this year as the victory of its Audi-B model. Since then, special attention has been focused on subsequent flagships, which have become better each time.

1912 became famous thanks to the release of the Audi-C model. The test drive for her came at the Alpine races, where she showed quite good results, for which she was given the name “Alpenziger”.

The main success of the brand occurred in the 20s, when the company acquired Audi-M and the equally famous Audi-K for sale. The first stood out with a spacious 4.7-liter 6-cylinder engine, and the second had a 2.1-liter engine. This made it popular among ordinary car users. But the Audi-M also managed to become one of the fastest cars of that time, because it covered 120 kilometers in 1 hour. This was consistent with the price, which was at the level of branded models.

Problem solving

The success ended in the same 20s, when Audi was under threat of bankruptcy. To solve this problem, management decided to merge with another company. Thus, in 1928, the company's facilities were acquired by DKW, replacing the main owner with Jörgen Skafte Rasmussen.

When the big economic crisis happened in 1932, Auto Union was decided. His task was to combine the famous and powerful brands Wanderer and DKW, as well as former competitors Audi and Horch. The result of their work was the release of two models, whose operation was based on a motor from Wanderer. As Audi's history shows, sales seemed quite good.

New format

With the onset of World War II, all partner companies were nationalized. They became one division that produced cars. So in 1949, the company increased its scale thanks to the capabilities of Mercedes-Benz. Daimler-Benz AG doubled its efficiency when it acquired shares from Auto Union in 1958, selling them to Volkswagen. But they decided to keep the name, so the company continued to be called Audi.

After a short break in 1968, the company released a car with front-wheel drive, which gave good results. With the advent of Audi Quattro, the company had a good chance to qualify for the sports class. This car gave a great leap, again making it one of the best among the alternatives. The car was quite light and had excellent protection. The vehicle fully met the requirements for high-speed rallies, so it was able to compete with other manufacturers.

Change of leadership

In 1969, Neckarsulmer Automobilwerke bought the main shares of Volkswagen, which included Audi. The history of the company's creation indicates that at one time the company had the name Audi NSU Auto Union, but in 1985 it returned to the classic Audi AG.

The strategy of the renewed company was to organize sales in the United States. This happened in 1970, and the first car to travel to another continent was the Audi Super 90. This station wagon immediately received support from users. Later, their ranks were joined by the Audi 80, which had slightly improved characteristics for buyers in the United States. After this, the present models received their designations in this market - Audi 80 and Audi 4000, respectively.

Back to the start

In the 80s, some irregularities were discovered in the company's work, so its sales fell sharply in regions of the United States. The year 1980 was remembered for the launch of a big new product on the market in the form of an all-wheel drive sports class coupe. Previously, a similar model was the Audi quattro, which used a truck drive system.

The creation of this model began in 1977, when the flagship VW Iltis attracted everyone's attention during tests by the Bundeswehr. It had excellent driving qualities on ice and snow, so it was decided to introduce such a system into Audi 80 cars. This model received a reinforced version with a 5-cylinder 2.2-liter turbo engine, the power of which produced 147 kW, or 200 horsepower.

More new products

The history of the company remembers the introduction into mass production of vehicles with all-wheel drive. Later, the quattro concept was offered with other Audi flagships. On the basis of this car, the Audi Coupe sports class coupe was launched, which appeared in 1993. Later it was decided to use the original body, which would complement the model range. This vehicle remained one of the best of its kind for a long time, until it was taken off sale in 2000. Overall, the total number of units manufactured was 72 thousand.

One of the models that was remembered in the history of the brand was the Audi 100. Its feature was the use of a six-cylinder V-type engine. This unit is considered the lightest among the model line. But the Audi A4 saw its buyer in 1994. In the same year, the company created the RS2 Avant, a five-seater car with a 315-horsepower fuel-injection turbo engine.

A little later, the company's well-known Golf IV platform laid the foundation for the flagship Audi A3. It was shown in 1996, receiving a lot of positive reviews. A year later, its mass production began. A year later, the new flagships were presented in Frankfurt am Main. The flagship Audi S4/S4 Avante/RS4 became a striking modification for the “sport” segment at that time. He used a 2.7 V6 biturbo engine for his work, which was able to produce power of 380 hp. With.

New Generation

The history of the concern saw a universal body for new flagships in 1998. In order to focus on the development and production of such cars, it was decided to discontinue production of the C4 series. Since the company began production of fundamentally new machines in a short period of time, this marked the beginning of the release of a new family of class B.

But 1998 was also remembered for the premiere of the Audi TT, which had a coupe-type body. It was seen in Geneva, and the new product was positively received. A year later, the same fate befell the roadster, which was shown in Frankfurt am Main. In 1999, the Audi A3 sports model was modified, which received a turbocharged engine and an all-wheel drive transmission. The Audi S8 is an analogue of the famous racing car, but has a 4.2 V8 engine and all-wheel drive.

Views change

The year 2000 began for Audi with the premiere of the flagship Audi Allroad, which was created on the basis of the A6 Avant. In 2001, a vehicle with a folding roof was produced, which later began to be assembled at Karmann facilities.

Today the company's facilities are located in different countries, not just in Germany. The company tries to increase its scale and capacity every year. The model range made it possible to satisfy the wishes of every customer, and even lovers of powerful cars were able to choose the Audi Q7 SUV.

Among the unusual new products are models from the 2000s, which attracted buyers from Asian countries. Every time production is trying to create simpler and more powerful developments, which attracts new markets. Such modern views allow you to get greater profits and strengthen your sales position.

A special look at Audi-M

This model received special attention from the company, because for the first time the emblem “Audi - a unit against the backdrop of the globe” was installed on it. For work, a classic six-cylinder engine with a volume of up to 4700 cc was used. cm. Power 70 l. With. created comfort during the trip. Among the changes, the camshaft was noticed, which it was decided to move to the top.

The technical side implied the use of aluminum for the cylinder block. The designers also took care of the driver’s safety, due to which the braking system was distributed to four wheels at once. The highest speed that the flagship could reach was 120 km/h.

How did the Audi 100 come about?

This model was widely shown to customers in 1990. It was also known as C4. It was for her that a V-shaped six-cylinder engine was released for the first time. It is small in size, but the power of 174 horsepower was one of the best in its price range.

History of the Audi A4

Among Audi brand cars in the middle class, the A4 model deserves special attention. Thanks to the use of rear- and front-wheel drive, steering control is improved, so active mass production began in 1994. The company introduced a new case design, which qualitatively distinguished the flagship from its analogues.

Today, the Audi brand is part of the Volkswagen concern. It is at the stage of recovery and growth, since the company has had high quality indicators for a long time. This creates successful sales for her, thanks to which constant development occurs.

If you want to buy a high-quality and affordable car, the Audi brand is an excellent choice. Throughout the history of the company, it has actively worked to improve its models and introduce new technologies. This allowed us to obtain decent quality.

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One of the largest and most successful German automobile concerns has undergone remarkable development in recent years. Audi brand cars have always been considered a premium class; under the wing of the huge Audi-Volkswagen corporation, this brand has received enormous opportunities to use the best technologies, the most successful solutions in technical and design areas. It is these features that cars attract their customers, despite the ever-increasing price tags and incredible configurations in which you can find many unnecessary parts. Audi today competes with BMW, and is also one of the main rivals of Japanese and American luxury brands. This is precisely the fate envisaged by the current characteristics of corporate growth.

Among the first questions that potential car buyers ask is the question of car assembly. Many people believe that all Audi models, as premium cars, are assembled exclusively in Germany. In fact, the brand has a mass of assembly plants around the world, which explains its prevalence both on the distant shores of the Atlantic and in the difficult Australian market. It’s also an interesting fact that Audi cars are now officially recognized as the best purchase on the secondary market, which increases their popularity due to their proven quality and huge service life. Let's look at the main features of assembling cars of this German brand.

Geographical distribution of Audi cars

The automobile companies that are part of the Volkswagen AG group are incredibly widespread throughout the world. Today it is one of the widest geographical concerns that successfully operates on almost all continents. In most cases, only large-scale assembly of machines takes place outside Germany; the main production assets are located within the European country. As for Audi cars specifically, the company offers a wide assembly geography. The largest enterprises outside Germany are located in North America - one of the first markets for the purchase of these cars. In general, in the world you can find companies associated with Audi in the following countries:

Germany - more than ten factories of different directions and large research engineering centers;
The USA is the largest assembly and production hub with its own model range and technical features;
Brazil - five enterprises that produce large-scale assembly for all Latin American countries;
Argentina and Mexico are two more Latin countries in which some models are assembled;
South Africa - almost the entire model range for Africa is assembled at a large plant in this country;
India and Malaysia are Asian concerns created to reduce the cost of some production processes;
China is a huge division of Audi that develops and produces engines, bodies and all other parts for cars in Asia;
Slovakia and Belgium - some engineering developments for the concern are carried out in these countries.

There are also assembly facilities for Audi cars in Russia, but they are not very common. At the Volkswagen AG plant in Kaluga today they assemble the Audi A6, as well as the Audi A8 - the two most popular sedans in their class for the market in our country. In most cases, these cars are sold to businesses or politicians, so the corporation left mass assembly in our country. The remaining models, which were previously assembled in Russia, have left our conveyors and are being exported to the country from Europe. This caused a slight increase in the price of cars, but the quality increased significantly. Let's face it, the Kaluga assembly requires certain changes in the technological process. This is evidenced by deteriorating reviews of the popular new A6 sedans.

The main assembly features of the Audi concern

The company manages to monitor all its divisions. The concern carries out strict control over assembly quality, which is what caused the withdrawal of some Audi models from Russian production, in particular the Q5 and Q7 crossovers. Buyers expect more than just decent quality from a company. In Europe, Audi assembly is carried out in full; every detail of the future vehicle is subject to strict certification. It is worth noting that the corporation is actively developing technologies that will later be successfully inherited by other brands of the concern. Today, the main tasks and operating principles of the company are as follows:

the highest quality of cars, the absence of any childhood diseases in new developments;
extensive testing of each technology that is introduced into the technical or functional part of the machines;
certification of each individual piece of equipment, testing and grinding of parts at the factory;
maximum automation of production even in those countries where it is more profitable to use manual labor;
assembly control, which is carried out by German experts at each plant where Audi is assembled;
multi-stage system for selecting materials for the interior, high-quality plastic and excellent layout;
the most modern design features, constant competition among the best designers of the company.

Audi is one of the few brands that does not have one permanent design bureau. The corporation collects competitive submissions from various divisions of its designers, and then selects the best designs. However, other projects do not remain idle, because the company has brands such as Volkswagen, Skoda and Seat, which are less picky about the appearance of their equipment. That is why Audi always has the best design features among those presented to the management to choose from. However, this is a rather subjective area of activity, because some people like the Spanish Seat much more than the classic stylish image of Audi.

New models - a chic development of technology from Audi

Today, not a single model stays on the corporation’s assembly line for more than five years. And five years can be quite a long time for such cars. Therefore, in most cases, the corporation offers updated styling of its cars before the old design becomes obsolete. Many potential buyers are surprised at the speed at which the design range of cars is updated, but the company’s picky management is not too concerned about this. In 2015, the corporation presented a fairly large number of new products and restylings, among which the following updates attracted the main attention:

Audi RS4 Avant - a large station wagon with sporty characteristics and a futuristic design, stiff suspension and powerful engines, costs from 4,700,000 rubles;
Audi RS5 Coupe is a luxurious sports car with incredible style and very advanced technology; the car can surprise with its sporty dynamics and a price of 4,800,000 rubles;
Audi S6 Avant is a new model with sporty inclinations, low ground clearance and amazing dynamics, luxurious engines make the trip unforgettable, and the price is raised to 4,480,000 rubles;
Audi Q3 and RS Q3 are amazing compact crossovers with a real zeal for the future, not only in design, but also in the technical part, the cars start at prices of 1,615,000 and 2,990,000 rubles, respectively;
The Audi Q7, a generation-changing large crossover, has become the center of attention of the company's lineup; optimal appearance and advanced technology begin to cost from 3,630,000 rubles.

Don't forget about such designer models as the Audi TTS Coupe and Audi R8 Coupe. These are the most expensive and unique representatives of passenger cars from the German concern, which have proven their right to exist with unexpectedly high sales all over the world. New design developments of the automobile concern are becoming even more aggressive, the company is offering more and more interesting features and presenting unforgettable features of the technical part of its cars. Development does not stop for a second, so next year we will look at the Audi lineup with completely different eyes. We invite you to be surprised by new Audi technologies while watching a test drive of the 2015 Q7 model year:

Let's sum it up

A different look at Audi cars can provide both unexpected surprise and disappointment. Some people liked the soft flowing lines of premium sedans of the early 2000s, while others prefer the unique, sharp and aggressive design of the current generation of cars. But we can safely say that the company is growing faster than its competitors, offering more affordable models with no less exciting technology under the hood. It would also be a good idea to notice the corporation’s unique developments, which amaze the imagination with their capabilities.

It is still difficult to predict what the further development of the geography of Volkswagen AG and Audi will be. But it can be said without a doubt that the growth and expansion of the corporation is inevitable. Today we see the future in the cars of this company. All European concerns are trying to imitate the technical and visual developments that the German luxury brand offers. How do you feel about the modern style and features of the development of the technical part of the Audi automobile company?

To characterize the situation with Audi sales in Russia, the epithet “disastrous” seems to us the most suitable, and here’s why. Let us remember how, after the peak year of 2012, when Russia became the fifth market in the world after China, the USA, Japan and Germany, already in 2013 the demand for passenger cars began to creep downhill. The “premium” segment was still growing due to inertia, including Audi: in 2013 the brand attracted more buyers than in 2012, although the increase (+8%) was not as significant as that of Mercedes-Benz (+19%) and BMW (+12%).

Of all the players in the premium segment, which to one degree or another can compete with Audi in their model range, we see a similar picture only with Infiniti (-43%) and Land Rover (-58%). At the same time, it is obvious that these brands are much better able to withstand challenges - their model lines are much “shorter”, and it is much more difficult for them to maneuver in a crisis.

By 2017, the dynamics of the decline in demand for Land Rover models almost reached zero (-3%), and for Infiniti it was completely in the “green” zone (+10%), but Audi in 2017, on the contrary, became an “anti-leader” , showing a drop in sales by 18%. Not only in the premium segment, but in general, no major brand that sold more than 2.5 thousand cars in Russia last year had such a stunning result. The exception is the UAZ, the demand for which to some extent depends on orders from the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and government agencies.

Moreover, the performance of Infiniti and Land Rover is only favorably set off by the fact that Volkswagen Group Rus has an agreement on industrial assembly. Last year (according to Vedomosti), except for the Audi Q7, no other models of the Ingolstadt brand were assembled in Kaluga - A8 and A6 due to the upcoming generation change (the Audi A8 had it in the fall of 2017, the A6 this year) previously removed from the assembly line. However, the full-size Q7 crossover is not just one of the brand’s popular models; for the last two years (2016 and 2017) it has been Audi’s bestseller in Russia, so the ability to play with the price of this car is a very important tool that determines sales success.

And now let's turn to the result of Lexus, which, in an amicable way, should be included in the textbook. In 2017, the brand sold 50% more than in 2013. There is no one close to this result in the premium segment - sales of others have fallen, and Porsche and Jaguar, which managed to increase sales, still do not sell such large volumes. At the same time, Lexus imports its entire model range to Russia, which, by the way, is not as wide as that of the “Germans”.

Moreover, Lexus unconditionally lost the “clearing” of sedans to the German trio, unless, of course, you count the ES – a redesigned Toyota Camry. IS and GS left Russia altogether; LS sold only 14 warehouse vehicles last year. As for the new generation LS, which has already been announced in Russia, it will only join the number of eminent extras: in the Russian segment of F-class sedans, the Mercedes-Benz S-Klasse reigns supreme, which is only partially competed by the BMW “seven”, which, however, only achieves up to half of the leader’s sales: 1,230 units for BMW versus 2,503 for Mercedes (including all bodies).

To a greater extent, this (the fall in Audi sales - editor's note) is the "merit" of Lexus, whose Russian sales increased by 50% over the same period. In other words, as much as Audi fell, Lexus grew by as much. It was the Japanese brand that ousted Audi from the “German big three”, which, in fact, turned into a “two”. I think that Lexus wisely made a bet on the SUV segment, which has become one of the largest in the Russian Federation in recent years. Lexus' SUV share exceeds 90%, while Audi's is just over half.
Azat Timerkhanov

Head of the press service of the analytical agency "Avtostat"

Let's return to the Audi model range in Russia and see which cars the brand lost a depressing 18% of volume last year. So, 80% of sales were accounted for by the following items: Q7 (3,769 units), A6 (2,996 units), Q5 (2,734 units), A4 (2,085 units), Q3 (1,955 units). The leading model lost 26%, A6 remained almost at zero, Q5 lost 24% at the change of generations, A4 added 10%, Q3 dropped by 22%.

Why did ordinary consumers begin to love Audi less? The question is not an easy one, but the fact that it is private traders, and not legal entities, who are causing the drawdown is clearly shown by fleet sales statistics. For Audi, the Q7 (1,632 units) and A6 (sedan, 1,519 units) set the tone here. Compared to competitors, the numbers are quite decent: BMW X5 – 1,798 units. and BMW 5 – 1,718 units, Mercedes-Benz GLE – 845 units, Mercedes-Benz GLS – 1,379 units. and Mercedes-Benz E sedan – 1,451 units.

Now let's take a look at the map of Russia - where is Audi inferior to its competitors? And everywhere, and in the capitals - especially strongly. In Moscow, BMW sells better by 81%, Mercedes-Benz by 120%. Lexus and Audi are almost on par, but Lexus is a little better. St. Petersburg Audi dealers are even less pleased with their representation: BMW is 108% better here, Mercedes-Benz is 160% better, Lexus, however, is a little behind. A similar picture is observed in Krasnodar, but “starting from Kazan”, the distance between Audi and fellow luxury brands is reduced, and Lexus even shows pockets of increased demand.

Meanwhile, it’s not to say that Audi is so bad with geographic breadth - the brand’s dealers worked in 40 cities in 2017, while BMW, say, only in 39, Lexus - again in 40. Mercedes-Benz the network is slightly wider - 46 settlements, but these “extra six” provide a very small increase in the sales volume of the rest. Audi sales outlets in Volgograd and Vologda stopped sales last year. Flashes of activity were recorded in Khabarovsk, where Audi Center sold 2 cars for the entire year (in September) and Murmansk (one car each in January and October) - now there are only service enterprises there.

Why have Audi sales in Russia been falling for every year in a row? You might think it's because of the high prices. No, Audi's prices are the same, and sometimes, taking into account large discounts, even lower. Actually, all premium brands dump - high margins allow this, and they often try to outdo each other, say, at the end of the year. In this case, under favorable conditions, the discount relative to the nominal price for a full-size SUV can amount to up to 500 thousand rubles, but, of course, for the richly equipped version.

Maybe it's due to some scandals about reliability? Hardly. It was mainly Volkswagen that took the blame for the imperfection of dual-clutch automatic transmissions. Of the TSI engine line, owners had the most problems with it, but we sold few Audis with this engine. But the history of the liter could indeed affect demand. It is interesting that the same problems with gigantic oil consumption were solved only by 2013-2014, when an uncontrollable decline in sales began... However, if in Russia people massively refused to buy due to the imperfection of automotive technology, Audi would not be the first brand , which left our market. Take BMW for example...

There are probably hidden reasons for the decline in sales, which only company employees know about, but others lie on the surface. For example, the global management of the brand at one time missed the moment to launch the so-called crossover coupes, and meanwhile, the competitive pairs Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe / BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe / BMW X4 brought 10,616 customer votes last year in Russia. That is, if Audi had at least one of these cars in stock, sales would obviously be better. Otherwise, Audi is not a competitor to Mercedes and BMW.

What is the picture on a global scale? It turns out that in almost all key world markets, Audi is doing great and sales are growing! Well, perhaps Brazil let us down, but judge for yourself.

Let's pay attention to the positive dynamics in the USA. Now let's take a look at the detailing. It turns out that in America, as well as in Russia, Audi is not among the premium three. In 2017, 226,511 Audis were sold in the United States, Mercedes-Benz sold 337,246 units, Lexus sold 305,132 units, and BMW sold 305,685 units. Maybe Audi really doesn’t reach the premium segment yet?..

By the way, in the American market, success or failure is often associated with the results of research by independent agencies, and judging by last year’s J.D. Power rating regarding reliability, the sales situation seems quite logical. Having studied the car’s three-year history, experts found that in terms of PP100, that is, “the number of malfunctions per 100 cars,” Audi is far from being at its best. While the market average is 156 RR100, three-year-old Audi cars have 153 RR100. The leader of the rating was Lexus with an indicator of only 100 PP100, Mercedes-Benz showed the fifth result (113 PP100), BMW – seventh (139 PP100).

Russian ratings also do not highlight Audi. According to Autostat data, Audi has a very high loss of value. And this is exactly the factor that can really weaken the buyer’s interest - who would want to lose three or four hundred thousand rubles on resale? In only one category out of seven – “compact crossovers” – did the Audi Q3 take second place; in other categories, there was not a single Audi model in the top three. In the “general classification”, Audi was also dispensed with - the prizes were shared by Volvo, Lexus and Porsche.

In short, it is obvious that many questions have accumulated regarding the work of the Russian representative office of Audi, and it would be logical to ask them to the head of the division, Lyubomir Naiman. Alas, our request for an interview was rejected by the Audi press service: “Lyubomir has a very busy schedule in the next few months, unfortunately, it doesn’t work out yet. We will contact you as soon as possible."

Nyman's predecessor, the German Achim Sauer, was dismissed from his post in the fall of 2015. According to RBC - just for weak sales. In 2017, Audi, led by Nyman, sold 34% fewer cars than in 2015, but for now Lubomir Nyman, who moved to Audi from Skoda, remains in his post. One can only hope that the actual refusal to conduct an interview is not related to his imminent resignation.

Touareg Club Forum > Club sections > Other Volkswagen car brands and models > Audi in Russia – assembly will be discontinued

View full version: Audi in Russia – assembly will be discontinued

11.06.2010, 11:18

The assembly of Audi cars in Russia will soon be stopped! Let us remind you that Audi currently produces five models in Russia: Audi A4, Audi A5 Coupe, Audi Q5, Audi A6 and Audi Q7. However, as the head of Audi in Russia, Till Brauner, said, production of these cars in Kaluga will be discontinued this year, RBC Daily reports.

According to official information, the cessation of Audi assembly at the Kaluga plant had been planned for a long time. “The Russian assembly of Audi will be left this year, as expected, in accordance with the agreements and plans reached and signed. Assembling Audi in Russia was only a temporary solution aimed at ensuring the plant’s full capacity utilization and employment of the personnel involved. Today the situation has stabilized, and our help will no longer be so necessary,” said Mr. Brauner.

http://pic.auto.mail.ru/content/documents/in_text_images/e/8/e8aee1dc7e4604fb1ea7a80894842a80.jpeg

http://auto.mail.ru/article.html?id=31671

11.06.2010, 11:21

I don’t understand...are they collected in Russia? This is news to me:eek:

11.06.2010, 11:29

Aleks1970, when I found out about this - the list included models Q7, Q5, A6...:eek::eek::eek:
And a ton of contributions were made to the project - A8.:bomba:
This is where I finally went crazy...:eek:

A bunch of BMW models are assembled in Kaliningrad. Users say that the quality is okay there. No matter how much you crack, I don’t understand what the problem is with Audi: russian_ru:
However, it was initially said that this assembly was a temporary phenomenon.

Will Audi, Mercedes and Lexus be assembled in Russia?

But now the time is up:hi:

Maybe we should also raise a vote of no confidence!:biggrin: And the Turik assembly will be returned to Europe!:biggrin:

Added after 28 minutes 35 seconds
MYXA, I had a Kaliningrad BMW, it couldn’t be worse! And there was German:good:!

A bunch of BMW models are assembled in Kaliningrad. Users say that the quality is okay there.
Not a fact - about the quality of cars assembled in Kaliningrad (http://www.gazeta.ru/auto/2007/11/14_a_2311374.shtml), about the problems of foreign automakers (http://www.autonews.ru/autobusiness/news.shtml ?2008/06/23/1372071) there was a lot of information for a long time, it probably hasn’t changed much for the better.

Denchik, my friend had a Kaliningrad 5 - there were no problems: russian_ru:

Douglas, well, let's remember the problems Toyota has in America... Were those cars also assembled in Shushary? :rolleyes:

In general, we can argue endlessly about this issue.

Volks needed to load the capacity of the new plant, so he loaded it. Why should they stand idle in vain? Now more mass-produced models will be put into production and the four-ring ones will be forgotten. Business then...

11.06.2010, 14:09

However, there is another opinion (unofficial, of course) - many Audi buyers, especially such models as the A6 or Q7, are distrustful of the Russian origin of the cars. And such clients would like to have a German-assembled car, not one made in Kaluga.

Is the Q7 being assembled in Germany?

11.06.2010, 14:22

Ingeneer, In Ingolstadt

11.06.2010, 14:23

Ingeneer, In Ingolstadt

Fully? or partly in Slovakia?

11.06.2010, 14:31

11.06.2010, 14:46

Ingeneer, the body for Porsche is completely made in Slovakia...

Why then is Slovakia indicated as the last line on the sticker?

11.06.2010, 16:17

Engineer, correction...

The final assembly of the SUV is carried out at the most modern plant located in the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava, the main body elements and other components are supplied by the German Audi plants in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. Power units for the Q7 are produced at the Hungarian Audi plant in Győr.

As far as I understand, everything is much more prosaic - the plant in Kaluga ends in September with a grace period - when cars could be assembled using “screwdriver” technology and vehicle kits for them could be imported with customs discounts. From September, the localization of production should reach 30 or 40 percent (I could be wrong) - otherwise there will be no benefits for the import of components. Those. those cars that are now assembled in Kaluga using a full cycle (Tiguan, Fabia, the new Polo sedan) will be cheaper and will be assembled further, and those that were assembled using screwdriver technology (simply unscrewing the bumpers, lighting equipment and wheels in Poland, and then in Kaluga putting everything back) and saving a lot of money on customs duties - they will be removed from production. This is why Audi Russia released such a beautiful statement - supposedly they met the wishes of customers. :russian_ru:

Those. from September, the Skoda Octavia will have a bumper from AVTOVAZ 10, the Tuareg will have headlights from the Niva. Up to 70% of all rubber bands will leak, the windshield will be of poor quality and glued crookedly. It is even possible to install wheels of similar size and similar radius. Localization, damn it, 30-40%. For them, in Kaluga it will be easier to rebuild the conveyor for the production of Zhiguli cars. Or raise the price for the Russian Federation by another 20%. But what, after all, all Russians live in Moscow, walk the streets with a bear cub and wearing earflaps, regardless of the weather (suddenly a snowstorm suddenly begins in July). They are now buying at a price higher than the European price and will continue to eat. And if not, then there are government purchases. They will work for them. :crazy::crazy:

Horror:eek::eek:

Audi > A4 > Promo >

Where is the Audi A4 assembled?

23.10.2013, 16:15

Where is the Audi A4 assembled?

Not long ago, the head of Audi in Russia, Elena Smirnova, told the Interfax agency that in the near future the concern may resume Audi assembly in Kaluga. More precise plans of the company have not been reported. As Elena says, at this point in time, all sorts of options are being considered. It is worth recalling that Volkswagen put Audi cars on production lines in Russia back in 2009. This brand of car was produced using the SKD method at the plant for almost a year. After this, the process was suspended. During this time, about 7 thousand Audis were assembled.

At the moment, the situation with the assembly of car data is not as clear as we would like, but car sales on the Russian market are gradually increasing. The company plans to sell 25 thousand cars in 2011. If we talk about last year, car sales of this company amounted to 18.5 thousand cars. In general, next year it is planned to increase Russian income to 30-40 thousand. Sales are planned to be increased due to updated models that will be presented on the Russian market, namely: A3, A4, A5 and Q5. There are also plans to increase the number of dealers of this car brand.

In general, Audi, and therefore the model A4s are assembled in Europe at several plants. One of them is located in Hungary. The TT model is partially manufactured in this country. The company’s engine plant also operates here, which produces 1.3 million engines annually. Half of this amount goes to Audi, the rest to the assembly of Seat and Skoda. Models such as A2, A6, A8, Allroad are produced in the city of Neckarsulm.

The company's largest plant is the plant in Ingolstadt. It is located near Munich. The plant operates in three shifts, which ensures the production of Audi A4 per day in the amount of 780 units.

Audi will no longer be assembled in Russia

Almost the same number is assembled for A3. As for the Audi TT, the number of these cars per day is about two hundred.

There is an opinion that there is also an Audi assembly plant in the USA. But in fact, this opinion is wrong. There is no plant in the USA for either the production or assembly of cars of this brand, at least at the moment. Be that as it may, when ordering exclusive Audis, you can be sure that the car will be assembled in Germany.

Where is the Audi A4 assembled for the Russian market?

The Audi A4 is a D-class sedan that appeals to both ordinary consumers and government officials. The latest generation of the model was presented this year and has not yet reached our market.

In March 2011, the five millionth copy of the car rolled off the assembly line. But we will look at where the Audi A4 is assembled in this article.

Where is the Audi A4 assembled for the world market:

— Germany, plant in Ingolstadt and Wolfsburg;

— China, plant in Changchun;

— Japan, plant in Tokyo;

— Ukraine, plant in Solomonovo;

— Indonesia, plant in Jakarta;

— India, plant in Aurangabad.

The car is delivered to Russia directly from Germany. We'll talk about the characteristics of the model later.

Failed plans to assemble the Audi A4 in Russia

In 2013, the Audi A4 was supposed to be assembled in Russia. Large-unit assembly in Kaluga was authorized by German manufacturers.

The fact is that in our country, starting next year, officials are prohibited from buying cars not produced here. And the fourth Audi is quite popular among politicians.

The new production was announced back in August 2012. The chairman of the corporation said that Audi A4, A5 and A6 will be assembled in Russia.

The conveyor was resumed in 2013, when the company’s management came up with the idea to increase production. All parts were supplied to us from Germany, and we were only fastened together.

Then 570 million euros were invested in the plant. Due to inflation, they actually disappeared.

In the first two months of this year, Audi A4 sales in Russia decreased by 23%. The rest of the dynamics are being kept secret for now.

Characteristics of the Audi A4 for our market

The trunk volume is 480 liters. This is quite a lot for such a model. Electric parking brake. It is activated by a button near the gear selector.

The weak point of the car is the gasoline engine. He has chain stretching. The optics may also fail. Especially the front one. The LEDs at the back burn out.

The price of the car is quite high. But for the German assembly it is acceptable.

Volkswagen has stopped assembling Audi A6 and A8 in Russia

Unfortunately, the optics often burn out, and the seats fold down only as an optional extra. But this is all unimportant, because the Audi A4 is very high quality and reliable. Therefore, if you value prestige and rich design, then you can afford it.

Cars assembled in Russia

The Audi A8 sedan is sold in Russia in three trim levels: Base, Advance and Business. The price of the new Audi A8 2018 model in the D5 body varies from 5,935,000 to 7,400,000 rubles.

AT8 - eight-speed automatic transmission
quattro - four-wheel drive
Long - extended wheelbase

Audi A8 equipment

Safety
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)	+
Stabilization system (ESP)	+
Number of airbags	8
Driver airbag	+
Front passenger airbag	+
Front side airbags	+
Rear side airbags	+
Front curtain airbags	+
Curtain cushions for 2nd row of seats	+
Tire pressure sensor	+
Light sensor	+
Rain sensor	+
Passive cruise control	+
Adaptive cruise control	+
Adaptive headlights	option
Blind Spot Monitoring System	option
Comfort in the cabin
Air conditioner	+
Climate control	+
On-board computer	+
Standard audio system with CD and MP3 support	+
Standard CD changer	option
Power steering	+
central locking	+
Central locking remote control	+
Electrically adjustable mirrors	+
Heated mirrors	+
Front electric windows	+
Rear electric windows	+
Heated seats	+
Heated steering wheel	option
Adjusting the steering column	+
Adjusting the driver's seat height	+
Leather interior	+
Power driver's or front seats	+
Electric front seats with memory settings	option
Massage front seats	option
Massage rear seats	option
Seat ventilation	option
Sunroof	option
Panoramic glass roof	option
Premium audio system	option
Standard navigation system	option
What's outside
Alloy wheels	+
Metallic color	option
Fog lights	+
Xenon/bi-xenon headlights	+
Assistants
Regular parking sensors	+
Rear View Camera	option
Automatic parking system	option
Electric trunk drive	+
Preparation for phone (hands free / bluetooth)	+
Automatic parking brake	+
Starting the engine with a button (key card)	+
Autonomous preheater/heater	option
Hill start assist system	+
Adjustable ground clearance	+

CompetitorsAudi A8, BMW 7-Series, Cadillac CT6, Genesis G90, Jaguar XJ, KIA Quoris, Lexus LS, Mercedes S-Class

The VW-Kaluga plant was built in November 2007 (Technopark Grabtsevo, Kaluga). In addition to Audi models, this enterprise launched the production of VW and Skoda cars.

German brand Audi was founded in 1909. But the history of this auto giant began in the 19th century, more precisely in November 1899, when August Horch founded the A.Horch company. In 1909, Horch left A.Horch and founded another brand of his own - Audi. In 1958, Daimler-Benz AG acquired a majority stake in Auto Union (which included Audi), but then sold them to Volkswagen. Currently, the Audi brand is widely known. The company's profile is the production of expensive luxury cars. Despite the fact that this company is a subsidiary of VW, Audi has long been on a par with such grandees of the executive segment as Mercedes and BMW.

The Whole History of Audi

After disagreements with the board of directors of A.Horch, August Horch left the plant he had created in 1909 and created another brand - Audi Automobil-Werke. The first Audi car appeared in 1910 and had a 2.6 liter 4-cylinder engine producing 22 hp. The tenacity with which August Horch entered his cars into various competitions was rewarded in 1911, when his Audi B with a 2.6 liter engine went the entire distance in the Alpine Cup race in Austria without penalties. In 1932, 4 German companies DKW, Audi, Horch and Wanderer merged to form the Auto Union automobile concern. This is how the famous four rings appeared. The first result of the collaboration for Audi was the front-wheel drive Front series with a 6-cylinder overhead valve Wanderer engine of 2257 cm3, followed by the rear-wheel drive Audi 920 with a 6-cylinder Horch engine of 3281 cm3. After the war, the territory of Germany, where the city of Zwickau was located, became part of the GDR. The former Audi plant was nationalized and the equally famous Trabant cars were produced there. The Audi brand temporarily disappeared as Auto Union produced only DKW cars after the war. Only in 1957, a single model called Auto Union 1000 appeared. The following year, Auto Union came under the control of Daimler Benz, and in 1964, when the transition to the production of front-wheel drive cars began to be planned, it became the property of the Volkswagen concern. In 1965, the Audi brand was revived. At the Frankfurt Motor Show, a front-wheel drive Audi 1700 was shown with a highly economical engine developed by Daimler Benz, with a compression ratio of 11.2 and a power of 72 hp. In 1969, Auto Union and NSU merged - the new company became known as NSU Auto Union. The last organizational changes occurred in 1984, when NSU Auto Union was renamed simply Audi. After 1965, the Audi model family began to expand - by the early 70s, the “60”, “75”, “80” and “100” series appeared. Created in 1980, the all-wheel drive quattro modifications have repeatedly achieved success in international rallies, which has brought high prestige to the Audi brand. The initiator of the production of all-wheel drive Audi passenger cars was engineer Ferdinand Piech, who considered this process as natural as the transition from installing brakes only on the rear wheels to brakes on all wheels. The emergence of mass-produced all-wheel drive Audis is considered a revolutionary stage in the development of the automotive industry. The basis for all-wheel drive modifications was standard cars with front drive wheels. In the block with the gearbox, a transfer case with a differential was installed, which distributed torque almost equally to both axles. At first, the mechanism for turning on or off the rear drive was located there. The first all-wheel drive Audis were designed primarily for sports competitions, where the reliability of new designs could be tested. They had powerful 5-cylinder turbocharged engines. Under the influence of all-wheel drive Audi, a new direction was laid in the creation of production cars for both sports and normal use.

Audi is one of the most successful German manufacturers, headquartered in Ingoldstadt, producing exclusively passenger cars. Audi has been part of the Volkswagen automobile concern since 1964.

The company was founded by August Horch in 1909, the founder of Horch & Company, which shone on the horizon of the Third Reich. Existing since 1899, August Horch’s company could not find its place in the market for a long time and 4 years after its founding it moved to Zwickau. By 1909, Horch had completed the development of a new 6-cylinder engine, which turned out to be catastrophically unsuccessful and nearly led the company to bankruptcy. The outraged companions decided to punish Horch and expelled him from his own company. But the inventor was not discouraged and immediately founded another enterprise, which, naturally, also received the name “Horch”.

The inventor's former partners saw a strong competitor in the new company and filed a lawsuit demanding that they come up with some other name for their company. The court agreed with the plaintiffs' demand and prohibited the inventor from calling his company Horch. He found the Latinized version of this word - Audi. This is the history of the founding of the famous brand.

The young inventor works hard, which becomes a fundamental factor in the release of the first Audi-A car in 1910. By next year, August will complete the development of the Audi-B model. Three of these cars made their debut in the summer of 1911 at the first races in the Austrian Alps.

In 1912, August released his most famous model, the Audi-C. The model is immediately subjected to serious testing at the next races in the Alps and shows good results, for which the C series even received the name “Conqueror of the Alps.” But this does not help the financial situation of the company and by the 20s it was on the verge of bankruptcy, which forced August to merge with another company.

In 1928, Audi was bought by the German company DKW, and Jorgen Skafte Rasmussen became the new owner of the automobile company. But the series of mergers and acquisitions in the history of Audi does not end there: 1932 brings the world an economic crisis, which forced a number of German companies to unite into the Auto Union concern, which included not only DKW and Wanderer, but also former rival companies - Horch and Audi. The newly-minted concern produces two cars with front-wheel drive and an engine developed by Wanderer. Auto Union cars gained a good reputation and sold well until the outbreak of World War II.

In the post-war period, all member companies of the Auto Union were nationalized, and the association itself was reformed in 1949, which was largely due to the attraction of shares of the Mercedes-Benz company.

In 1958, a controlling stake in Auto Union came under the control of Daimler-Benz AG, after which it was purchased by Volkswagen. With the transfer of control to VW, the automaker again begins to use its original name – Audi. Soon the manufacturer released its new model with front-wheel drive, and by 1968 the brand had at its disposal a fairly good range of models and excellent sales statistics. Since that time, all Audis have featured the familiar emblem with four circles, which became a symbol of the merger of four companies in 1932.

In 1968, the legendary Audi 100 entered the market with its successors and the famous Audi Quattro. The latter received a sporty profile and all-wheel drive in 1980, which became a new milestone in the development of automobile production in Germany. This light and fast Gran Turismo was distinguished by its excellent stability and adaptability for any test (including rallying). Competitors could hardly compete with this Quattro, which became a predetermining factor in its exceptionally successful performance in motor racing.

1969 Volkswagen buys the car plant in Neckarsulm and renames the company Audi NSU Auto Union. The manufacturer received its usual name Audi AG only in 1985.

1970 Audi begins expansion into the American market. At first, only the Audi Super 90 in sedan and station wagon body styles and the new Audi 100 are exported to the USA. American sales are going well, which predetermines deliveries of the Audi 80 model to the USA since 1973 (unlike the European version, the American Audi 80 also existed in the body style station wagon). Today we know that the Audi 80 station wagon was nothing more than a Volkswagen Passat Variant in a richer configuration.

Later, the Audi 80 and 100 for the American market received their own designations: Audi 4000 and 5000, respectively. Several violations of responsibility for their vehicles are leading to a decline in Audi sales in the United States market.

Let's return to the aforementioned Audi Quattro, which debuted at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show. The all-wheel drive concept from this car is used in Audi cars to this day. The very idea to create such a car arose in 1976, when the brand’s engineers conducted test runs of the Volkswagen Iltis SUV for the Bundeswehr. Paying attention to the car's excellent handling on rough terrain, on ice and snow, Audi engineers decided to implement the all-wheel drive concept in their production Audi 80. In 1982, large-scale production of passenger cars with all-wheel drive began. Gradually, the Quattro concept is being offered in other Audi cars.

At the end of 1993, the Audi Coupe, built on the basis of the Audi 80, debuted on the market. In 1991, the same model formed the basis of the convertible body. They got rid of the “veteran” in the Audi family only in the middle of 2000, when it was replaced by the Audi A4, first introduced in the fall of 1994. The A4 Avant station wagon and the A4 Cabrio coupe-cabriolet were produced only in 2001.

In 1990, the new Audi 100 debuts with the internal designation C4. For the first time in the history of the brand, its car received a six-cylinder V-engine, which was quite compact and powerful.

The flagship Audi A8 joins the brand's lineup in the fall of 1994. The first A3, borrowing the platform from the fourth generation Golf, was shown to the public in the summer of 1996, but production of the car was launched only the following year.

The first A6 sedan was released in 1997. The car turned out to be very successful and in 1998 production of its station wagon version began. Production of all models on the C4 platform ends in 1997 due to the transition to a completely new 4B-type platform. In the fall of the same year, the company shows the conceptual A2, which reaches the assembly line only by the beginning of 2000. Thus, Audi began to develop a new, but popular in Europe, class B market.

The Audi TT sports coupe debuts at the Geneva Motor Show in 1998 (a roadster based on it appears a year later). The TT prototype was first presented to the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1995.

Since the beginning of the new millennium, the automaker has been experiencing a period of rapid development. The model range is completely updated and many new models appear. Read more about the period of Audi's revival below.

The new generation of the long-awaited Audi A6 sedan was released in 2001. The car received purely cosmetic changes in appearance and interior, and also acquired new engines. The automaker is experimenting with aluminum and produces about 150 thousand aluminum bodies for different models.

In 2002, a modernized Audi TT was released with a modified front end and extended wheel arches. But the main news awaited buyers under the hood - a 265-horsepower engine appeared there, replacing the 225-horsepower one.

In the spring, the S3 hatchback is updated, receiving a 225-horsepower engine and the ability to accelerate to 225 km/h. The standard equipment received xenon, leather upholstery, 6-speed manual transmission, and 17-inch alloy wheels. At that time, the S3 became the most powerful representative of the segment in Europe.

By the beginning of summer, the range of engines for the A4 was replenished with new engines with power from 150 to 165 hp, with which the car became more economical and dynamic. In the summer, the manufacturer announces prices for charged RS6s. The car, worth 85 thousand dollars, was produced in 400 copies and each accelerated to a maximum of 250 km/h. At the same time, another long-awaited debut takes place - the new generation of the Audi A8 appears. The body rigidity of a premium car increases by 60%, and its safety and premium quality reach unprecedented heights. The fastest A8 of the second generation received a 550-horsepower engine. By the end of summer, rumors are emerging about the automaker's intention to update the TT family. The A8 is in incredible demand and factories are switching to three-shift operation - all in order to satisfy the needs of dealers. By September, production of the first generation A8 will cease.

Towards the end of the year, rumors appear about Volkswagen and Audi's plans to release a large SUV on a common platform (later we learn that we are talking about the Touareg and Q7 models). Good sales of the second generation A8 allow the release of an extended version of the A8L with a total length of 5.18 meters. Mass deliveries of the extended A8 to the market begin in mid-2003.

In the spring of 2003, the manufacturer updated the A4 family: the cars received a new gearbox and different body colors. A two-liter FSI engine also appeared in the range. The expansion of the Audi dealer network in Russia begins in the summer.

From now on, the base engine for the A8 becomes a fairly economical V6 gasoline engine with a power of 220 hp, capable of accelerating a large executive sedan to a maximum of 242 km/h. At the same time, the range of engines for the A3 is expanding - a 1.6-liter FSI with a power of 115 hp appears. In the fall, the super-powerful A3 with a 250-horsepower engine appears and a dealership opens in Rostov.

In September, the first sketches of the future R8 hit the Internet. Then it becomes known that the car will receive a platform from the already debuted Lamborghini Gallardo. By the end of the year, the 100,000th Audi A3 will be produced. The concern's sales in Russia are growing rapidly.

2004 begins with plans to release a new generation of the A6 Avant next year. The new product receives a platform from the new A6 sedan, which will also debut at the Geneva motor show in early 2004. The car competes on the market with a similar version from BMW, is equipped with a continuously variable transmission and receives a wide range of engines.

In March, Audi releases a convertible based on the Audi S4. The new product gets a 344-horsepower naturally aspirated engine. At the beginning of the year, the new A8 W12 is announced and the total production of Audi cars for the year reaches 1 million units. In the spring, the range of A8 engines is replenished with a compact V6 turbodiesel with a power of 233 hp. Also in the spring, the first major recall of Audi cars occurs: 172 thousand cars are subject to recall on suspicion of a wiring defect.

The most powerful A6 debuts with a 4.2-liter V8 engine producing 340 hp. Sales of the Audi A4 with a new 1.9-liter TDI diesel engine with 115 hp will start in June. In the summer, a station wagon based on the popular Audi A3 hatchback appears. The new product is in great demand on the market.

Since October, there is no doubt that two SUVs will appear in the Audi lineup - the Audi Q7 and the younger brother Q5, which will be based on the platform from the A4. At the same time, the range of diesel engines for the A4 Cabriolet and A3 is being expanded. The engines begin to comply with the Euro-4 standard.

In Paris, the updated A4 is presented with a different radiator grille and a more modern body design, consistent with the then ideology of the brand. At the end of the year, Audi begins sales of its A6 in the United States. The first pictures of the serial Q7 are leaking onto the Internet and information appears about plans to begin its production in 2006. The SUV enters the road testing stage. Pre-orders for the new A6 Avant begin in winter: the first cars arrive to customers only in March 2005.

The beginning of 2005 was marked for the brand by recognizing the A6 as the best car of the year in the world. The 5 millionth A6 rolls off the production line. Audi is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its Quattro all-wheel drive technology. In honor of this event, a new generation RS4 is being launched with a naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V8 engine producing 420 hp.

The company is recalling about 10 thousand A4 convertibles due to problems with xenon headlight reflectors. Road tests of the new generation Audi S6 begin in the spring. Rumors about the car being equipped with a V10 engine producing 550 hp are confirmed.

The company is stirring up interest in its first SUV by publishing the first pictures. The car goes on sale in the fall. Audi shows the sportiest S8 with a V10 engine from the Lamborghini Gallardo with 450 hp. For the basic S8, the manufacturer asks 97,600 euros. And again rumors: after the debut of the Q7, no one doubts the subsequent debut of the Q5, but there is also information about the possibility of expanding the lineup with the compact crossover Q3. The new product is planned to be based on the platform from the fifth generation Volkswagen Golf.

At the beginning of 2006, testing of the new TT Coupé is coming to an end. The sports car increases in size and receives a new top-end engine with 280 hp. The second generation TT also gets a version with a folding roof.

Road testing of the new A6 Allroad with air suspension and Quattro all-wheel drive begins. Under the hood of the A6 Allroad there is a 3.0-liter diesel engine with a power of 225 hp. Intentions to release the Q3 are finally confirmed, as are plans to release the new S3 with permanent all-wheel drive, new bumpers and swollen wheel arches.

A project is starting to create a competitor for Mini from BMW. The first sketches of the future baby A1 appear. The new generation of TT will officially debut in the spring. The car has become prettier and matured in all respects. The most powerful version gets a 3.0-liter engine with 300 hp. The veil of secrecy regarding the development of the A7 is being lifted. Initially it is assumed that the car will be four-door.

At the end of summer, Audi publishes photos of the new generation S3 production. The car gets a 2.0-liter engine with 265 hp. This engine gives the compact hatchback incredible power. Road testing of the R8 begins in the fall, with its debut scheduled for early 2007. At the end of the year, the most powerful TT RS will debut with a 350-horsepower 3.6-liter V6.

Audi surprises its fans by releasing the all-aluminum R8 supercar ahead of schedule. The supercar is powered by a 420-horsepower engine and is sold from dealers at a price of 146,800 euros.

The Q7 gets a powerful 313-horsepower diesel engine – a 5.0-liter V10 from Volkswagen. In addition to enormous power, the engine is distinguished by excellent efficiency and compliance with Euro-5 environmental standards.

In October, the development of the A5 model, based on the A4, ends. The new product gets a completely different appearance and a wide range of engines. Its main competitor is the BMW 3-series.

Production of the new A4 begins. They are starting to prepare a 500 hp superdiesel for the R8. and a volume of 6.0 liters.

2007. Development of the new generation A3 begins. Initially, it is assumed that the car will be released only at the end of 2008. By tradition, the model receives an evolutionary design and a new body.

The Audi A5 will make its debut at the Audi stand in Geneva. Simultaneously with the “donor”, a charged version of the S5 is also shown. Under the hood of the latter is a 354-horsepower engine. At the end of spring, road tests of the RS6 with a V10 engine are completed (the same engine from the Lamborghini Gallardo that appeared on the R8). This “monster” becomes a worthy competitor to the BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz E AMG.

The fate of the A1 is finally being decided: another batch of sketches are published and information appears about plans to begin its mass production in 2009. In the summer, the new RS6 comes under the radar of spy photographers.

Audi engineers finally put competitors from BMW and Mercedes in their place: their new product gets a 571-horsepower engine with a torque of 1000 Nm, which is helped by turbocharging. The first sketches of the most luxurious A7 sportback are published.

As soon as the A5 debuted in Geneva in the spring, by autumn the car received new engines: a 265-horsepower gasoline engine and a 190-horsepower diesel engine. Also in the fall, sales of the updated A8 will start: the “face” of the restyled car, bumper, and fog lights will change. The suspension and handling are changing. The car is starting to be equipped with a new 2.8-liter petrol V6, paired with a continuously variable variator.

Audi is showing the sporty RS6 with a V10 petrol engine in Frankfurt this autumn. Twin turbocharging increased its power to 580 hp. and 650 Nm of torque. At the same exhibition, Audi presents the new generation A4. The car becomes longer and wider than its predecessor and gets an increased wheelbase. The base engine for it is a 1.8-liter unit with a power of 160 hp.

In the fall, the first prototype of the A1 was shown, which already looks more like a production car. At the end of the year, the smallest convertible based on the A3 is released and the intention to release the R8 without a roof is confirmed (the car arrives at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2008).

In the spring of 2008, the German company releases a new A3 hatchback with a heavily modified front end. The signature false radiator grille has become even more expressive, and the headlights received bi-xenon lamps. Engines for the A3 received a different injection system. In Europe, the model was sold at prices starting from 20 thousand euros.

The main sensation at the Beijing Auto Show was the long-awaited Q5 crossover. Although everyone was waiting for the debut of the model in Geneva, Audi saved the model for the Asian market. The appearance of the crossover has inherited a lot from its older brother Q7. The appearance of the crossover turned out to be spectacular and dynamic. The range of engines consists of both economical and high-performance engines.

In May, Audi introduced the A5 cabriolet, which received a fabric roof, which significantly lowered the car's center of gravity and added several liters to the trunk volume. The rumors about the upcoming release of the brand’s third crossover, the compact Q3, have finally been confirmed. Initially, engineers from Ingolstadt planned to present the model to the public in 2010, but later it became known that the production of the model would be postponed to 2011, for which a conveyor was prepared at the SEAT plant in Spain.

Development of the third generation A8 begins in the summer. The need to update the series was generated by new competitors in the form of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7-series. The A6 was also updated, receiving different front and rear optics, different bumpers and a slightly different radiator grille. Among the new engines, a 290-horsepower V6 appeared, consuming only 9.5 liters per “hundred”.

By the end of summer, Audi confirmed the release of the most powerful sedan based on the A6 (RS6 version). The car received a unique 5.0-liter V10 with two turbochargers, developing 580 hp. and 650 Nm of torque. The most powerful sedan also received the “most powerful” price tag – 105 thousand 550 euros.

At the October Paris Motor Show, Audi presents the new generation S4. The car is available in sedan and station wagon body styles. The charged car received amazing acceleration dynamics of 5.1 seconds to hundreds and a magnificent V8 with 344 hp.

Testing of the A5 Sportback begins in November. This hybrid body takes an intermediate position between the A4 and A6. The model also features a very sporty character, stiff suspension and excellent handling.

The beginning of 2009 was marked by the official presentation of a prototype of the luxurious Audi A7 Sportback Concept. In fact, it was a pre-production car, almost ready for production.

Development of the R4 model (the younger sister of the R8) continues. According to rumors, experienced engineers from Porsche are involved in creating this sports car. In February, the manufacturer shows the first pictures of the new A4 Allroad. Although the car received a platform from the regular “four”, with its Quattro all-wheel drive and increased ground clearance, it can compete in off-road qualities with any mid-size crossover.

At the same time, the manufacturer shows the most powerful TT with the RS prefix in the name. The TT RS Roadster and Coupe are powered by a 340-horsepower 5-cylinder engine, which provides them with acceleration to hundreds in 5.0 seconds.

Another spring debutant was a convertible based on the A5 and S5 with luxurious equipment. In the spring, the Q7 underwent minor modernization, which gave it a more modern look. Changing the optics and bumpers made it possible to bring the crossover in line with Audi's modern design ideology. Continuing the development of the ideology from the A7 Sportback concept, Audi releases the Audi A5 Sportback. The debut of the model was timed to coincide with the centenary of the founding of the August Horch Automobilwerke GmbH plant by August Horch. In Germany, the new product was priced at 36,050 euros.

At the end of summer, Audi introduces a 1.2-liter engine producing 102 hp. They began to equip the A3 and A3 Sportback in the initial configuration. An open version of the Audi R8 Spyder was prepared for the autumn motor show in Frankfurt, receiving a V10 with a volume of 5.2 liters and a power of 525 hp.

In October, sketches of the “one” appeared, on the basis of which the production version of the A1 was built, which debuted in 2010 at the Geneva automobile exhibition. At the beginning of December, the new Audi A8 was presented in Miami, which went on sale in the first half of 2010. As one would expect, the car did not receive any revolutionary changes: new headlights and side lights became the main feature. Of course, the car acquired new body parts and became 25% tougher than its predecessor. In addition, it has noticeably increased in size and is ahead of its competitors from Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Geneva, 2010. Audi makes a splashy presentation of its baby A1 with the help of Justin Timberlake. The “baby” goes on sale in March. The car is based on the new PQ35 platform and is only 3.95 meters long. The one-room car from Audi has a lot in common with the Polo from Volkswagen.

Along with the baby, there is a presentation of the “beast” in the form of the RS5, which develops 450 hp. and 430 Nm of torque. This coupe became the most powerful development of the “donor” A5. Also in the spring, the TT and A3 were updated. The cars received modern optics, modified body elements and other engines in the range.

The development of two charged Q5s began at once in order to snatch the lead from the BMW X3 with a maximum of 286 hp. under the hood and Mercedes GLK with 272 hp. In mid-summer, Audi bids farewell to the RS6. Engineers from Ingolstadt plan to complete the development of a successor in 1.5-2 years.

By the end of summer, Audi management confirms plans to release an open version of the “unit”. Also in August, sales of the A7 Sportback begin, which has become one of the most spectacular representatives of the line. At the Paris Motor Show, the manufacturer is showing interesting concepts: Audi Quattro Concept and Audi e-tron Spyder. In the fall, rumors appear about the plans of the company from Ingolstadt to release a flagship in the form of the A9.

On December 1, Audi officially reveals the new generation A6. As expected, there were no revolutionary changes in the design: new headlights and more modern body panels. The car retained its general style, received more rich electronics and new economical engines.

In November, the company shows a charged RS3. Under the hood of this supercar is a 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine developing 340 hp. Together with the 7-speed S tronic gearbox, the engine accelerates the car to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds. In Germany, the most modest RS3 costs 49,900 euros. From generation to generation, all Audis grow in size. The new A3 Concept noteback, shown at the Geneva Motor Show, confirms the trend.

2011 year. By analogy with the BMW X6, the Ingolstadt company begins developing its off-road coupe – the Audi Q6. The car promises to be much more technologically advanced than its main competitor. In addition, the Ingolstadt company's model range is being replenished with the long-awaited compact crossover Q3, which has become a direct competitor to the BMW X1. Even the basic version is equipped with a quite tolerable 140 hp engine. and a volume of 2.0 liters. In Germany, the cheapest versions cost from 30 thousand euros. Serial production of the new crossover begins in the summer.

Audi greeted the summer of 2011 with the extreme “baby” A1 with a power of 503 hp. The small car has turned into a real beast and “learned” to accelerate to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds. The end of summer was marked for the brand with the release of the new Audi A6 Allroad, which became an all-terrain station wagon for all occasions. The car is equipped with only one engine: a 3.0-liter gasoline engine with a turbocharger and a power of 310 hp. The third generation A6 Allroad will go on sale only in the spring of 2012.

Also in the summer, a restyling was proposed for the A5, sold since 2007. The sedan, station wagon, two-door coupe and even the sports version RS have been updated. In addition, photo spies are catching the new S6 in their lenses during road tests. The sports car received a powerful V10, the same as the R8 supercar. At the end of the summer, open discussion also began about the upcoming debut in 2013 of the second generation Q7, since the main competitors of the large SUV have already managed to update (in particular, the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne).

The company is bringing a whole brood of “charged” cars to the Frankfurt automobile exhibition - S6, S7 and S8. In all cases, engines with power from 420 hp are used, which gives them acceleration dynamics to “hundreds” from 5.2 to 4.8 seconds. A hybrid version of the Audi A8 luxury sedan was also presented. Thanks to hybrid traction, the heavy sedan's fuel consumption has dropped to 6.4 liters per 100 km.

In August, the first unofficial pictures of the new generation Audi A4 appear. The range of engines is replenished with new diesel engines, and the model is based on a new modular platform. The car receives a whole brood of modern technologies. Simultaneously with the hybrid, the most powerful S8 with a sky-high price tag and acceleration dynamics is being developed.

Meanwhile, the new flagship A9 is getting closer. It is already known that this will be a luxury coupe, for which Volkswagen is developing a new platform. In the fall, the manufacturer confirms its plans to launch a series of e-tron electric cars based on the A1. The year ends with another crazy experiment on the A1, under the hood of which they put a 256-horsepower engine. But the main highlight of the second experiment on the “unit” is different: the car gets Quattro all-wheel drive, which became a reminder of the concern’s rally past.

The year 2012 begins for Audi with the start of sales of the Q3 in North America, ahead of which they show a special version of the crossover as a concept with the prefix Vail in the name (in honor of the ski resort of the same name in Canada). Only the version with all-wheel drive and a slightly derated engine from the TT RS, producing 314 hp, is exported to this market. and 400 Nm. The Vail concept received a memorable design and a lot of additional features.

There remains one more vacant position in the concern’s model range – for a small crossover, which should be the Q1. From this moment on, the development of the platform begins, developing on the basis of the “trolley” from A1. The car promises to receive a seriously upgraded suspension, increased ground clearance and all-wheel drive.

In winter, plans for the development of the third generation TT were declassified, which they plan to present at the end of 2013 and begin deliveries to dealers in 2014. The main emphasis in the new generation car will be on sportiness. The third TT promises to become the most advanced representative of its segment.

Rapid work begins on the second generation of the R8, which should be based on developments from the sixth generation of the Porsche 911. The new R8 should go on sale by the end of 2014, and the roadster version will not be released until 2015.

2012 begins with a lot of interesting news: it turns out that Audi is planning to develop its first premium minivan, which will be based on the A4 station wagon. The A4 “double station wagon” promises to be comfortable, have a high roof, increased dimensions and all sorts of “minivan” bells and whistles.

The 2012 Geneva Motor Show also turned out to be rich in new products: Audi is showing three cars at once. The first is the TT in the RS plus modification, which received another 20 hp. to its power, a more durable braking system, a scattering of carbon inserts in the cabin, different body panels and luxurious 19-inch wheels.

The second debutant was the new RS 4 Avant, which absorbed all the signature features of its predecessor. The next “racket” has completely updated its design, acquired a full set of modern systems and, of course, a powerful engine, which is a 450-horsepower unit.

The third debutant of this exhibition is the third generation A3 (three-three-three), built on the modular MQB platform. The car body has become much stiffer and safer. The car lost 80 kg of “excess weight”, received a wide range of engines, modern gearboxes and a signature modern design.

March brings news about the division of the Q family into two camps: Audi plans to produce urban dudes under even numbers, and utilitarian models under odd numbers. The same news gives hope to fans of the brand for the release of at least a few more Qs. At the end of March, the information is partially confirmed: Audi shares information about plans to release the Q4, which should become a competitor to the similar BMW X4 and Evoque from Range Rover.

At the end of April, the company releases an extreme version of the Q3 with the RS prefix in the name. The crossover was equipped with a 360-horsepower turbocharged engine, which increased its acceleration dynamics to 5.2 seconds to 100 km/h and top speed to 265 km/h. The turn is also coming for the Q5 update, but so far only at the level of the first photos. The crossover did not receive any fundamental changes: different headlights, a modified bumper, a slightly different radiator grille. Inside, there were even fewer changes: a new steering wheel and higher-quality finishing materials.

May brings another portion of news about the replenishment of the Q family: the next one will be a mini-crossover at number 2 and a large off-road coupe at number 6. Q2 promises to be the most affordable in the segment. At the same time, plans to update the large Q7 and build a luxurious Q8 off-road coupe on its platform are confirmed: the total number of planned “cues” has exceeded the total number of existing ones.

In June, Audi introduces its most powerful crossover, the Q5, with the S prefix in its name. The most interesting feature of the new product is the fact that it is diesel! Double supercharging made it possible to increase the diesel power to 313 hp. and 650 Nm of torque.

In July, official pictures of the first update for the R8, produced since 2006, appear. You can’t tell the car apart right away: the headlights, radiator grille and some other body parts are traditionally changed. The sports car also receives a new robotic gearbox with two clutches.

The company returns to the Quattro Concept that debuted in 2010: on its basis, Audi plans to revive the legendary Quattro model from the 80s. The project is already being developed under the internal corporate name Q35.

In September, the time comes for the presentation of the updated RS 5 in convertible form. The new product is equipped with a soft top that folds automatically at speeds of up to 50 km/h. Excellent car dynamics are guaranteed by a 450-horsepower engine and a new S tronic with two clutches: the pair provides the convertible with acceleration dynamics to “hundreds” of 4.9 seconds.

Audi is preparing the next generation of the A3 Sportback for the autumn exhibition in Paris. The station wagon becomes larger and more dynamic than its predecessor. The transition to the new MQB platform allowed the car to lose an extra 90 kg, become stiffer and safer. At the same time, the S3 sports modification will debut in a three-door hatchback body. Compared to its base brother, the charged version gets a 2-liter turbodiesel with 300 hp. and 380 Nm of torque.

In October, rumors appeared that the second generation Q7 would never appear, and that Audi would release the Q9 instead. Is it really? It was too early to judge in the fall of 2012, but if this happened, it would have to compete with such giants on the market as the Infiniti QX56 and Cadillac Escalade.

The rocket family is updated with another sports wagon: the RS6 with a 4.0-liter V8 engine and turbocharging, which brings its power to 560 hp. The car achieved amazing acceleration dynamics: 3.9 seconds to hundreds! Standard equipment includes 20-inch wheels, leather seats and a full electronics package.

In January 2013, Audi begins production of the petrol SQ5 with 354 hp. This provided the crossover with amazing acceleration dynamics: 5.3 seconds to 100 km/h and a top speed limited to 250 km/h. Also at the beginning of the year, Audi finally abandoned its plans to develop the A2 project.

By mid-January, the range of charged RS models will be replenished with the luxurious RS7 sportback with a 4.0-liter TFSI twin-turbo engine producing 560 hp. and a torque of 750 Nm. The sportback accelerates to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds.

On the eve of the Geneva Motor Show, Audi is showing a charged crossover RS Q3, which has received a more aggressive appearance, new bumpers, side skirts, a different grille and air intakes. The suspension settings were also changed, and a 2.5-liter engine with 310 hp was located under the hood. and 420 Nm of torque.

The main debutant of the 2013 Geneva from Audi is the new generation A3 Sportback. In comparison with a regular three-door, all the changes can be counted on two fingers: the weight has decreased by 50 kg and the acceleration dynamics have improved to 5.1 seconds to “hundreds”.

At the end of March, a “secret” presentation of the same car in a sedan body takes place at the automobile exhibition in New York. The range of engines is replenished with a turbodiesel. The public debut of the A3 sedan takes place in Shanghai only in a month.

Some of Audi's plans to start producing three crossovers in the Q line within three years have been declassified. It is reliably known about the second, fourth and sixth numbers, which will practically fill all available niches in the market.

In August, Audi presents a restyling of its A8 executive sedan. The engines become a little more powerful, and the headlights become “matrix”. Adaptive light has learned to independently detect cars on the road and change the direction of light so as not to blind the driver of an oncoming car. In addition, the A8 “learned” to recognize pedestrians and road signs.

At the September Frankfurt Motor Show, Audi is showing a development of the Quattro Concept from three years ago - the Audi Sport Quattro. This new coupe becomes the most powerful in the history of the concern: 700 hp. and 800 Nm. The coupe received a hybrid powertrain based on a 4.0-liter turbocharged V8 and a 150-horsepower electric motor. The Quattro family from the 80s has been reborn!

The latest big news of 2013 is Audi's plans to release a “cheap” Q1 crossover. The car will receive a platform from Volkswagen Polo and a price tag of up to 20 thousand euros! Early rumors about the termination of the Q7 project are refuted by information about the second generation of the luxury crossover almost ready for debut.

2013 Audi Sport Quattro prototype

Audi was founded in 1910 by a young engineer, August Horch. This was his second attempt to open his own business: the first company, Horch & Co, was created back in 1899. However, in 1909 he was forced to leave Horch & Co by a court decision. The reason was disagreements with creditor partners.

The new Horch company, founded in the town of Chemnitz, initially, like the previous one, bore his name. When city authorities found out about this, the court gave the new company a different name, “Audi.” Some sources claim that it was invented by one of Horch's business partners. He simply suggested using the same word, "Horch" (which means "listen" in German), but in the Latin version - "Audi".

The Audi logo consists of four silver rings. They symbolize the merger of four companies - DKW, Audi, Horch and Wanderer - into the Auto Union automobile concern that took place in 1932. At first, the Audi emblem was installed only on cars intended for racing, and production models had nameplates - specially made plates.

Pre-war history of Audi

Audi-A was the first-born of the new company. It came out in 1910. The Audi-B appeared next. This model was raced in Austria. The 2.5 thousand km long route took place in the Alps. In 1912, the Audi-S performed well in the Auto Alpenfart (as the Austrian race was called). This model later became known as “Alpenziger”, which means “Conqueror of the Alps”.

The company began to have financial problems in the twenties. First it merged with the other, then both became the property of Jorgen Skafte Rasmussen. The same problems forced small manufacturers to create the Auto Union concern in 1932. It included, among others, both companies created by Horch. True, by this time he himself had not been involved in production for a long time (since 1916).

The concern produced two front-wheel drive models equipped with Wanderer engines. They were in demand and sold well until the war began.

Audi after the war

The Auto Union concern was nationalized at the end of the war. Serious reform took place in 1949, when the main rights of Auto Union were transferred to Mercedes-Benz. Then the controlling stake was transferred several times from one company to another. The Audi brand disappeared for several years.

The Audi name reappeared only in 1965, when share ownership was secured by Volkswagen. Four circles, assigned to Audi since the merger of the four companies (1932), adorn the hoods of all models of this car.

By 1968, Audi was represented on the markets in a wide range. Its sales grew steadily.

Being a “daughter” of the famous Volkswagen, Audi has gained worldwide fame largely thanks to the Audi Quattro model. This car had a “sporty appearance” and all-wheel drive. It was distinguished by its lightness, speed and amazing stability. Few could compete with Quattro, as the results of several auto races confirmed.

Since 1958, the company has been called Audi AG. The German automobile manufacturing company is part of the Volkswagen Group, one of the world's most powerful concerns.

Car production is increasing year by year. Since the 10th year of our century, it has exceeded 1 million pieces.

The Audi model range is very extensive. It is represented by luxury cars, racing cars, supercars, and crossovers.

Thanks to its excellent technical characteristics, Audi is very popular, including in Russia. It is worth noting that not only new cars are in demand here. The model is also selling well on secondary car markets. And for especially ardent fans of German cars, we can recommend special gadgets for the computer, such as a Mercedes flash drive.

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Interesting facts, technology and motorsport

Audi was the first company to conduct crash tests (starting in 1938).

The Audi 80 was sold in North America first as the Audi Fox and later as the Audi 4000.

Audi became the first automaker to create its own virtual world on the PlayStation Home resource. Visitors can enjoy excursions through the virtual space of Audi Space and the opportunity to take part in the Vertical Run racing event.

Audi cars have won the prestigious Le Mans 24 race three times in a row - in 2000, 2001 and 2002. In honor of such a tremendous success, the Audi Le Mans quattro sports concept car was presented in Frankfurt in 2003.

Key models in the history of the brand

Audi 80 is one of the most popular cars of the 20th century. The total volume of cars produced is more than 4 million units. The model was produced for 30 years - from 1966 to 1996. Initially, the car was manufactured on the same platform as the Volkswagen Passat. In 1987, a new generation of Audi 80 appeared on the B3 platform, which no longer had anything in common with Volkswagen. The B3's body was completely galvanized, which provided such high corrosion protection that Audi extended the warranty period from 8 to 12 years. Galvanized bodies are also used to create current Audi models.

Audi Quattro is the company's first rally car. Thanks to changes in the rules that allowed four-wheel drive cars to be used in competition, Quattro was able to compete. The car won two competitions in a row.

Development of the famous Audi TT began in September 1994 in California. The first concept car was shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1995. The developers demonstrated the next modification of the model, the Audi TT Coupe, to visitors to the Tokyo Motor Show in 2005. The new TT was much lighter than the previous one thanks to the use of a combination of aluminum and steel materials.

The company began producing the Audi Q7 crossover in 2005. Critics saw the first copy at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The model, created on the “E” platform, is based on the 2003 Audi Pikes Peak quattro concept.

Audi A3 – family class hatchback. The first generation was produced from 1996 to 2003, and the second from 2003 to 2012. More recently, the third generation of the compact car appeared, which quickly became popular in European countries. The Audi A3 has won many different awards.

Audiin Russia

One of the first Audis to appear in Russia was the Audi 80 B3. The famous “barrel” with the 89th body quickly became popular due to its simple design: car enthusiasts who were well versed in front-wheel drive VAZs could easily change spare parts for Audis. Some even modernized their foreign cars, replacing parts with domestic analogues. The Audu 80 was also loved in Russia for its high suspension strength - the car conquered domestic roads with unprecedented agility for a foreign car.

Today, Audi is not losing its position as the sales leader among premium cars in the domestic market. From January to August 2012, 22,292 copies were sold - an increase of 41% compared to 2011 figures. But these cars are not stolen so often: according to statistical data for Russia for 2010-2011, the Audi brand did not even make it into the top twenty. Our most popular models today are the Audi A3 Sportback, Audi A4, Audi A6, Audi Q3, Audi Q5 and Audi Q7.

In 2001, Audi opened the Quattro Driving School in Russia. This is the first school created by a foreign car manufacturer in Russia. Throughout its existence, the Quattro school has been very popular among our compatriots: over 11 years, more than 16 thousand private and corporate clients have completed training.

Audi was the official sponsor of the Russian team at the XXX Summer Olympic Games 2012 in London. The concern provided 129 cars as prizes for Russian athletes. A8 executive models received gold medals, silver medalists were given the keys to an A7 Sportback, and bronze medalists became owners of an elegant A6. Audi was also chosen as the official partner of the Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014.

Geographical distribution of Audi cars

Germany - more than ten factories of different directions and large research engineering centers;
The USA is the largest assembly and production hub with its own model range and technical features;
Brazil - five enterprises that produce large-scale assembly for all Latin American countries;
Argentina and Mexico are two more Latin countries in which some models are assembled;
South Africa - almost the entire model range for Africa is assembled at a large plant in this country;
India and Malaysia are Asian concerns created to reduce the cost of some production processes;
China is a huge division of Audi that develops and produces engines, bodies and all other parts for cars in Asia;
Slovakia and Belgium - some engineering developments for the concern are carried out in these countries.

The main assembly features of the Audi concern

the highest quality of cars, the absence of any childhood diseases in new developments;
extensive testing of each technology that is introduced into the technical or functional part of the machines;
certification of each individual piece of equipment, testing and grinding of parts at the factory;
maximum automation of production even in those countries where it is more profitable to use manual labor;
assembly control, which is carried out by German experts at each plant where Audi is assembled;
multi-stage system for selecting materials for the interior, high-quality plastic and excellent layout;
the most modern design features, constant competition among the best designers of the company.

New models - a chic development of technology from Audi

Audi RS4 Avant - a large station wagon with sporty characteristics and a futuristic design, stiff suspension and powerful engines, costs from 4,700,000 rubles;
Audi RS5 Coupe is a luxurious sports car with incredible style and very advanced technology; the car can surprise with its sporty dynamics and a price of 4,800,000 rubles;
Audi S6 Avant is a new model with sporty inclinations, low ground clearance and amazing dynamics, luxurious engines make the trip unforgettable, and the price is raised to 4,480,000 rubles;
Audi Q3 and RS Q3 are amazing compact crossovers with a real zeal for the future, not only in design, but also in the technical part, the cars start at prices of 1,615,000 and 2,990,000 rubles, respectively;
The Audi Q7, a generation-changing large crossover, has become the center of attention of the company's lineup; optimal appearance and advanced technology begin to cost from 3,630,000 rubles.

Let's sum it up

The history of Audi is a fascinating and eventful story: the production of cars and engines began in the 19th century. Here are the most important stages in the company's history:

1899: The first chapter in the history of Audi is associated with the name of August Horch, founder of the automobile company Horch & Cie. Motorwagenwerke. Ten years later, he founded another automobile company in Zwickau, Audi Automobilwerke.
In 1921, Audiwerke AG stunned the automotive world with the introduction of the new 50 hp Audi K 14/50, the first German car with left-hand drive.
1932: The four rings symbolize the merger of four Saxon car manufacturers: Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer, and the creation of Auto Union AG, which becomes the second largest car manufacturer in Germany.
1969: The parent company Volkswagenwerk AG merged Auto Union GmbH with NSU Motorenwerke AG from Neckarsulm. The new company was named Audi NSU Auto Union AG. In 1971, a new Audi slogan appeared - “High-Tech Excellence”.
In 1985, the company changed its name from Audi NSU Auto Union AG to AUDI AG. Since then, the company and the cars it produces bear the same name. The head office was again moved to Ingolstadt. Audi's subsequent success is closely linked to a number of technical innovations. These include: a fully galvanized body, advanced aerodynamic design, widespread use of turbocharged gasoline engines, economical diesel engines with direct injection technology, aluminum body, hybrid drive, gasoline engines with direct injection technology, heavy-duty eight- and twelve-cylinder engines.

Guided tours of the Ingolstadt plant

Guided tours of the Ingolstadt plant are an exciting opportunity to see everything from the inside. Explore the Audi brand in all possible ways: at the Audi Museum, in production, on a sightseeing tour or on a specially designed program.

The choice of programs is as varied as the needs of our visitors. We organize individual tours or additional tourist and children's programs, perfect for class events and children's birthdays.

Sightseeing tour "Compact production"

Visit the entire Audi production process in person. You will learn interesting facts about all the places where Audi is manufactured, as well as about the main plant in Ingolstadt. In the forge shop you will see the process of metal shaping; In the body shop you can watch a stunning ballet performed by welding robots. Witness the "marriage" - when the transmission and body are joined together in the final assembly process. Test stations are along the route.

Individual visitors

Dates:

Monday to Friday: 10.30, 12.30 and 14.30 in German;
Monday to Friday: 11.30 in English.

Prices:

adults: 7 euros;
elderly people, students, schoolchildren: 3.50 euros;

Groups

Languages: German, English, other languages on request.

Duration: 2 hours.

Band size: maximum 30 people.

Group price: 80 euros.

For the elderly, students and people with physical disabilities: 40 euros.

Dates: on demand.

TT Body Shop: “Steel and Aluminum”

Experience the excellent synergy between aluminum and steel on a tour of the Audi TT body shop. The components are connected using the most modern technologies such as jointing, riveting and laser welding. Watch the exciting production process of the body as it undergoes a complete restructuring. The most important thing in the excursion is the design changes in the steel and aluminum body of the Audi TT hybrid.

Languages: German, English.

Duration: 2 hours.

Band size: maximum 20 people.

Group price:

Dates: on demand.

A3: “A Journey into the Future of Body Manufacturing”

You will be able to see how metal parts are delivered, move through the cutting and pressing department to the spare parts warehouse; and also learn about the latest metal forming technologies. After this, you will be able to visit one of the most modern body production facilities in the world, where the body of the Audi TT is produced with a 98 percent level of automation.

Languages: German, English.

Duration: 2 hours.

Band size: maximum 30 people.

Group price: 80 euros (not including bus ride).

Dates: on demand.

Painting shop: “More than just paint”

Before you put on protective clothing for your excursion into the painting department, you will receive basic information about surface protection and paint structure. You will also gain an understanding of the structure and organization of work in a paint shop, manual and automatic painting methods, and how custom painting is performed. And, of course, about important aspects of environmental technologies. Finally, you will visit the finishing line, where the car's paint is checked for the final time.

Languages: German, English.

Duration: 1,5 hour.

Band size: maximum 10 people.

Group price:

Dates: on demand.

Audi Forum in Ingolstadt: “Meet the brand in person”

A walk around the square will introduce you to the basic architectural principles of the Audi Forum Ingolstadt. You'll see how the unique architectural philosophy continues in the mobile museum and the Market and Shopper building. A visit to the sales center, where you will learn how and what cars are sold, completes this interesting excursion.

Languages: German, English.

Duration: 30 minutes.

Band size: maximum 30 people.

Group price: 60 euros.

Dates: on demand.

Environment-compact: “The environmental side of production”

Environmental protection is the main theme of this plant tour. You will visit the forging shop, the body shop, the information stand in the paint shop and the assembly shop. The main focus of the tour is to inform visitors about modern environmental protection measures, especially with regard to limiting harmful emissions into the atmosphere. You will also receive an overview of the environmental principles of water and heat circulation at the Ingolstadt plant.

Languages: German, English.

Duration: 2 hours.

Band size: maximum 30 people.

Group price: 100 euro.

Dates: on demand.

Environment-intensive: "Basic facts about environmental protection at the Ingolstadt plant"

You will learn interesting details about the principles of combining heating, energy and water supply systems in a plant. The latest eco-friendly car painting techniques will also be demonstrated.

Languages: German, English.

Duration: 2 hours.

Band size: maximum 30 people.

Group price: 150 euros (not including bus ride).

Dates: on demand.

Excursion for children to the production: “How are cars made?”

Let your child experience the fascinating process of car manufacturing on their own. The 90-minute program includes a shorter tour of the forging shop, body shop and assembly shop. "Drivers of the future" will receive a complete overview of all important stages of production.

Languages: German.

Duration: 2 hours with a break.

Band size: maximum 20 people.

Group price: 40 euros.

Age: from 6 to 10 years.

Dates: on demand.

Excursion for children to the mobile museum: “Under the sign of the four rings”

Designed especially for children, the tour introduces young visitors to the history of the automotive industry and the history of the brand in our mobile museum. Through interactive elements and group activities, children will learn about the history of the four brands since the turn of the last century, and how the four rings brand came to be. They will find out who built the fastest, most expensive and smallest model. In the second part of the tour, children will learn about the history of the company's success in the post-war period and about the new location in Ingolstadt.

Languages: German.

Duration: 1 hour.

Band size: maximum 20 people.

Group price: 30 euros.

Age: from 6 to 10 years.

Dates: on demand.

Design studio: “What does my dream car look like?”

Starting in a mobile museum, this program gives children an insight into the automotive history of the last century. The focus is on automotive shapes and design, as well as interactive exhibitions. Then a task for children: under the supervision of an expert, they can create the shape and design of their car themselves. And you'll never know which of these pieces could be the future of automotive engineering.

Languages: German.

Duration: 2 hours.

Band size: maximum 20 people.

Group price: 100 euro.

Age: from 6 to 10 years.

Dates: on demand.

What are cars made of: “So what is it made of?”

The tour begins at the mobile museum with an overview of the history of the automobile industry and the basic materials used to make cars. Then the fun begins: our new experts, under the supervision of experts, can make their own models from wood, aluminum and steel, and then proudly take them home as proof of their experience.

Languages: German.

Duration: 2 hours.

Band size: maximum 20 people.

Group price: 100 euro.

Age: from 6 to 10 years.

Dates: on demand.

Motorsports: "0 to 100 in 3 seconds"

A fascinating journey into the history of motorsports: why do people race? How fast are they going? Motorsport legends such as the Alpine Winner and the Silver Arrow are examined in detail, showing children the differences between racing cars of the past and present. The victories of the Audi Quattro in the rally are discussed. Then children will get acquainted with interactive exhibitions dedicated to motorsports, try themselves at various experimental stations, and take part in their own race.

Languages: German.

Duration: 2 hours.

Band size: maximum 20 people.

Group price: 100 euro.

Age: from 6 to 10 years.

Dates: on demand.

Children's Week: Open excursions and educational programs

In the first full week of every month, the Audi Forum in Ingolstadt hosts a “children's week”. Individuals can take part in open tours of the museum and production facilities.

Paint the world: “All about paint”

In the mobile museum you will get an overview of the progress in car painting since the 1980s and learn about the different stages of painting techniques. Then, in one of the most modern paint shops in Europe, you will become familiar with the latest manual and automatic painting techniques, as well as Audi paint structure. The tour is popular - please reserve in advance.

Languages: German, English.

Duration: 2 hours.

Band size: maximum 10 people.

Group price: 200 euros (not including bus ride).

Dates: on demand.

Logistics in perfect form: “Economic, fast, efficient”

Logistics is part of the Audi production system. The tour is based on the complex challenges that effective logistics management faces and modern solutions to these challenges at the Ingolstadt plant. You'll learn powerful examples of supplier-production interactions and be introduced to the concept of production optimization.

Languages: German, English.

Duration: 2 hours.

Band size: maximum 30 people.

Group price: 200 euros.

Dates: on demand.

High-tech and more: “Production of Audi A3”

On this excursion you will be able to attend the production process of the Audi A3 from the delivery of metal panels to the sales center. This one-day program begins at the north end of the plant, where the forging and body shop is located. A visit to the paint shop completes the first part of the tour. After lunch at the Audi Forum, you will visit further stages of production and final assembly, and also get acquainted with the process of delivering the car from the sales center.

Languages: German, English.

Duration: 6 hours.

Band size: maximum 10 people.

Group price: 350 euros (excluding bus ride and lunch).

Dates: on demand.

Mobile Museum - history and development

The impressive history of the Audi brand, together with the history of human mobility as a whole, is presented with true realism - both informative and entertaining. Presentations using images, reconstructed scenes, and multimedia elements are arranged in numerous exhibits showcasing historical and contemporary contexts.

Open mobile museum daily from 9.00 to 18.00.

You can book a tour by phone: +49 841 89-37575

Working hours booking service:

Monday through Friday: from 8.00 to 20.00;
on Saturday: from 8.00 to 16.00.

THE MUSEUM PRESENTS THE FOLLOWING TOURS:

Sightseeing tour “Mobile Museum-Compact”

Individual visitors

Dates:

Monday through Saturday: from 9.00 to 17.00, every hour;
on Sunday: at 11.00, 13.00 and 15.00.

Prices:

adults: 4 euros;
elderly people, students, schoolchildren: 2 euros;
children under 6 years old (with adults): free.

Groups

Languages: German, English.

Duration: 1 hour.

Band size: maximum 20 people.

Group price: 60 euros.

For the elderly, students and people with physical disabilities: 30 euros.

Mobile museum-intensive: “More than just car stories”

Languages: German, English.

Duration: 1,5 hour.

Band size: maximum 20 people.

Group price: 120 euros (not including bus ride).

Dates: on demand.

Color Change: "Car Colors and Color History"

Languages: German, English.

Duration: 1,5 hour.

Band size: maximum 20 people.

Group price: 120 euros.

Dates: on demand.

Motorsport: “An incredible success story”

Languages: German, English.

Duration: 1,5 hour.

Band size: maximum 20 people.

Group price: 120 euros.

Dates: on demand.

Main milestones of the company's development

In 1911, the debut car, Audi B, first took part in the Alpine Cup race in Austria, and in 1912–1914, an improved version of this model again participated in the Alpine Cup and has already achieved very solid success. Thanks to this, the car received the name Alpensieger - “conqueror of the Alps”.

In 1921, Audi introduced the first car with left-hand drive - at that time it was a kind of breakthrough. The production of front-wheel drive cars also became innovative: in 1931, Audi presented the world with the DKW F1, an inexpensive and compact car.

By the mid-1930s, after the merger of four companies, Audi became the second largest automaker in Germany. In 1934, in order to increase the authority and recognition of the brand, Audi took part in the most prestigious Grand Prix auto racing. Over the following years, Silver Arrow cars took prizes in races and championships around the world, setting a huge number of records.

In 1945, the company's factories, which were located in the zone occupied by Soviet troops, were dismantled, and the company itself was subject to removal from the Chemnitz Trade Register. Shortly before the end of the war, Audi management evacuated to Bavaria. The first attempts to restore the concern began there. At the end of 1945, the Auto Unuion auto parts warehouse was built. It took four years before the company's production was restored. At the end of the 1950s, the revived concern was again registered in the city register.

In 1964, the company became part of the Volkswagen Group. At first, Volkswagen did not want Audi to produce its own car models. But Ludwig Kraus, head of the design department, decided to secretly develop a new Audi model. The result was a legendary one that was a great success. This way the company retained its right to individuality.

In 1974, the design department was headed by Ferdinand Pöch. Under him, the company reached unprecedented heights. Audi was the first company in the world to produce cars with permanent four-wheel drive. In 1985, Audi's headquarters were moved again to Bavaria. Audi's subsequent success was due to a number of technical innovations. Among them are full galvanization of the body, the use of turbocharged gasoline engines and economical diesel engines with direct injection technology, a hybrid drive, and ultra-powerful eight- and twelve-cylinder engines.

Interesting facts, technology and motorsport

Audi was the first company to do so (starting in 1938).

The Audi 80 was sold in North America first as the Audi Fox and later as the Audi 4000.

Key models in the history of the brand

– one of the most popular cars of the 20th century. The total volume of cars produced is more than 4 million units. The model was produced for 30 years - from 1966 to 1996. Initially, the car was manufactured on the same platform as the Volkswagen Passat. In 1987, a new generation of Audi 80 appeared on the B3 platform, which no longer had anything in common with Volkswagen. The B3's body was completely galvanized, which provided such high corrosion protection that Audi extended the warranty period from 8 to 12 years. Galvanized bodies are also used to create current Audi models.

Development of the famous one began in September 1994 in California. The first concept car was shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1995. The developers demonstrated the next modification of the model, the Audi TT Coupe, to visitors to the Tokyo Motor Show in 2005. The new TT was much lighter than the previous one thanks to the use of a combination of aluminum and steel materials.

The company began producing the crossover in 2005. Critics saw the first copy at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The model, created on the “E” platform, is based on the 2003 Audi Pikes Peak quattro concept.

Audiin Russia

Today Audi is one of the most famous companies in Europe, which has been producing passenger non-commercial vehicles for about 100 years. The history of Audi is very interesting and rich. In 1910, the company was founded by August Horch, who by that time had been a shareholder of the company named after him (Horch Werke), but due to internal disagreements had to leave it. Horch didn’t have to think long about what to name the new company. His last name means “listen” in German, which is why he decided to use the Latin version.

After the founding of the company, the designers began to actively work on its activities, which were related to the production of cars. The history of the Audi brand began in 1910, when the company released the first car created by Horch and his employees, the Audi-A. The history of the creation of the Audi A is unknown. Over the next few years, the company gained great popularity in Germany, releasing several more cars. In 1911, in major competitions that took place in Austria, the Audi-B car was even able to win. Each version of Audi became more powerful, more solid and more beautiful.

However, the greatness of the company's developments was the production of the Audi-K and Audi-M cars in the 20s of the last century. And if the first, with a 50-horsepower 2.1-liter engine, was very popular among citizens of Germany and Europe, then the second, with a 6-cylinder 4.7-liter unit installed on it, was one of the fastest cars at that time in the world, reaching a speed of 120 km/h. This is precisely why the price of the Audi-M did not allow an ordinary middle-class citizen to buy a luxury car.

History of creation and development.

Audi is a German company specializing in the production of passenger cars. Part of the Volkswagen concern. The headquarters is located in Ingoldstadt.

Audi was founded in 1909 by August Horch. Its roots go back to the now non-existent, but no less famous in the past, the Horch company, which shone on the German horizon during the Third Reich. In 1899, the talented inventor August Horch founded the company Horch and Company in Mannheim, which moved to Zwickau 4 years later.

In 1909, he built a new, very unsuccessful 6-cylinder engine, which almost brought the company to the brink of bankruptcy, which greatly outraged his partners, who decided to deal with the zealous inventor and expel him from his own company. But Horch immediately founded another company nearby, which, naturally, also bore the name “Horch”. His former partners, sensing a strong competitor in the young company, filed a lawsuit against Horch demanding that the name of the company be changed.

According to the court decision, the new car production enterprise could not bear the name Horch, and August Horch turned to the Latinized version of the previous name: the word horch, meaning “listen” in German, became audi. Thus, in 1909, the famous trademark and the no less famous Audi company were born.

The first car called Audi-A was released in 1910. The Audi-B followed the next year. Horch exhibited three such cars in June 1911 at the first Auto Alpenfarth race in the Austrian Alps, about 2,500 km long, which replaced the famous races for the prize of the German Prince Heinrich.

In 1912, the most famous model appeared - the Audi-S. In the same year, its first samples underwent serious testing at the next Alpine races and achieved good results, for which the C series cars began to be called “Alpenziger” or “Conqueror of the Alps.”

In the 20s, Audi was on the verge of bankruptcy. She had to merge with another company.

In 1928, the company was acquired by the German DKW (DKW), and Jorgen Skafte Rasmussen became the owner of Audi.

In 1932, the economic crisis prompted a number of German firms to create the Auto Union concern. It included, along with DKW and Wanderer, former rival firms Horch and Audi. The concern has released two models equipped with front-wheel drive and Wanderer engines. The cars sold well until the outbreak of World War II.

After World War II, Audi and other Auto Union partner firms were nationalized. They were transformed into a division of the Association of People's Enterprises for the Production of Automobiles.

In 1949, Auto Union was reformed thanks to the attraction of a majority of the shares of Mercedes-Benz (“Mercedes-Benz”).

In 1958, Daimler-Benz AG acquired a majority stake in Auto Union, but then sold it to Volkswagen. After the transfer of a controlling stake to Volkswagen in 1965, the name Audi began to be used again. Shortly after this event, a new car with front-wheel drive was released, and by the end of 1968 Audi returned to the market with a good range of models and excellent sales statistics. Four circles were retained as an emblem, symbolizing the merger of four companies that took place in 1932.

The 100, which appeared on the market in 1968, as well as its successors, including the famous Audi Quattro, featured a sporty profile and four-wheel drive, which was a new milestone in the German automotive industry. It was the Quattro model, which appeared in 1980, that gave a powerful impetus to the development of the automotive industry and brought Audi, a subsidiary of Volkswagen, worldwide fame. It was a light, fast gran turismo car with excellent stability, the type of rally car. Competitors found it difficult to compete with this rally-bred Quattro. The model performed exceptionally well in several auto races.

In 1969, the Volkswagen concern bought the Neckarsulmer Automobilwerke (“Neckarsulm Automobile Plant”, NSU). As a result, the name of the company changed, the company became known as Audi NSU Auto Union, and in the summer of 1985 the name of the company was transformed again into Audi AG.

Since 1970, Audi has been widely exported to the United States. At first, exports to the United States were limited to the Audi Super 90 (sedan and station wagon). as well as the new Audi 100. Since 1973, they were joined by the Audi 80, which, unlike the European version, also existed as the Audi 80 station wagon (actually a VW Passat Variant with a higher level of equipment). Later, Audi models received their own designations in the US market: Audi 4000 for Audi 80. Audi 5000 for Audi 100. However, repeated cases of violations of manufacturer responsibility for their products since the mid-80s led to a decline in Audi supplies in the United States.

In 1980, the all-wheel drive sports coupe attracted huge attention at the Audi stand at the Geneva Motor Show. For the first time, a high-performance, all-wheel drive passenger car was offered in the form of the Audi quattro with an all-wheel drive concept previously used only in trucks and SUVs. The idea of such a passenger car arose in the winter of 1976/77 during test runs on the VW Iltis SUV being developed for the Bundeswehr. The excellent behavior of this car when driving on ice and snow led to the idea of introducing all-wheel drive VW Iltis into the production Audi 80. An increased power option was also developed - a 2.2 liter five-cylinder turbo engine with a power of 147 kW / 200 hp was introduced in the fall of 1979. With.

In 1982, the Audi 80 quattro launched large-scale production of permanent all-wheel drive. Gradually, the quattro concept was also offered for other Audi model series.

Based on the Audi 80, a sports coupe (Audi Coupe) was produced, which debuted at the end of 1993. The convertible version was first presented in Geneva in 1991. This veteran of the Audi family was discontinued in mid-2000. Since 1992, about 72 thousand of them have been produced.

In December 1990, the new Audi 100 (internal designation C4) was presented, which for the first time in the history of the company was also offered with a six-cylinder V-engine. The compact (128 kW. 174 hp) powerful unit with an engine displacement of 2.8 liters was the shortest and lightest in its class.

The Audi A4 is the successor to the Audi 80, produced from 1986-1994. It was first introduced in October 1994. In 2001, the A4 Avant station wagon and the A4 Cabrio coupe-convertible were released, which will receive a folding hard roof (like the Mercedes-Benz SLK) and, obviously, will be assembled at the Karmann plant.

The Audi A8, the flagship of the Audi model range, was first shown in February 1994

In May 1994, the five-seater RS2 Avant with a 2.2-liter 315-horsepower injection turbo engine was presented to the public.

The Audi A3 model is based on the Golf IV platform. The first show of the model took place in June 1996. Production of the Audi A3 began in 1997.

The Audi A6 was first presented as a sedan at the Geneva Motor Show in 1997. In February 1998, the A6 Avant station wagon was introduced. All models of the C4 platform were discontinued in the summer of 1997 in connection with the development of the completely new A6 (4B-type).

From the moment the conceptual Audi A2 was shown in the fall of 1997, until the start of mass production (early 2000) of the A2 model, just over two years passed. Thus, Audi has a new family of passenger cars in the European size class B.

AUDI S4/S4 Avante/RS4, high-power sports modification of the Audi A4 with a 2.7-V6-Biturbo engine. It was first presented at the Frankfurt am Main Motor Show in 1997. In 1999, a modification of the RS4 Avante with a 2.7 V6-Biturbo engine (380 hp) was presented.

In the fall of 1996, “sports” configurations of the S6/S6 Avant appeared.

The Audi TT sports car with a coupe body was first presented in Geneva in September 1998, with a roadster body in August 1999. A prototype of the model was presented in 1995 at the Frankfurt am Main Motor Show.

AUDI S3, a sports modification of the Audi A3 with a 1.8 20V turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive transmission, with high power. It was first introduced in March 1999.

AUDI S8, a high-power sports modification of the Audi A8 with a 4.2 V8 engine and all-wheel drive. It was first shown in early 1998.

The Audi Allroad, an SUV model based on the A6 Avant, was first introduced in February 2000.

Currently, Audi, which is part of the Volkswagen concern, is experiencing rapid growth. Such success became possible thanks to new developments of the company.

The history of the creation of Audi - M

Audi-M replaced the Audi-K model. It was on this car that the “Audi unit with the globe in the background” logo was first used. The engine, as before, was a six-cylinder engine with a working capacity of 4700 cubic meters. see and it had a power of 70 horses. The crankshaft had 7 supports, the camshaft was removed upward. The cylinder block was assembled from an aluminum alloy. The brake system was equipped with a vacuum booster and acted on all four wheels of the car. Note that the maximum speed of this car reached 120 km/h.

1928 is a very important year, one might even say a turning point in Audi; the history of the German company will refer to it more than once. It was then that the first car of the completely new “R” series appeared on the German market, which had an engine unsurpassed at that time. The popularity of the Audi-R knew no bounds, since this car was the first to be equipped with an 8-cylinder unit, the volume of which was 5.0 liters.

But even the creation of such a popular model did not help the company avoid bankruptcy. The financial situation was getting worse every day, so August Horch was forced to sell his brainchild to DKW. And four years later, Audi, DKW, and Horch became part of the Auto Union concern. Wanderer also joined these companies.

The war hit the German economy hard and made many companies that operated in the state bankrupt. However, the Auto Union concern became one of the few exceptions, even despite the fact that in the early 50s, the corporation on the brink was acquired by one of the largest automobile concerns in the world at that time, Daimler-Benz AG. And the history of Audi has moved to a new stage.

It would seem that the prospects of Auto Union became visible, but already in 1965 the concern disappeared. Daimler-Benz AG sold a controlling stake to Volkswagen Corporation, after which Auto Union returned to its former name - Audi. Since then, the history of Audi has lost its independence.

History of the Audi 100

The model was first shown to the public in early 1990. This car is also known as the C4 model. It was there that the six-cylinder V-shaped engine celebrated its debut. The small (128 kW 174 hp) powerful engine with a working capacity of 2.8 liters was the smallest and lightest in its range.

Subsequently, Audi conquers the market of the United States of America. In 1970, active exports of cars produced under the “flag” of the company founded by August Horch began. However, in the middle of the next decade, the level of car deliveries to the United States decreased, after which the company produced cars exclusively for the European market.

After the release of the first production cars “60”, “75”, “80” and “100”, which managed to gain popularity all over the world in the 70s of the twentieth century, Audi designers concentrated on developing the Audi Quattro car. All-wheel drive modifications of this car, actively created in the 80s of the last century, were not only popular in Europe, but also won various competitions more than once.

History of the Audi A4

AUDIA4 is a middle class car with a longitudinal engine. Equipped with a front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive system. She became the heir to the Audi 80 model, which was produced from 1986-1994. The debut of the new Audi A4 family took place in the fall of 1994, and serial production began in November. The body is made in a more rapid shape with a rounded roof design characteristic of the new VW-Audi style. The salon is quite comfortable and has a bright, unique design.

In 2002, the divisions of world-famous automakers Lamborghini and SEAT became part of the Audi AG corporation, thanks to which the popularity of products manufactured by the German automobile giant increased significantly. Fans of the Audi AG concern could not get enough of purchasing a Lamborghini, as they dreamed of purchasing a reliable sports car that is distinguished by true German quality.

Today, the main production facilities of Audi AG are concentrated not only in Germany, but also in several other countries. For example, in the Bosnian Sarajevo, in the Slovak Bratislava, and also in the Hungarian Gyer.

Every year the number of Audi models pleasantly surprising the public increases. Car enthusiasts were shocked by the A2, A3, A4, and A6. Many became fans of the concern after the release of S3, S6 and S8. Well, the most sophisticated potential buyers welcomed with great pleasure the appearance on the market of the Audi Q7 all-wheel drive SUV, the Audi Allroad crossover, as well as the updated Audi TT and Audi R8 coupes. By the way, the history of Audi models is very interesting, and the Audi R8 is a legendary car!

Audi's new products of the 2000s are increasingly falling in love not only with Europeans and Americans, but also with representatives of Asia, including the Japanese. How is this not a justification for the rapid development of the corporation? The company's new developments, combined with unrivaled production capacity and high professionalism of employees, are the best weapons that help Audi AG rapidly conquer the modern automotive market of the world.

History of the Audi logo

I think everyone knows what the logo of the German brand looks like, but who knows what the four rings on the Audi emblem mean? And they are talking about the merger of 4 companies - Audi Werke, August Horch Automobile Werke, DKW and Wanderer, the merger of which took place in 1934. At first, the Audi emblem was installed exclusively on racing models. And the production samples were decorated with their own unique nameplates.

This now world famous company was born in 1910 by court decision. The case of accusations against August Horch by his former colleagues from the Horch company was considered. As a result of disagreements with his partners, the wayward Horch was forced to leave his own company, which he founded in Zwickau in 1899. After some time, he created a new company in the same city, naturally giving it his name. For a short time, two companies with the same name existed in one small town: by a court decision, the second was given a new name, Audi, which in Latin means the same thing as Horch in German - “listen”.

The first Audi was equipped with a 2612 cm3 4-cylinder engine, similar to the previous designs Horch created for the Horch company. But it was soon followed by new engines with a displacement of 3562, 4680 and 5720 cm3. All had so-called symmetrical valves: the intake valve was located at the bottom, and the exhaust valve was strictly above it “upside down”.

The tenacity with which August Horch entered his cars into various competitions was rewarded only in 1911, when his Audi B with a 2.6 liter engine went the entire distance in the Alpine Cup race in Austria without penalties. Taking into account all the shortcomings of the "B" series, a new Audi C model was developed in 1913, equipped with a 4-cylinder 3.5-liter engine, in which the crankshaft rotated on three supports and was slightly offset to the side from the cylinder axes. A conventional cone clutch had a leather friction surface. The wooden body on a chassis with a base of 2900 or 3200 mm was open with an elongated and pointed rear part, which, according to its creators, provided better streamlining and gave it a sweeping appearance. In 1912-1914, this car achieved serious success in the Alpine Cup competition. Therefore he is known as Alpensieger - "Conqueror of the Alps".

Before the war, another small car of the “8/28” type with a 2071 cm3 engine was created, which continued to be produced after the establishment of peace. But the most popular in the 20s was the 50-horsepower “Audi-K” with a 3.5-liter overhead valve engine. The first 6-cylinder was the Audi-M, released in 1924. Its displacement was 4655 cm3, and the camshaft was moved upward for the first time. The crankshaft had 7 supports, and the cylinder block was made of aluminum alloy, although the cylinder liners remained steel. The overhead camshaft directly acted on the valve stems. The brakes of all wheels were equipped with a vacuum booster. The maximum speed of the car reached 120 km/h.

The first 8-cylinder engine with a capacity of 4872 cm3 appeared in 1928 on a car of the “R” series, which received the loud name Imperator. It turned out to be the last of Audi's own design, which was soon taken over by another automobile company, DKW.

DKW in the history of Audi

Jorgen Skafte Rasmussen, founder of DKW, decided not to create his own engines for the new Audi range, but purchased all its equipment and developments from the bankrupt American company Rickenbacker. The next Audi models appeared in 1929. These were 6-cylinder Dresden and 8-cylinder Zwickau. In 1931, the Audi range included the light model “P” on the DKW chassis with a 4-cylinder Peugeot engine of 1122 cm3.

In 1932, 4 German companies DKW, Audi, Horch and Wanderer merged to form the Auto Union automobile concern. The first result of the collaboration for Audi was the front-wheel drive Front series with a 6-cylinder overhead valve Wanderer engine of 2257 cm3, followed by the rear-wheel drive Audi 920 with a 6-cylinder Horch engine of 3281 cm3.

History of Audi Front

The front-wheel drive Audi Front became a “collective product” of all the companies that were part of the Auto Union concern: the idea of front-wheel drive for mass-produced cars belonged to the founder of DKW Rasmussen, its 6-cylinder engine was developed at Wanderer and produced at Horch, and the finished car was branded Audi. Despite the difficulties of mastering the new design, the car performed well and was produced until 1938. The front suspension was wishbone and transverse leaf spring, and was largely similar to the Alvis design. Unlike most front-wheel drive small cars, the Front belonged to the middle class. The vehicles were equipped with various multi-seat bodies and reached speeds of over 105 km/h. In 1937, the elegant three-seat sports version of the Front was presented at the Berlin Motor Show.

After the war, the territory of Germany, where the city of Zwickau was located, became part of the GDR. The former Audi plant was nationalized and the equally famous Trabant cars were produced there. The Audi brand temporarily disappeared as Auto Union produced only DKW cars after the war. Only in 1957, a single model called Auto Union 1000 appeared. The following year, Auto Union came under the control of Daimler Benz, and in 1964, when the transition to the production of front-wheel drive cars began to be planned, it became the property of the Volkswagen concern. In 1965, the Audi brand was revived. At the Frankfurt Motor Show, a front-wheel drive Audi 1700 was shown with a highly economical engine developed by Daimler Benz, with a compression ratio of 11.2 and a power of 72 hp.

History of the merger between Auto Union and NSU. Renaming to Audi

In 1969, Auto Union and NSU merged - the new company became known as NSU Auto Union. The last organizational changes occurred in 1984, when NSU Auto Union was renamed simply Audi.

Curious things have happened throughout the firm's 104-year history. So, after its absorption by the Volkswagen concern in the mid-60s, the brand almost disappeared altogether: they decided to throw all the potential of Audi into mass production of “beetles”. And only the successful development of its own model - secretly from the management of the concern - made it possible to preserve the originality of Audi.

Recent history of Audi

The newest period in the history of the company covers the last quarter of a century. After joining Volkswagen for many years, Audi was perceived in Germany as an ordinary people's brand. This continued until the early 80s, when cars with four rings on the radiator again began to stand out with innovative solutions. Created in 1980, the all-wheel drive quattro modifications have repeatedly achieved success in international rallies, which has brought high prestige to the Audi brand.

The initiator of the production of all-wheel drive Audi passenger cars was engineer Ferdinand Piech, who considered this process as natural as the transition from installing brakes only on the rear wheels to brakes on all wheels. The emergence of mass-produced all-wheel drive Audis is considered a revolutionary stage in the development of the automotive industry. The basis for all-wheel drive modifications was standard cars with front drive wheels. In the block with the gearbox, a transfer case with a differential was installed, which distributed torque almost equally to both axles. At first, the mechanism for turning on or off the rear drive was located there. The first all-wheel drive Audis were designed primarily for sports competitions, where the reliability of new designs could be tested. They had powerful 5-cylinder turbocharged engines. Under the influence of all-wheel drive Audi, a new direction was laid in the creation of production cars for both sports and normal use.

Since then, the creation of a new brand image began, which became even more important by the early 90s - the fall of the European market forced Volkswagen management to reconsider their approaches to business. Three options were considered: leaving the Audi brand in the mass segment, simply transferring it to the “premium” segment, or aiming for “premium-progressive”. We chose the latter and began to build Audi’s own marketing strategy - after all, until then the brand did not even have its own showrooms; cars were sold together with Volkswagen models. Moreover, until 1994, the brand’s lineup amazed everyone with its meagerness: it had only two cars - Audi 80 and Audi 100, which caused obvious dissatisfaction among customers and criticism from specialists.

Today's brand image is based on four principles: the use of high technology, emotionality, sportiness and global claims. Each performs a specific task, and all together pursue the main goal: in the next five to six years, to at least double sales, to equal global sales volumes and perceptions with the main competitors - BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

However, at the headquarters of Audi AG these principles are also called tools with the help of which very specific tasks of capturing markets are solved. Thus, the company was the first to make all-wheel drive in a sedan, and this attracted new customers: if in 1995 about 50 thousand of such models were sold, then in 2002 - four times more. For almost seven years, Audi was the only one to use direct fuel injection on diesel engines. This made it possible to reduce engine noise and increase the environmental friendliness and speed of cars. As a result, sales of such cars over the same seven years increased from 100 thousand to 300 thousand per year. And the production of large series of cars with aluminum bodies generally influenced the development of the entire global auto industry.

They made a bet on the emotionality of the brand when they moved away from the image of a mass car. “In the premium segment, the atmosphere surrounding the client is very important,” says Graham Liesl, head of the department of global communication strategies at Audi AG. “When purchasing an expensive model, a person first of all buys emotions. He wants to feel the exclusivity of the car and the attitude towards himself, so everything must be done to the highest standard."

First of all, the product itself must correspond to this level: its quality, technical characteristics, design. How seriously the company takes this can be judged by the current development of the model range. Since 1995, one or two new models began to appear every year. Starting with the A4, the Germans within three years produced the A3 and A4 Avant, the A6 business model, the A6 Avant station wagon and the TT Coupe. Over the next four years, the TT Roadster and the all-terrain Audi allroad quattro, the compact A2 and the new A4, the A8 limousine and the new A4 Avant, the A4 convertible and the second generation A8 appeared on the market. Finally, in 2003, a new version of the A3 model appeared and three completely innovative concepts - Pikes Peak, Nuvolari and Le Mans, presented between January and September. This “rate of fire” is especially impressive considering that the creation of each model takes about five years and up to two billion euros.

Following the general concept of the brand, the company gives all new products a sporty character. This is expressed in excellent dynamic characteristics, powerful engines, suspensions, the appearance of cars and interior design. Moreover, in addition to the basic models, sports modifications with the S index and super sports RS are available. The RS6, for example, is impressive: its 450 horsepower literally provokes rapid rushes and lane changes, and on the autobahn only the electronic speed limiter prevented it from jumping beyond the 250 km/h mark. But marketing policy requires even more aggressive fueling of the sports spirit, and Audi actively sponsors competitions in alpine skiing, golf, sailing, and supports two famous European football clubs.

All this works on the fourth postulate of the company, which sounds like this: Audi is one of the largest players in the world market. To achieve this, dealer networks are expanding in various regions of the planet, joint ventures are being created to work in the promising Chinese market, and the share in Europe is expanding, where the German brand currently owns 3.6% of the market. Business and finance specialist Jürgen De Graeve tried to explain the general level of the company's claims using a specific example: “In the USA, we sell eighty-five thousand cars a year, and BMW - a quarter of a million. We intend to first equalize our sales figures, and then displace our competitors ".

Manufactured by Audi

To realize such ambitious plans, the company's business must be fine-tuned like clockwork. Audi AG believes that this is the case and boldly introduces various divisions and production facilities. First of all, this is the plant itself, or rather, one of the plants, since the company produces cars at three European enterprises. One is located in Hungary, where the TT model is partially manufactured. The company’s engine plant also operates in Hungary, where 1.3 million engines are produced annually, of which one half goes to Audi, and the other half to other brands, including Skoda and Seat. In the German city of Neckarsulm they produce solid models with aluminum bodies - A8, A6, Allroad, as well as the “baby” A2. The Audi Security division is also based there, which assembles the armored A6 business sedans and A8 limousines. But the company's largest plant is located in the town of Ingolstadt, an hour's drive from Munich. Working in three shifts, it produces up to 780 A3s, almost as many A4s and about two hundred more TT models every day.

However, Audi's holdings in Ingolstadt are not limited to production alone: they occupy almost 2 million hectares here, and this is more than the territory of the Principality of Monaco. It is here that the headquarters of Audi AG is based, designers and constructors work, the main marketing department, large tool production and the company’s technical center are located. By the way, the latter is considered one of the most advanced in the world: its aerodynamic complex allows it to “develop” speeds of up to 320 km/h and drop temperatures to -60C. Other members of the parent concern, the Volkswagen and Seat brands, use it for free; German bobsledders receive the complex as sponsorship for training, but it is rented out to other customers for 2,700 euros per hour.

The plant is also crammed with all kinds of electronics. For example, the automation coefficient of the workshop for the production of the A4 model was increased to 83% back in 2000. To do this, we had to solve many problems, including controlling robots. Various modifications of cars move along the conveyor one after another, and each requires its own set of technological operations. Therefore, a sensor with a task is attached to the body, and the electronics reads the data and controls the equipment without human intervention.

But the final assembly area is crowded: it’s impossible to do without human eyes and hands. Moreover, each employee also becomes a kind of controller, checking the quality of previous operations. If he notices a colleague’s mistake, he sends a signal, and the defect is instantly corrected. Every second counts - if the conveyor stops completely, a minute of downtime will cost the company 13 thousand euros.

However, the company also cares about its workers. Let's say, not so long ago, bodies were hung above the assembly line at an angle of 45 degrees - it was believed that it was more convenient for assemblers. However, the company commissioned a study, and it turned out that working with a horizontally hanging body is less harmful to the spine, after which all the lines were redone at the factories. Another example: an excellent parquet floor is laid under the entire assembly line. Noticing my surprised look, the attendant explained: “Wood is not as hard and cold as concrete, and this is very important for people’s health.”

Creativity on a schedule

The work of Audi designers is scheduled literally week by week for years to come. Until recently, Audi had 60 months to create a new model, but due to fierce competition it has now had to switch to a shorter cycle of 50 months (a little over four years). This cycle outlines the work schedule of all departments, including designers.

Work on a machine begins with a document prepared by the product planning team. In accordance with market prospects, it issues technical specifications, which indicate the dimensions of the future car, body type, number of seats, main dynamic parameters, and cost level. After that, for eight months, artists can offer almost anything they want. But with the following conditions: firstly, it must meet the basic principles of the brand (innovation, sportiness, emotionality), and secondly, it must comply with the age-old traditions and style of the brand. The fact is that Audi firmly adheres to the principle that the design of the model range should be evolution, not revolution.

Subsequently, only two projects will be selected from the mass of ideas, and work on them will proceed at the next stage. Here three divisions should present their sketches - on the exterior, interior and color solutions. Moreover, they have their own specialization: designers of seats, upholstery, instrument panels, and controls. And approximately 25 months after the start, the final one is selected from two options, and somewhere in the 33rd month a plasticine model is made on a scale of 1:1.

At this point, designers should prepare accurate images of all details, including small ones such as buttons, instrument arrows, joints and seams. Moreover, each stroke must carry a semantic or functional load. Florian Gulden, one of Audi's designers, explains how decisions can influence people's associations. Some lines and details emphasize the stability and power of the car, others - its swiftness, and others give a feeling of security and peace.

If everything is done correctly, then 15-18 months before the start of production, an almost final version is created, which is agreed upon with technologists and exhibited at one of the international car shows. This version is so close to the production model that they even make stamps for many components and tools using it. However, some amendments can be made after the exhibition: responses from the press, dealers, and the public play a big role.

Audi Forum - retail holidays

The huge Audi AG complex in Ingolstadt is an excellent example of business development in accordance with the intended strategy. Having decided to promote a prestigious brand, the company did its best to ensure that customers “buy” those very positive emotions here. And next to the factory workshops, the Audi Forum was built - a special customer center. In 1992, it was opened by the legendary Ferdinand Piech, who then headed the Volkswagen concern, but well remembered the beginning of his automotive career at Audi AG.

Now the Audi Forum includes a company museum, a restaurant, offices, auto accessory stores and company paraphernalia. However, its main part is a huge, stadium-sized corporate hangar, which became the prototype of modern Audi dealerships. It was there that the standards of the brand’s showrooms were laid down, such as a large amount of light and air, the use of special anti-glare mirrors and spotlights, and the creation of comfortable areas for customers. “All this has one goal - to create an atmosphere of celebration, a memorable event,” says center employee Gunther Gerlich. “Each client should feel their importance and exclusivity. Every day from this center we release up to two hundred and eighty new cars of all models of the company. And they come for them not only Germans, but also residents of other European countries."

The most curious thing is that Audi Forum does not sell cars - orders for them and payments are accepted by dealers. And in Ingolstadt you can only get the car itself. But how is it done? On the appointed day, buyers arrive at the company. And while the car is being prepared for delivery, clients get acquainted with the museum, are taken around the factory floors, and are fed at the company’s expense in a restaurant. Here you can purchase souvenirs, accessories and even order additional equipment - sports seats, an exclusive steering wheel or alloy wheels.

And when the time comes to receive the keys, the client will be informed about this via speakerphone and the information will also be displayed on a light display. It shows that every quarter of an hour another five to ten people or companies become owners of a new car, who also often want to turn the buying process into pleasure. After which - a short briefing from the consultant, a ceremonial start of the engine, a photo for memory - and off we go. Obviously, all this is actually attractive: according to the center’s employees, many clients come here for the second or even third time, taking their wives, children, and friends with them. In general, almost a quarter of all cars of this brand sold in Germany are sold annually from the Audi Forum.

Audi history. Based on materials: "Encyclopedia of Cars", "Expert-Auto" #12(55) dated December 15, 2003.

The Audi A4 is a D-class sedan that appeals to both ordinary consumers and government officials. The latest generation of the model was presented this year and has not yet reached our market.

In March 2011, the five millionth copy of the car rolled off the assembly line. But we will look at where the Audi A4 is assembled in this article.

Where is the Audi A4 assembled for the world market:

Germany, plant in Ingolstadt and Wolfsburg;

China, factory in Changchun;

Japan, plant in Tokyo;

Ukraine, plant in Solomonovo;

Indonesia, plant in Jakarta;

India, plant in Aurangabad.

The car is delivered to Russia directly from Germany. We'll talk about the characteristics of the model later.

In 2013, the Audi A4 was supposed to be assembled in Russia. Large-unit assembly in Kaluga was authorized by German manufacturers.

The fact is that in our country, starting next year, officials are prohibited from buying cars not produced here. And the fourth Audi is quite popular among politicians.

The new production was announced back in August 2012. The chairman of the corporation said that Audi A4, A5 and A6 will be assembled in Russia.

The conveyor was resumed in 2013, when the company’s management came up with the idea to increase production. All parts were supplied to us from Germany, and we were only fastened together.

Then 570 million euros were invested in the plant. Due to inflation, they actually disappeared.

In the first two months of this year, Audi A4 sales in Russia decreased by 23%. The rest of the dynamics are being kept secret for now.

Characteristics of the Audi A4 for our market

The trunk volume is 480 liters. This is quite a lot for such a model. Electric parking brake. It is activated by a button near the gear selector.

The weak point of the car is the gasoline engine. He has chain stretching. The optics may also fail. Especially the front one. The LEDs at the back burn out.

Thanks to their high-quality assembly, Audi cars are among the most reliable used cars. The company has a very memorable logo consisting of four rings. The competition consists of two companies - BMW and Mercedes Benz. The feud began in 2006 with the release of BMW's congratulatory video for Audi's victory in the South African Best Car category.

Story

The Audi company was born in 1909, ahead of its main competitors. The headquarters of the concern is located in Ingolstadt.

Cars currently in production were originally produced under the Auto Union brand. The company's takeoff occurred after World War II thanks to the purchase of all shares by Daimler-Benz AG. In 1964, Auto Union became a subsidiary of Volkswagen. Thanks to their joint activities, the concern produced many iconic cars, such as the Audi 100 (popularly nicknamed the cigarette), Audi 80, Audi Q7 and many others.

The company is still not losing ground in the automotive market, producing more and more premium cars, an example of which is the new Audi A8.

Where are Audis assembled?

Volkswagen manages all production tasks as it is the parent company. Car production from Germany is dispersed throughout the world. Today it is located in more than 10 countries.

Germany. The company headquarters is located there. It is the main country of Audi assembly, the center of production and design. There are more than 10 workshops here, as well as engineering centers.
Argentina. Produces cars for the South American automobile market.
China. Many components are produced in Chinese factories (engine, suspension, body).
USA. The largest production and design complex is located here.
Brazil. There are five factories producing cars for the South American automobile industry.
South Africa. Almost all models for the African automobile industry are produced here.
Slovakia. Much design work is carried out in this country.
India. There is a production facility here that produces certain models. For the most part, they are cheaper than German-made cars.

The production of cars from Germany under the Audi brand is carried out according to all the canons of German assembly. We can highlight the main features and principles of the design and production of Audi cars:

the best quality and complete elimination of the possibility of defective parts;
constant testing of cars for safety, maneuverability, technical qualities and much more;
production is fully automated, manual assembly is not present at any Audi plant;
production is controlled by experts with many years of experience;
the ability to choose interior finishing options, vehicle functionality, technical characteristics and much more;
constant development of production, adaptation to modern technologies.

Model range and prices for Audi

For 2018, the company produces cars of different price categories, functionality and technical characteristics. List of the latest model range and prices for Audi:

"Audi A7" Sportback: a sports sedan with a rounded rear, updated optics. Popular colors: blue. The cost depends on the configuration: 4,300,000 - 5,000,000 rubles.
"Audi-RS4" Avant: a station wagon of the RS line, which has received an updated design and technical components. The cost of the car is 5,400,000 rubles.;
"Audi A8": a premium sedan, received a new interior and exterior design. The most noticeable change was the grille. The price varies from 6,000,000 to 7,140,000 rubles depending on the configuration.
Audi Q7: a premium SUV that has received new LED optics, a radiator grille, and an updated interior. The price ranges from 3,870,000 to 5,200,000 rubles.

New Audi cars

Today, all Audi models are produced for no more than five years, then they are replaced by new ones. Over the past three years, the interior design of the cars has been completely redesigned. Since 2018, the interior has received more interactive touch displays, as, for example, in the Audi A8, where one display is responsible for the interior functionality, the second for navigation and multimedia, and the third for the dashboard.

A new model has also appeared in the RS line - the Audi RS6, which received a matte gray design and also became one of the most powerful and fastest cars from Audi.

The new A8 has received an updated appearance, interior, functionality and technical specifications. Now this car is not inferior to the premium cars of the seventh series BMW and the S-class Mercedes.

Also in 2019, it is planned to release the new Q8, which should be presented to the public in Germany, where Audi is assembled.

The most popular Audi cars

The popularity of the Audi company was brought by its many cars, as well as the fact that even twenty-year-old cars are reliable and serve the car owner without serious breakdowns. The most popular models were “Audi-100”, “Audi-80”, “Audi-Q7”, as well as new models: “Audi-A8”, “Audi-R8”, and “Audi-RS6”, which turned out not only an ordinary station wagon, but also an excellent sports car.

The most popular cars on Russian roads are the 1996-2002 Audi A6 in a station wagon.

After increasing demand for the coupe, Audi updated the A6 version, dividing it into a sedan, station wagon and coupe, the version of the latter became known as the Audi A5.

Audi assembly in Russia

Audi cars are produced in many countries. In Russia, where Audis are assembled for the Russian market, they also have their own production workshops.

Only one model is produced in Kaluga - the Audi Q7. Before this, Russian-assembled Audis were produced in a large range of models, but production decreased due to low demand for these cars in the Russian market, as well as due to the depreciation of the ruble.

Models such as A1, P8, A8, TT and convertibles of the third and fifth versions were withdrawn from production in Russia due to new requirements of Russian legislation, according to which new cars must be equipped with the ERA-GLONASS system. But, due to Audi's policy, this is not possible.

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