The History of Audi Cars

August Horch founded Audi (the Latin name for Horch) and the first model Audi type B went into production in 1910. In 1932 Audi merged with three other car companies to form Auto Union. Auto Union used four interlinking rings that represented the four merged companies on their badge and the symbol is still used on Audi models today. They produced a six cylinder, front wheel drive called the Audi Front. During the 1930’s due to economic pressure Auto Union concentrated on smaller cars and like most car manufacturers changed over to producing military hardware during World War Two. The Russian Army dismantled the Auto Union factories in East Germany after the war but in 1949 Auto Union was re launched in West Germany producing front wheel drive, two stroke models. Daimler-Benz bought Auto Union in the late 1950’s and later in 1964 Volkswagen bought 50% of the company so they could use the factories to produce the Beetle Car models. In 1969 Auto Union merged with NSU who focused on the development of the doomed to fail Wankel rotary engine. Meanwhile Volkswagen produced the first car under the Audi banner since before the war and called it the Audi 100 swiftly followed by the Audi 80 Fox and the Audi 50. These car models eventually became the Volkswagen Passat, Polo and Golf. In 1980 Audi released the awesome 4 wheel drive, turbocharged Audi Quattro which dominated Rally racing at the time and gave the Audi Brand a name associated with technological advances. Audi have also done tremendously well at Le Mans through out the 2000’s. Audi produce some amazing cars today including the Audi TT and the Audi R8 as well as their fleet of A3, s, 4’s and 5’s etc. Many of these models are available in die cast metal in 1/18^th scale. Audi diecast model cars.