What Audi REALLY means?
#1
06-27-2006, 04:43 AM
What Audi REALLY means?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi
"August Horch was forced to refrain from using his own family name in his new car business. As the word "horch!" translates to "listen!" in German, August Horch settled on the Latin equivalent of his name — "audi!". It is also popularly believed that Audi is an acronym which stands for "Auto Union Deutschland Ingolstadt"."
This was surprising to me, I always thought it was an acronym, I dunno, I just found that interesting.
"August Horch was forced to refrain from using his own family name in his new car business. As the word "horch!" translates to "listen!" in German, August Horch settled on the Latin equivalent of his name — "audi!". It is also popularly believed that Audi is an acronym which stands for "Auto Union Deutschland Ingolstadt"."
This was surprising to me, I always thought it was an acronym, I dunno, I just found that interesting.
#3
06-27-2006, 01:59 PM
RE: What Audi REALLY means?
Audi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Audi is a German automobile maker with headquarters in Ingolstadt, Bavaria. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group.
Audi's German tagline is "Vorsprung durch Technik"; this is used either untranslated or in its English translation, "Advancement through Technology".
Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 The origins of Audi
1.2 The Auto Union era
1.3 Pause and a new start
1.4 The modern era of Audi
2 Auto racing
2.1 Rallying
2.2 Motorsports in the USA
2.3 Touring cars
2.4 Sports car racing
3 Technology
4 Models
4.1 Production cars
4.2 Historical models
4.3 Future models
4.4 Concepts
5 See also
6 External links
[edit]
History
Press photograph of the then newly merged Audi NSU range, 1969.[edit]
The origins of Audi
The company traces its origins back to 1899 and August Horch. The first Horch automobile was produced in 1901 in Zwickau. In 1910, Horch was forced out of the company he had founded. He then started a new company in Zwickau and continued using the Horch brand. His former partners sued him for trademark infringement and a German court determined that the Horch brand belonged to his former company. August Horch was forced to refrain from using his own family name in his new car business. As the word "horch!" translates to "listen!" in German, August Horch settled on the Latin equivalent of his name — "audi!". It is also popularly believed that Audi is an acronym which stands for "Auto Union Deutschland Ingolstadt". Audi produces over 2 million vehicles annually at its main production site in Ingolstadt. Audi has another production plant in Neckarsulm.
Audi started with a 2612 cc (2.6 Liter) model followed by a four cylinder model with 3564 cc (3.6 L), as well as 4680 cc(4.7 L) and 5720 cc(5.7L) models. These cars were successful even in sporting events. August Horch left the Audi company in 1920. The first six cylinder model ,4655 cc(4.7 L) appeared in 1924. In 1928, the company was acquired by J S Rasmussen, owner of DKW, who bought the same year the remains of the US automobile manufacturer, Rickenbacker including the manufacturing equipment for eight cylinder engines. These engines were used in Audi Zwickau and Audi Dresden models that were launched in 1929. At the same time, six cylinder and a small four cylinder (licensed from Peugeot) models were manufactured. Audi cars of that era were luxurious cars equipped with special bodywork.
[edit]
The Auto Union era
The SDKFZ 222 armored carIn 1932 Audi merged with Horch, DKW and Wanderer to form the Auto Union. Before World War II, Auto Union used the four interlinked rings that make up the Audi badge today, representing these four brands. This badge was used, however, only on Auto Union racing cars in that period while the member companies used their own names and emblems. The technological development became more and more concentrated and some Audi models were propelled by Horch or Wanderer built engines. During World War II the Horch/ Auto Union produced the SDKFZ 222 armored car. Which was used mostly in the Polish Blitzkreig conquest and Northern Africa. It was powered by an 81 hp Horch/ Auto Union V8 Engine. Which had a top speed of 50 MPH
Another Vehicle which was Used in World War II to shuttle German military officials safely was known as the Kraftfahzeuf (KFZ 11) or the horch type 80... The Military used it as a light transport vehicle which was used early in the German Conquests of Poland.
[edit]
Pause and a new start
Auto Union plants were heavily bombed and partly destroyed during World War II. After the war, Zwickau soon became part of the German Democratic Republic and Auto Union headquarters were relocated to Ingolstadt in 1949. In that period, the four interlinked rings were used together with the DKW badge. The company focused efforts on the DKW brand, but their two-stroke engines became unpopular. In 1958, Daimler-Benz acquired 88 per cent of Auto Union and the next year became its sole owner. Daimler-Benz developed a 72 hp (54 kW) four-door sedan, with a modern four stroke engine driving the front wheels. This model (later known as the Audi 72) appeared in September 1965, "relaunching" the Audi brand. Daimler-Benz sold the company to Volkswagen in 1964; subsequently, Volkswagen's purchase of Auto Union has led to the modernization of VW to which it gained expertise in manufacturing water-cooled vehicles. As of December 23, 2005, VW no longer places previously produced aircooled powerplants into production vehicles.
Audi 60 (1968 — 1972)In 1969, Audi merged with NSU, based in Neckarsulm near Stuttgart. In the 1950s NSU had been the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles but had moved on to produce small cars like the NSU Prinz (the TT and TTS versions are still popular as vintage race cars). NSU then focused on new rotary engines according to the ideas of Felix Wankel. In 1967, the new NSU Ro 80 was a space-age car well ahead of its time in technical details such as aerodynamics, light weight, safety, et cetera, but teething problems with the rotary engines put an end to the independence of NSU. Presently several lines of Audi cars are produced in Neckarsulm.
The mid-sized car that NSU had been working on, the K70, was intended to slot between the rear-engined Prinz models and the futuristic Ro 80. However, Volkswagen took the K70 for its own range, spelling the end of NSU as a separate brand.
[edit]
The modern era of Audi
Audi Quattro
Audi TTThe first Audi of the modern era was the Audi 100 of 1968. This was soon joined by the Audi 80/Fox (which formed the basis for the 1973 Volkswagen Passat) in 1972 and the Audi 50 (later, rebadged as the Volkswagen Polo) in 1974.
The Audi image at this time was a conservative one, and so, a proposal from chassis engineer Jorg Bensinger was accepted to develop the four-wheel drive technology in Volkswagen's Iltis military vehicle for an Audi performance car and rally racing car. The performance car was named the "Quattro," a turbocharged coupé which was also the first large-scale production vehicle to feature full-time all-wheel drive through a center differential (not counting the earlier Jensen FF, produced in small numbers). Commonly referred to as the "Ur-Quattro" (the "Ur-" prefix is a German augmentative used, in this case, to mean "original" and is also applied to the first generation of Audi's S4 and S6 sport sedans, as in "UrS4" and "UrS6"), few of these vehicles were produced (all hand-built by a single team) but the model was a great success in rallying. Prominent wins proved the viability of all-wheel drive racecars, and the Audi name became associated with advances in automotive technology,
In 1986, as the Passat-based Audi 80 was beginning to develop a kind of "grandfather's car" image, the type 89 was introduced. This completely new development sold extremely well. However, its modern and dynamic exterior belied the low performance of its base engine, and its base package was quite spartan (even the passenger-side mirror was an option.) In 1987, Audi put forward a new and very elegant Audi 90, which had a much superior set of standard features. In the early nineties, sales began to slump for the Audi 80 series, and some basic construction problems started to surface.
This decline in sales was not helped in the USA by a 60 Minutes report which purported to show that Audi automobiles suffered from "unintended acceleration". The 60 Minutes report was based on customer reports of acceleration when the brake pedal was pushed. Independent investigators concluded that this was most likely due to a close placement of the accelerator and brake pedals (unlike American cars), and the inability, when not paying attention, to distinguish between the two. (In race cars, when manually downshifting under heavy braking, the accelerator has to be used in order to match revs properly, so both pedals have to be close to each other to be operated by the right foot at once, toes on the brake, heels on the gas. US citizens are used to automatic gearboxes and only two well-separated pedals). This did not become an issue in Europe, possibly due to more widespread experience among European drivers with manual transmissions.
60 Minutes ignored this fact and rigged a car to perform in an uncontrolled manner. The report immediately crushed Audi sales, and Audi renamed the affected model (The 5000 became the 100/200 in 1989, as in Germany and elsewhere). Audi had contemplated withdrawing from the American market until sales began to recover in the mid-1990s. The turning point for Audi was the sale of the new A4 in 1996, and with the release of the A4/6/8 series, which was developed together with VW and other sister brands (so called "platforms").
Currently, Audi's sales are growing strongly in Europe, and the company is renowned for having the best build quality of any mainstream auto manufacturer. 2004 marked the 11th straight increase in sales, selling 779,441 vehicles worldwide. Record figures were recorded from 21 out of about 50 major sales markets. The largest sales increases came from Eastern Europe (+19.3%), Africa (+17.2%) and the Middle East (+58.5%). In March of 2005, Audi is building its first two dealerships in India following its high increase in sales in that region. Though its brand still doesn't have the global cachet of Mercedes-Benz or BMW, Audi's reputation for quality and understated style has once again made it a highly desirable marque.
However, after 2003, with the release of the new A4, and in 2004 with the new A6, Audi's dedication to quality had finally paid off when it started to receive news reports and various vehicle critics praising Audis over Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
[edit]
Auto racing
Audi has competed in (and sometimes dominated) numerous forms of auto racing. Audi's rich tradition in motorsport began with the Auto Union in the 1930s. In the 1990s Audi dominated the Touring and Super Touring categories of motor racing after success in circuit racing Stateside.
[edit]
Rallying
In 1980 Audi released the Quattro, an all wheel drive turbocharged car that went on to win rallies and races worldwide. It is considered one of the most significant rally cars of all time because it was one of the first to take advantage of the then-recently changed rules which allowed the use of all-wheel-drive in competition racing. Many critics doubted the viability of all-wheel-drive racers, thinking them to be too heavy and complex, yet the Quattro was an instant success, winning its first rally on its first outing. It won competition after competition for the next two years.
In 1984 Audi launched the "Sport Quattro" car which dominated races in Monte Carlo and Sweden with Audi taking all podium finishes but succumbed to problems further into World Rally Championship contention. After another season mired in mediocre finishes, Walter Röhrl finished the season in his Sport Quattro S1 and helped place Audi second in the manufacturer's points. Audi also received rally honors in the Hong Kong to Beijing rally in that same year. Michèle Mouton, the first female WRC driver to win a championship and a driver for Audi, took the Sport Quattro S1, now simply called the S1 and raced in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. The climb race pits a driver and car to drive up a 4,302 meter high mountain in Colorado and in 1985, Michèle Mouton set a new record of 11:25.39 and being the first woman to set a Pikes Peak record. In 1986, Audi formally left international rally racing following an accident in Portugal involving driver Joaquim Santos in his Ford RS200. Santos swerved to avoid hitting spectators in the road, and left the track into the crowd of spectators on the side, killing three and injuring 30. Bobby Unser used an Audi in that same year to claim a new record for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb at 11:09.22.
[edit]
Motorsports in the USA
In 1987, Walter Röhrl claimed the title for Audi setting a new Pike's Peak record of 10:47.85 in his Audi S1 which he retired from the WRC two years earlier. The Audi S1 employed Audi's time-tested 5-cylinder turbo charged engine and generated over 600 hp (447 kW). The engine was mated to a 6-speed gearbox and ran on Audi's famous all-wheel drive system. All of Audi's top drivers drove this beast, Hannu Mikkola, Stig Blomqvist, Walter Röhrl and the female driver, Michèle Mouton. The Audi S1 enjoys a 0-60 mph (0-100 km/h) time of 2.3 s. This Audi S1 started the S-series of cars for Audi which now represents an increased level of sports options and quality to the Audi line up.
As Audi moved away from rallying and into circuit racing, they chose first into America with the Trans-Am in 1988,
In 1989, Audi moved to IMSA GTO with the 90, however as they avoided the two major endurance events (Daytona and Sebring) despite winning on a regular basis, they would lose out on the title.
[edit]
Touring cars
In 1990, having completed their objective to market cars in the United States, Audi returned to Europe turning first to the DTM series with the Audi V8, then in 1993, being unwilling to build cars for the new formula, they turned their attention to the fast growing Supertouring series, which took place nationally, first in the French Supertourisme and Italian Superturismo. In the following year, Audi would switched to the German Super Tourenwagen (known as STW) and then to BTCC (British Touring Car Championship) the year after that.
The FIA, having difficulty regulating the Quattro system and what impact it had on the competitors, would eventually ban all four wheel drive cars from competiting in 1998, by then Audi switched all their works efforts to sportscar racing.
By 2000, Audi would still compete in the US with their RS4 for the SCCA Speed World GT Challenge, through dealer/team Champion Racing competing against Corvettes, Vipers, and smaller BMWs (where it is one of the few series to permit 4WD cars). In 2003, Champion Racing entered an RS6. Once again, the quattro was superior and Champion Audi won the championship. They returned in 2004 to defend their title but a newcomer, Cadillac with the new Omega Chassis CTS-V, gave them a run for their money. After four victories in a row, the Audis were sanctioned with several negative changes that deeply affected the car's performance. Namely, added ballasts and Champion Audi deciding to go with different tires and backing off the turbos boost pressure.
In 2004, after years of competiting with the TT-R in the revitalised DTM series, with privateer team Abt Racing/Christian Abt taking the 2002 title with Laurent Aïello, Audi returned as a full factory effort to touring car racing by entering two factory supported Joest Racing A4s.
[edit]
Sports car racing
Beginning in 1999, Audi built the Audi R8 to compete in sports car racing, including the LMP900 class at the 24 hours of Le Mans. The factory supported Joest Racing team won at Le Mans three times in a row (2000 — 2002), as well as winning every race in the American Le Mans Series in its first year. Audi also sold the car to customer teams such as Champion Racing. In 2003, two Bentley Speed 8s, with engines designed by Audi and driven by Joest drivers loaned to the fellow VW company, competed in the GTP class and finished the race in the top two positions, while the Champion Racing R8 finished third overall and first in the LMP900 class. Audi returned to the winner's circle at the 2004 race, with the top three finishers all driving R8s: Audi Sport Japan Team Goh finished first, Audi Sport UK Veloqx second, and Champion Racing third.
At the 2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Champion Racing entered two R8s along with an R8 from the Audi PlayStation Team Oreca. The R8s (which were built to old LMP900 regulations) received a more narrow air inlet restrictor, cutting power, and an additional 50 kg of weight compared to the newer LMP1 chassis. On average, the R8s were about 2-3 seconds off pace compared to the Pescarolo-Judd. But with a team of excellent drivers and experience, both Champion R8s were able to take first and third while the ORECA team took fourth. The Champion team was also the first American team to win Le Mans since the Gulf Ford GT's in 1967. This also ends the long era of the R8, however its replacement for 2006, called the Audi R10, was unveiled on December 13, 2005. the R10 employs many new features, including a twin-turbocharged diesel engine. Its first race was the 2006 12 Hours of Sebring as a race-test for the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans. Audi has been on the forefront of motorsports claiming a historic win in the first ever diesel sports car at 12 Hours of Sebring. Audi has achieved the title as the most dominant motor sport power since the start of the 21st Century continuing its long and storied motor sport heritage.
[edit]
Technology
Audi is the only car manufacturer that produces 100% galvanized vehicles to prevent corrosion. Along with other precautionary measures, the thus achieved full-body zinc coating has proved to be very effective in preventing rust and corrosion perforation. The body's resulting durability even surpassed Audi's own expectations, causing the manufacturer to extend its original 10-year warranty against corrosion perforation to currently 12 years. An all-aluminium car was brought forward by Audi, and in 1994 the Audi A8 was launched, which introduced aluminium space frame technology. Audi introduced a new series of vehicles in the mid-nineties and continues to pursue leading-edge technology and high performance.
The all-aluminium concept was extended to the company's new sub-compact, the Audi A2 which was launched in 2001.
In the 1970s, some vehicle manufacturers including Audi (and Subaru) designed their own all wheel drive systems in passenger vehicles. In the 1980s, all-wheel drive systems in cars became a fad, and other manufacturers like Porsche and Mercedes-Benz offered all-wheel drive systems in their cars to compete in the marketplace. Unfortunately, the all-wheel drive system in the Mercedes-Benz vehicles were riddled with problems right from the design sheet. The system also was not popular in Porsche vehicles because owners wanted the traditional performance of the rear wheel drive they got used to in older Porsches. Although Porsche and Mercedes-Benz offer all-wheel-drive systems in some cars and trucks today, neither manufacturer is as well-known for all-wheel-drive technology as is Audi. Today, after many decades of class-leading technology and engineering, the name quattro is an identifiable symbol and trademark that shows would-be competitors the level of quality they have to achieve in order to attempt to compete with Audi.
In the 1980s, Audi was the champion of the inline 5 cylinder, 2.1/2.2 L engine as a longer lasting alternative to more traditional 6 cylinder engines. This engine was used in not only production cars but also their race cars. The 2.1L inline 5 cylinder engine was used as a base for the rally cars in the 1980s, providing well over 400 horsepower (298kW) after modification. Before 1990, there were engines produced with a displacement between 2.0L and 2.3 L. This range of engine capacity was a good combination of good fuel economy which was on the mind of every motorist in the 1980s and, of course, a good amount of power.
Through the early 1990s, Audi began to move more towards the position of being a real competitor in its target market against Mercedes-Benz and BMW. This began with the release of the Audi V8 in 1990. It was essentially a new engine fitted to the Audi 100/200, but with noticeable bodywork differences. Most obvious was the new grille that was now incorprated in the bonnet.
By 1991, Audi had the 4 cylinder Audi 80, the 5 cylinder Audi 90 and Audi 100, the turbocharged Audi 200 and the Audi V8. There was also a coupe version of the 80/90 with both 4 and 5 cylinder engines.
Although the five cylinder engine was a successful and very robust powerplant, it was still a little too different for the target market. With the introduction of an all-new Audi 100 in 1992, Audi introduced a 2.8l V6 engine. This engine was also fitted to a face-lifted Audi 80 (all 80 and 90 models were now badged 80 except for the USA), giving this model a choice of 4, 5 and 6 cylinder engines, in sedan, coupe and cabriolet body styles.
The 5 cylinder was soon dropped as a major engine choice, however a turbocharged 230hp (169kW) version remained. The engine, initially fitted to the 200 quattro 20V of 1991, was a derivative of the engine fitted to the Sport Quattro. It was fitted to the Audi Coupe and named the S2 and also to the Audi 100 body, and named the S4. These two models were the beginning of the mass produced S series of performance cars.
The Audi A8 replaced the V8 in 1994, with a revolutionary Aluminium Space Frame (ASF) to save weight. The weight reduction was offset by the quattro all-wheel drive system, however it meant the car had similar performance to its rivals, but far superior handling.
The next major model change was in 1995 when the Audi A4 replaced the Audi 80. The new nomenclature scheme was applied to the Audi 100 to become the Audi A6 (with a minor facelift). This also meant the S4 became the S6 and a new S4 was introduced in the A4 body. The S2 was discontinued. The Audi Cabriolet continued on (based on the Audi 80 platform) until 1999, gaining the engine upgrades along the way. A new A3 hatchback model (sharing the Volkswagen Golf Mk.4's platform) was introduced to the range in 1996, and the radical TT coupe and roadster were debuted in 1998 based on the same underpinnings. Another interesting model introduced was the Mercedes-Benz A-Class competitor, the Audi A2. The model sold relatively well in Europe, however, the A2 was discontinued in 2005 and Audi decided not to develop an immediate replacement.
The engines available throughout the range were now a 1.4 L, 1.6L and 1.8L 4 cylinder, 1.8 turbo, 2.6L and 2.8L V6, 2.2L turbo-charged 5 cylinder and the 4.2L V8. The V6's were replaced by new 2.4 and 2.8L 30V V6's in 1998, with marked improvement in power, torque and smoothness. Further engines were added along the way, including a 3.7L V8 and 6.0L W12 for the A8.
At the turn of the century, Audi introduced the direct shift gearbox (DSG), a manual transmission driveable like an automatic transmission. The system includes dual electrohydraulically controlled clutches instead of a torque converter. This is implemented in some Volkswagen Golf, Audi A3 and TT models. The engine range was continually upgraded, with a 2.7L twin turbo V6 being offered in the Audi S4, A6 and allroad, the 2.8L V6 was replaced by a 3.0L unit.
New models of the A3, A4, A6 and A8 have been introduced, with the 1.8L engine now 2.0L and the 3.0L V6 is now 3.2L in size. Audi has now introduced FSI on some of their engines, including the 1.6L 4 cylinder, a new 2.0L (Audi was the first manufacturer in the world to utilize a turbo charger and FSI on the same powerplant), and the 3.2L V6. This is a direct fuel-injection technique that Audi had also used on its diesel engines since the early 1980s.
As a premium member of the VW Group, technologies are frequently first introduced to the mass market in Audi vehicles before being 'trickled down' to more value oriented brands such as VW, SEAT and Å*koda. Recent examples of this include DSG and FSI.
Audi now has an impressive range of cars, engines and transmissions available, which continue to lead the way and introduce new technologies into the market
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Audi is a German automobile maker with headquarters in Ingolstadt, Bavaria. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group.
Audi's German tagline is "Vorsprung durch Technik"; this is used either untranslated or in its English translation, "Advancement through Technology".
Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 The origins of Audi
1.2 The Auto Union era
1.3 Pause and a new start
1.4 The modern era of Audi
2 Auto racing
2.1 Rallying
2.2 Motorsports in the USA
2.3 Touring cars
2.4 Sports car racing
3 Technology
4 Models
4.1 Production cars
4.2 Historical models
4.3 Future models
4.4 Concepts
5 See also
6 External links
[edit]
History
Press photograph of the then newly merged Audi NSU range, 1969.[edit]
The origins of Audi
The company traces its origins back to 1899 and August Horch. The first Horch automobile was produced in 1901 in Zwickau. In 1910, Horch was forced out of the company he had founded. He then started a new company in Zwickau and continued using the Horch brand. His former partners sued him for trademark infringement and a German court determined that the Horch brand belonged to his former company. August Horch was forced to refrain from using his own family name in his new car business. As the word "horch!" translates to "listen!" in German, August Horch settled on the Latin equivalent of his name — "audi!". It is also popularly believed that Audi is an acronym which stands for "Auto Union Deutschland Ingolstadt". Audi produces over 2 million vehicles annually at its main production site in Ingolstadt. Audi has another production plant in Neckarsulm.
Audi started with a 2612 cc (2.6 Liter) model followed by a four cylinder model with 3564 cc (3.6 L), as well as 4680 cc(4.7 L) and 5720 cc(5.7L) models. These cars were successful even in sporting events. August Horch left the Audi company in 1920. The first six cylinder model ,4655 cc(4.7 L) appeared in 1924. In 1928, the company was acquired by J S Rasmussen, owner of DKW, who bought the same year the remains of the US automobile manufacturer, Rickenbacker including the manufacturing equipment for eight cylinder engines. These engines were used in Audi Zwickau and Audi Dresden models that were launched in 1929. At the same time, six cylinder and a small four cylinder (licensed from Peugeot) models were manufactured. Audi cars of that era were luxurious cars equipped with special bodywork.
[edit]
The Auto Union era
The SDKFZ 222 armored carIn 1932 Audi merged with Horch, DKW and Wanderer to form the Auto Union. Before World War II, Auto Union used the four interlinked rings that make up the Audi badge today, representing these four brands. This badge was used, however, only on Auto Union racing cars in that period while the member companies used their own names and emblems. The technological development became more and more concentrated and some Audi models were propelled by Horch or Wanderer built engines. During World War II the Horch/ Auto Union produced the SDKFZ 222 armored car. Which was used mostly in the Polish Blitzkreig conquest and Northern Africa. It was powered by an 81 hp Horch/ Auto Union V8 Engine. Which had a top speed of 50 MPH
Another Vehicle which was Used in World War II to shuttle German military officials safely was known as the Kraftfahzeuf (KFZ 11) or the horch type 80... The Military used it as a light transport vehicle which was used early in the German Conquests of Poland.
[edit]
Pause and a new start
Auto Union plants were heavily bombed and partly destroyed during World War II. After the war, Zwickau soon became part of the German Democratic Republic and Auto Union headquarters were relocated to Ingolstadt in 1949. In that period, the four interlinked rings were used together with the DKW badge. The company focused efforts on the DKW brand, but their two-stroke engines became unpopular. In 1958, Daimler-Benz acquired 88 per cent of Auto Union and the next year became its sole owner. Daimler-Benz developed a 72 hp (54 kW) four-door sedan, with a modern four stroke engine driving the front wheels. This model (later known as the Audi 72) appeared in September 1965, "relaunching" the Audi brand. Daimler-Benz sold the company to Volkswagen in 1964; subsequently, Volkswagen's purchase of Auto Union has led to the modernization of VW to which it gained expertise in manufacturing water-cooled vehicles. As of December 23, 2005, VW no longer places previously produced aircooled powerplants into production vehicles.
Audi 60 (1968 — 1972)In 1969, Audi merged with NSU, based in Neckarsulm near Stuttgart. In the 1950s NSU had been the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles but had moved on to produce small cars like the NSU Prinz (the TT and TTS versions are still popular as vintage race cars). NSU then focused on new rotary engines according to the ideas of Felix Wankel. In 1967, the new NSU Ro 80 was a space-age car well ahead of its time in technical details such as aerodynamics, light weight, safety, et cetera, but teething problems with the rotary engines put an end to the independence of NSU. Presently several lines of Audi cars are produced in Neckarsulm.
The mid-sized car that NSU had been working on, the K70, was intended to slot between the rear-engined Prinz models and the futuristic Ro 80. However, Volkswagen took the K70 for its own range, spelling the end of NSU as a separate brand.
[edit]
The modern era of Audi
Audi Quattro
Audi TTThe first Audi of the modern era was the Audi 100 of 1968. This was soon joined by the Audi 80/Fox (which formed the basis for the 1973 Volkswagen Passat) in 1972 and the Audi 50 (later, rebadged as the Volkswagen Polo) in 1974.
The Audi image at this time was a conservative one, and so, a proposal from chassis engineer Jorg Bensinger was accepted to develop the four-wheel drive technology in Volkswagen's Iltis military vehicle for an Audi performance car and rally racing car. The performance car was named the "Quattro," a turbocharged coupé which was also the first large-scale production vehicle to feature full-time all-wheel drive through a center differential (not counting the earlier Jensen FF, produced in small numbers). Commonly referred to as the "Ur-Quattro" (the "Ur-" prefix is a German augmentative used, in this case, to mean "original" and is also applied to the first generation of Audi's S4 and S6 sport sedans, as in "UrS4" and "UrS6"), few of these vehicles were produced (all hand-built by a single team) but the model was a great success in rallying. Prominent wins proved the viability of all-wheel drive racecars, and the Audi name became associated with advances in automotive technology,
In 1986, as the Passat-based Audi 80 was beginning to develop a kind of "grandfather's car" image, the type 89 was introduced. This completely new development sold extremely well. However, its modern and dynamic exterior belied the low performance of its base engine, and its base package was quite spartan (even the passenger-side mirror was an option.) In 1987, Audi put forward a new and very elegant Audi 90, which had a much superior set of standard features. In the early nineties, sales began to slump for the Audi 80 series, and some basic construction problems started to surface.
This decline in sales was not helped in the USA by a 60 Minutes report which purported to show that Audi automobiles suffered from "unintended acceleration". The 60 Minutes report was based on customer reports of acceleration when the brake pedal was pushed. Independent investigators concluded that this was most likely due to a close placement of the accelerator and brake pedals (unlike American cars), and the inability, when not paying attention, to distinguish between the two. (In race cars, when manually downshifting under heavy braking, the accelerator has to be used in order to match revs properly, so both pedals have to be close to each other to be operated by the right foot at once, toes on the brake, heels on the gas. US citizens are used to automatic gearboxes and only two well-separated pedals). This did not become an issue in Europe, possibly due to more widespread experience among European drivers with manual transmissions.
60 Minutes ignored this fact and rigged a car to perform in an uncontrolled manner. The report immediately crushed Audi sales, and Audi renamed the affected model (The 5000 became the 100/200 in 1989, as in Germany and elsewhere). Audi had contemplated withdrawing from the American market until sales began to recover in the mid-1990s. The turning point for Audi was the sale of the new A4 in 1996, and with the release of the A4/6/8 series, which was developed together with VW and other sister brands (so called "platforms").
Currently, Audi's sales are growing strongly in Europe, and the company is renowned for having the best build quality of any mainstream auto manufacturer. 2004 marked the 11th straight increase in sales, selling 779,441 vehicles worldwide. Record figures were recorded from 21 out of about 50 major sales markets. The largest sales increases came from Eastern Europe (+19.3%), Africa (+17.2%) and the Middle East (+58.5%). In March of 2005, Audi is building its first two dealerships in India following its high increase in sales in that region. Though its brand still doesn't have the global cachet of Mercedes-Benz or BMW, Audi's reputation for quality and understated style has once again made it a highly desirable marque.
However, after 2003, with the release of the new A4, and in 2004 with the new A6, Audi's dedication to quality had finally paid off when it started to receive news reports and various vehicle critics praising Audis over Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
[edit]
Auto racing
Audi has competed in (and sometimes dominated) numerous forms of auto racing. Audi's rich tradition in motorsport began with the Auto Union in the 1930s. In the 1990s Audi dominated the Touring and Super Touring categories of motor racing after success in circuit racing Stateside.
[edit]
Rallying
In 1980 Audi released the Quattro, an all wheel drive turbocharged car that went on to win rallies and races worldwide. It is considered one of the most significant rally cars of all time because it was one of the first to take advantage of the then-recently changed rules which allowed the use of all-wheel-drive in competition racing. Many critics doubted the viability of all-wheel-drive racers, thinking them to be too heavy and complex, yet the Quattro was an instant success, winning its first rally on its first outing. It won competition after competition for the next two years.
In 1984 Audi launched the "Sport Quattro" car which dominated races in Monte Carlo and Sweden with Audi taking all podium finishes but succumbed to problems further into World Rally Championship contention. After another season mired in mediocre finishes, Walter Röhrl finished the season in his Sport Quattro S1 and helped place Audi second in the manufacturer's points. Audi also received rally honors in the Hong Kong to Beijing rally in that same year. Michèle Mouton, the first female WRC driver to win a championship and a driver for Audi, took the Sport Quattro S1, now simply called the S1 and raced in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. The climb race pits a driver and car to drive up a 4,302 meter high mountain in Colorado and in 1985, Michèle Mouton set a new record of 11:25.39 and being the first woman to set a Pikes Peak record. In 1986, Audi formally left international rally racing following an accident in Portugal involving driver Joaquim Santos in his Ford RS200. Santos swerved to avoid hitting spectators in the road, and left the track into the crowd of spectators on the side, killing three and injuring 30. Bobby Unser used an Audi in that same year to claim a new record for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb at 11:09.22.
[edit]
Motorsports in the USA
In 1987, Walter Röhrl claimed the title for Audi setting a new Pike's Peak record of 10:47.85 in his Audi S1 which he retired from the WRC two years earlier. The Audi S1 employed Audi's time-tested 5-cylinder turbo charged engine and generated over 600 hp (447 kW). The engine was mated to a 6-speed gearbox and ran on Audi's famous all-wheel drive system. All of Audi's top drivers drove this beast, Hannu Mikkola, Stig Blomqvist, Walter Röhrl and the female driver, Michèle Mouton. The Audi S1 enjoys a 0-60 mph (0-100 km/h) time of 2.3 s. This Audi S1 started the S-series of cars for Audi which now represents an increased level of sports options and quality to the Audi line up.
As Audi moved away from rallying and into circuit racing, they chose first into America with the Trans-Am in 1988,
In 1989, Audi moved to IMSA GTO with the 90, however as they avoided the two major endurance events (Daytona and Sebring) despite winning on a regular basis, they would lose out on the title.
[edit]
Touring cars
In 1990, having completed their objective to market cars in the United States, Audi returned to Europe turning first to the DTM series with the Audi V8, then in 1993, being unwilling to build cars for the new formula, they turned their attention to the fast growing Supertouring series, which took place nationally, first in the French Supertourisme and Italian Superturismo. In the following year, Audi would switched to the German Super Tourenwagen (known as STW) and then to BTCC (British Touring Car Championship) the year after that.
The FIA, having difficulty regulating the Quattro system and what impact it had on the competitors, would eventually ban all four wheel drive cars from competiting in 1998, by then Audi switched all their works efforts to sportscar racing.
By 2000, Audi would still compete in the US with their RS4 for the SCCA Speed World GT Challenge, through dealer/team Champion Racing competing against Corvettes, Vipers, and smaller BMWs (where it is one of the few series to permit 4WD cars). In 2003, Champion Racing entered an RS6. Once again, the quattro was superior and Champion Audi won the championship. They returned in 2004 to defend their title but a newcomer, Cadillac with the new Omega Chassis CTS-V, gave them a run for their money. After four victories in a row, the Audis were sanctioned with several negative changes that deeply affected the car's performance. Namely, added ballasts and Champion Audi deciding to go with different tires and backing off the turbos boost pressure.
In 2004, after years of competiting with the TT-R in the revitalised DTM series, with privateer team Abt Racing/Christian Abt taking the 2002 title with Laurent Aïello, Audi returned as a full factory effort to touring car racing by entering two factory supported Joest Racing A4s.
[edit]
Sports car racing
Beginning in 1999, Audi built the Audi R8 to compete in sports car racing, including the LMP900 class at the 24 hours of Le Mans. The factory supported Joest Racing team won at Le Mans three times in a row (2000 — 2002), as well as winning every race in the American Le Mans Series in its first year. Audi also sold the car to customer teams such as Champion Racing. In 2003, two Bentley Speed 8s, with engines designed by Audi and driven by Joest drivers loaned to the fellow VW company, competed in the GTP class and finished the race in the top two positions, while the Champion Racing R8 finished third overall and first in the LMP900 class. Audi returned to the winner's circle at the 2004 race, with the top three finishers all driving R8s: Audi Sport Japan Team Goh finished first, Audi Sport UK Veloqx second, and Champion Racing third.
At the 2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, Champion Racing entered two R8s along with an R8 from the Audi PlayStation Team Oreca. The R8s (which were built to old LMP900 regulations) received a more narrow air inlet restrictor, cutting power, and an additional 50 kg of weight compared to the newer LMP1 chassis. On average, the R8s were about 2-3 seconds off pace compared to the Pescarolo-Judd. But with a team of excellent drivers and experience, both Champion R8s were able to take first and third while the ORECA team took fourth. The Champion team was also the first American team to win Le Mans since the Gulf Ford GT's in 1967. This also ends the long era of the R8, however its replacement for 2006, called the Audi R10, was unveiled on December 13, 2005. the R10 employs many new features, including a twin-turbocharged diesel engine. Its first race was the 2006 12 Hours of Sebring as a race-test for the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans. Audi has been on the forefront of motorsports claiming a historic win in the first ever diesel sports car at 12 Hours of Sebring. Audi has achieved the title as the most dominant motor sport power since the start of the 21st Century continuing its long and storied motor sport heritage.
[edit]
Technology
Audi is the only car manufacturer that produces 100% galvanized vehicles to prevent corrosion. Along with other precautionary measures, the thus achieved full-body zinc coating has proved to be very effective in preventing rust and corrosion perforation. The body's resulting durability even surpassed Audi's own expectations, causing the manufacturer to extend its original 10-year warranty against corrosion perforation to currently 12 years. An all-aluminium car was brought forward by Audi, and in 1994 the Audi A8 was launched, which introduced aluminium space frame technology. Audi introduced a new series of vehicles in the mid-nineties and continues to pursue leading-edge technology and high performance.
The all-aluminium concept was extended to the company's new sub-compact, the Audi A2 which was launched in 2001.
In the 1970s, some vehicle manufacturers including Audi (and Subaru) designed their own all wheel drive systems in passenger vehicles. In the 1980s, all-wheel drive systems in cars became a fad, and other manufacturers like Porsche and Mercedes-Benz offered all-wheel drive systems in their cars to compete in the marketplace. Unfortunately, the all-wheel drive system in the Mercedes-Benz vehicles were riddled with problems right from the design sheet. The system also was not popular in Porsche vehicles because owners wanted the traditional performance of the rear wheel drive they got used to in older Porsches. Although Porsche and Mercedes-Benz offer all-wheel-drive systems in some cars and trucks today, neither manufacturer is as well-known for all-wheel-drive technology as is Audi. Today, after many decades of class-leading technology and engineering, the name quattro is an identifiable symbol and trademark that shows would-be competitors the level of quality they have to achieve in order to attempt to compete with Audi.
In the 1980s, Audi was the champion of the inline 5 cylinder, 2.1/2.2 L engine as a longer lasting alternative to more traditional 6 cylinder engines. This engine was used in not only production cars but also their race cars. The 2.1L inline 5 cylinder engine was used as a base for the rally cars in the 1980s, providing well over 400 horsepower (298kW) after modification. Before 1990, there were engines produced with a displacement between 2.0L and 2.3 L. This range of engine capacity was a good combination of good fuel economy which was on the mind of every motorist in the 1980s and, of course, a good amount of power.
Through the early 1990s, Audi began to move more towards the position of being a real competitor in its target market against Mercedes-Benz and BMW. This began with the release of the Audi V8 in 1990. It was essentially a new engine fitted to the Audi 100/200, but with noticeable bodywork differences. Most obvious was the new grille that was now incorprated in the bonnet.
By 1991, Audi had the 4 cylinder Audi 80, the 5 cylinder Audi 90 and Audi 100, the turbocharged Audi 200 and the Audi V8. There was also a coupe version of the 80/90 with both 4 and 5 cylinder engines.
Although the five cylinder engine was a successful and very robust powerplant, it was still a little too different for the target market. With the introduction of an all-new Audi 100 in 1992, Audi introduced a 2.8l V6 engine. This engine was also fitted to a face-lifted Audi 80 (all 80 and 90 models were now badged 80 except for the USA), giving this model a choice of 4, 5 and 6 cylinder engines, in sedan, coupe and cabriolet body styles.
The 5 cylinder was soon dropped as a major engine choice, however a turbocharged 230hp (169kW) version remained. The engine, initially fitted to the 200 quattro 20V of 1991, was a derivative of the engine fitted to the Sport Quattro. It was fitted to the Audi Coupe and named the S2 and also to the Audi 100 body, and named the S4. These two models were the beginning of the mass produced S series of performance cars.
The Audi A8 replaced the V8 in 1994, with a revolutionary Aluminium Space Frame (ASF) to save weight. The weight reduction was offset by the quattro all-wheel drive system, however it meant the car had similar performance to its rivals, but far superior handling.
The next major model change was in 1995 when the Audi A4 replaced the Audi 80. The new nomenclature scheme was applied to the Audi 100 to become the Audi A6 (with a minor facelift). This also meant the S4 became the S6 and a new S4 was introduced in the A4 body. The S2 was discontinued. The Audi Cabriolet continued on (based on the Audi 80 platform) until 1999, gaining the engine upgrades along the way. A new A3 hatchback model (sharing the Volkswagen Golf Mk.4's platform) was introduced to the range in 1996, and the radical TT coupe and roadster were debuted in 1998 based on the same underpinnings. Another interesting model introduced was the Mercedes-Benz A-Class competitor, the Audi A2. The model sold relatively well in Europe, however, the A2 was discontinued in 2005 and Audi decided not to develop an immediate replacement.
The engines available throughout the range were now a 1.4 L, 1.6L and 1.8L 4 cylinder, 1.8 turbo, 2.6L and 2.8L V6, 2.2L turbo-charged 5 cylinder and the 4.2L V8. The V6's were replaced by new 2.4 and 2.8L 30V V6's in 1998, with marked improvement in power, torque and smoothness. Further engines were added along the way, including a 3.7L V8 and 6.0L W12 for the A8.
At the turn of the century, Audi introduced the direct shift gearbox (DSG), a manual transmission driveable like an automatic transmission. The system includes dual electrohydraulically controlled clutches instead of a torque converter. This is implemented in some Volkswagen Golf, Audi A3 and TT models. The engine range was continually upgraded, with a 2.7L twin turbo V6 being offered in the Audi S4, A6 and allroad, the 2.8L V6 was replaced by a 3.0L unit.
New models of the A3, A4, A6 and A8 have been introduced, with the 1.8L engine now 2.0L and the 3.0L V6 is now 3.2L in size. Audi has now introduced FSI on some of their engines, including the 1.6L 4 cylinder, a new 2.0L (Audi was the first manufacturer in the world to utilize a turbo charger and FSI on the same powerplant), and the 3.2L V6. This is a direct fuel-injection technique that Audi had also used on its diesel engines since the early 1980s.
As a premium member of the VW Group, technologies are frequently first introduced to the mass market in Audi vehicles before being 'trickled down' to more value oriented brands such as VW, SEAT and Å*koda. Recent examples of this include DSG and FSI.
Audi now has an impressive range of cars, engines and transmissions available, which continue to lead the way and introduce new technologies into the market
#4
06-27-2006, 02:00 PM
RE: What Audi REALLY means?
Another interpetation
...what the name Audi means?
August Horch Contrary to what many people think, Audi is not an abbreviation for something to do with Auto Union.
In 1910, When August Horch quit his own company Horch and started a new one, he could no longer use his own last name as company name.
Heinrich Fikentscher, the 10-year-old son of Horch's business partner, came up with the brilliant suggestion to translate the name Horch, a German imperative form meaning "Listen!", into Latin - "Audi".
...................where the name "quattro" comes from?
It was Walter Treser, project leader, who got the idea after reading about a Jeep model with a transmission called "Quattratec". Another name suggestion was "Carat", meaning "CoupéAllRadAntriebTurbo". "Quattro" actually means "four" in Italian.
As an Audi trademark, "quattro" is always supposed to be written with lower case characters - that is, "quattro" and not "Quattro". ...
what the four Audi rings mean?
The Auto Union brands They symbolise the four German car manufacturers
Audi,
Horch,
DKW
Wanderer, who merged into the Auto Union in 1932. ..
............ ......that James Bond was once an Audi driver? Yes, in "The Living Daylights" from 1987, Timothy Dalton drove two silver grey Audi 200 quattros, one Avant and one sedan.
In an interview, Dalton complained about the lack of headroom for his tall body: "I think it's probably because everybody's gotten into this coefficient of drag, haven't they? So they try to streamline."
.................that there is a Chinese Audi-clone called Hongqi? Audi A6, Chinese edition Yes, the old Audi 100 type 44 was manufactured under license in China as a statesman limousine.
They were available in several shapes, some very similar to the original, some very altered, like the super-long, open-top limo. The later, re-styled version is similar to the Audi 100/A6 type C4, but with a quite different-looking radiator grille making it look more like a Hyundai in my opinion. Lately, the modern A6 is also duplicated, but under the Audi name and with only small alterations.
You can see some pictures of these cars here (you need to scroll down a bit) at the site Auto Soviet. By the way, "Hongqi" means "Red Flag".
......................that Audi were on their way to produce a motorbike? In 1976, the engineers at Audi were developing a 1300 cc motorbike, powered by the same engine as the Audi 50.
The project didn't go further than to one single prototype, though.
......................that already in 1933 came the first Audi with front-wheel-drive? Audi Front type UW, 1933 The Audi Front, as it was called, was a medium-sized car with a 2-litre, six-cylinder Wanderer engine. The small DKW F1 introduced front-wheel-drive even earlier, in 1929, and was driven by a 500 or 600 cc two-stroke engine.
It was the world's first mass-produced front-wheel drive car.
....................that Audi has a strong tradition of technical developments?
* Audi was at the forefront of introducing front-wheel-drive, especially in larger cars.
* Audi introduced the negative steering radius technique in 1972, a world first resulting in greater safety and stability.
* Audi produced the first five-cylinder petrol engine in 1976.
* Audi quattro was the first mass-produced performance car with permanent four-wheel-drive (even though it was by no means the first four-wheel-drive car - besides jeeps and trucks, a few Jensen Interceptors were made in the 1960s with 4WD, and Subaru has used engageable 4WD in all their models since 1973).
the 1980s.
* In 1986, Audi became the only car manufacturer besides Porsche with a fully galvanised body for rust resistance.
* Audi's unique safety system Procon-ten (Programmed Contraction/Tension) was introduced in 1987, where a mechanical system would tension the seat belts and pull the steering wheel away from the driver in the event of a serious crash.
* In 1994, the Audi A8 became the first mass-produced all-aluminium car.
* Five-valve technology, the W12 engine of the Audi A8 6.0 and the Multitronic continuous transmission represent some of the latest steps in Audi's technical evolution.
.... .............that the Audi motto has been quoted in pop lyrics? Paul van Dyk's album cover. Yes, the famous Vorsprung durch Technik - Advancement through Technology - can be heard in U2's "Zooropa" from 1994: "Zooropa - Vorsprung durch Technik. Zooropa - Be all that you can be." In the video for Blur's "Parklife", also from 1994, the text line "It's got nothing to do with that Vorsprung durch Technik you know" coincides with Damon Albarn and Phil Daniels pulling away from a red Audi Cab at a traffic light in their old Ford Granada.
1998, German trance DJ Paul van Dyk released an album called "Vorsprung Dyk Technik". ...............what FrontTrak is? In America, not only Audi's famous four-wheel-drive system quattro has a cool-sounding name of its own - the front-wheel-drive system is called FrontTrakâ„¢
...... .............that the first female winner of a world championship rally drove an Audi? Michèle Mouton
Michèle Mouton and her co-driver Fabrizia Pons took the victory in the Rally San Remo in 1981, driving an Audi quattro.
In 1982, she came second in the drivers' championship, while Audi managed to win the manufacturers' title.
..... .............that Audi were testing methanol fuel already in 1976? Methanol-driven Audi 100 Here is a picture of a methanol-driven Audi 100 from winter tests in Nikkaloukta in northernmost Sweden, performed by Audi and Volkswagen in 1976.
Both pure methanol and a mixture of 15% methanol and 85% petrol were tested.
...... ...........that Audi were about to equip the type 43 Audi 100 with a 170 hp Wankel engine?
NSU RO80 The Wankel or rotary-piston engine type was developed by NSU, and used in the futuristic sedan NSU RO80. However, the five-cylinder engine prevailed, and the last NSU was built in 1977.
..... .............where Audis are built? The Audi plant in Ingolstadt The pre-WW2 Audis were built in Zwickau in Saxony. After the war, an Auto Union spare parts depot was located in Ingolstadt, just north of Munich in Bavaria. That became the base for Auto Union's and later Audi's production. When Audi and NSU merged in 1969, the NSU plant in Neckarsulm was made available for Audi production, especially after the last NSU was produced in 1977.
Today, the main plants are still Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm, with the addition of an assembly plant in Györ in Hungary.
..... .............that not only Audi models have been produced in Audi factories? After the take-over by Volkswagen in 1965, the Ingolstadt plant was also used to assemble Volkswagen Beetles.
In the 1970s, the four-wheel-drive jeep VW Iltis was completely built in Ingolstadt, and Porsche 924s were built in Neckarsulm.
..... ...that Audi's station wagon or estate models weren't always called "Avant"? Audi 75 Variant, 1969 Avant, ususally meaning "before", "pre-" or "front-" (as in "avant garde"), was introduced in 1977 for the 5-door version of the Audi 100 type 43.
But Audi's first station wagon or estate car was the 3-door version of the Audi 60/75/80 model introduced in 1968. It was sold under the name Audi Variant, but in fact the first prototype went under the name Audi 80 Universal.
The next version was the 5-door Audi Fox Wagon or Audi 80 Estate, of the type B1 kind from 1973-79. This model was only sold in a few countries (Fox Wagon in the US, 80 Estate in the UK and South Africa), but was practically identical to the Volkswagen Passat Variant.
In the Audi spare parts database ETKA, it is named "Squareback", yet another name for this practical car type. ...some more movies with Audis in them?
* An Audi S8 is used in "Ronin" from 1998, starring Robert de Niro. At the beginning of the movie, wheelman Larry (actor Skipp Sudduth) is asked what kind of car he needs for an upcoming mercenary mission and he replies: "Something very fast. Audi S8, something that can shove a bit." After that, the S8 is involved in spectacular car chases before being demolished.
* In "Mission:Impossible 2" from 2000, Tom Cruise in a Porsche 911 races Thandie Newton in an Audi TT Roadster on winding mountain roads. Read more about Audi's involvement in this movie in this article from AudiWorld.
* In "The Insider" from 1999, Russel Crowe drives an Audi A4, but after he's lost his job and his money he has to trade it for an old Volvo.
* In "Lethal Weapon", one of the bad guys hijacks an Audi 5000 with the phrase: "Mind if I test-drive your Audi?" Later, he rolls up to an unsuspecting police officer and shoots him through the driver's window.
* Apparently, there is supposed to be an Audi involved in the French movie "A Man And A Woman - 20 Years Later" (original title: "Un Homme Et Une Femme - Vingt Ans DéjÃ*") from 1986, though I have not seen this movie myself.
* Nick Nolte plays a small town sheriff in "The Affliction". He's out driving with a friend when they meet a car on the highway. "That was my ex-wife in the Audi", the sheriff says, and his friend replies: "Audi's a good car!" They turn around and go back into town, where the sheriff ends up having an argument with his ex-wife in front of the silver Audi sedan (I've forgotten which model it was).
* In British thriller "Divorcing Jack" from 1998, the main character and his journalist colleague are driving a Ford Mondeo, when they notice that they're being followed by a type 43 Audi 100. The Audi starts chasing them and tries to push them off the road, but ends up crashing into a tractor.
* Fellow Audi-nut Tom Nas from The Netherlands told me these additional Audi-spottings: "Reading through your 'Audis in movies' notes, I can tell you that there's a red 5000 prominently starring in 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off',
a type 43 5000 in 'E.T.',
a type 82 in 'View To A Kill',
a Coupe GT in 'Patriot Games'
two Audis (4000 and 5000) in 'Independence Day',
a couple of Audis in 'Dumb and Dumber',
a Coupe GT in 'Goldeneye',
besides that S8 there's a type 44 100 and a type 81 80 in Ronin.
Now you know which tapes to rent when you're bored..." Thanks!
...what the name Audi means?
August Horch Contrary to what many people think, Audi is not an abbreviation for something to do with Auto Union.
In 1910, When August Horch quit his own company Horch and started a new one, he could no longer use his own last name as company name.
Heinrich Fikentscher, the 10-year-old son of Horch's business partner, came up with the brilliant suggestion to translate the name Horch, a German imperative form meaning "Listen!", into Latin - "Audi".
...................where the name "quattro" comes from?
It was Walter Treser, project leader, who got the idea after reading about a Jeep model with a transmission called "Quattratec". Another name suggestion was "Carat", meaning "CoupéAllRadAntriebTurbo". "Quattro" actually means "four" in Italian.
As an Audi trademark, "quattro" is always supposed to be written with lower case characters - that is, "quattro" and not "Quattro". ...
what the four Audi rings mean?
The Auto Union brands They symbolise the four German car manufacturers
Audi,
Horch,
DKW
Wanderer, who merged into the Auto Union in 1932. ..
............ ......that James Bond was once an Audi driver? Yes, in "The Living Daylights" from 1987, Timothy Dalton drove two silver grey Audi 200 quattros, one Avant and one sedan.
In an interview, Dalton complained about the lack of headroom for his tall body: "I think it's probably because everybody's gotten into this coefficient of drag, haven't they? So they try to streamline."
.................that there is a Chinese Audi-clone called Hongqi? Audi A6, Chinese edition Yes, the old Audi 100 type 44 was manufactured under license in China as a statesman limousine.
They were available in several shapes, some very similar to the original, some very altered, like the super-long, open-top limo. The later, re-styled version is similar to the Audi 100/A6 type C4, but with a quite different-looking radiator grille making it look more like a Hyundai in my opinion. Lately, the modern A6 is also duplicated, but under the Audi name and with only small alterations.
You can see some pictures of these cars here (you need to scroll down a bit) at the site Auto Soviet. By the way, "Hongqi" means "Red Flag".
......................that Audi were on their way to produce a motorbike? In 1976, the engineers at Audi were developing a 1300 cc motorbike, powered by the same engine as the Audi 50.
The project didn't go further than to one single prototype, though.
......................that already in 1933 came the first Audi with front-wheel-drive? Audi Front type UW, 1933 The Audi Front, as it was called, was a medium-sized car with a 2-litre, six-cylinder Wanderer engine. The small DKW F1 introduced front-wheel-drive even earlier, in 1929, and was driven by a 500 or 600 cc two-stroke engine.
It was the world's first mass-produced front-wheel drive car.
....................that Audi has a strong tradition of technical developments?
* Audi was at the forefront of introducing front-wheel-drive, especially in larger cars.
* Audi introduced the negative steering radius technique in 1972, a world first resulting in greater safety and stability.
* Audi produced the first five-cylinder petrol engine in 1976.
* Audi quattro was the first mass-produced performance car with permanent four-wheel-drive (even though it was by no means the first four-wheel-drive car - besides jeeps and trucks, a few Jensen Interceptors were made in the 1960s with 4WD, and Subaru has used engageable 4WD in all their models since 1973).
the 1980s.
* In 1986, Audi became the only car manufacturer besides Porsche with a fully galvanised body for rust resistance.
* Audi's unique safety system Procon-ten (Programmed Contraction/Tension) was introduced in 1987, where a mechanical system would tension the seat belts and pull the steering wheel away from the driver in the event of a serious crash.
* In 1994, the Audi A8 became the first mass-produced all-aluminium car.
* Five-valve technology, the W12 engine of the Audi A8 6.0 and the Multitronic continuous transmission represent some of the latest steps in Audi's technical evolution.
.... .............that the Audi motto has been quoted in pop lyrics? Paul van Dyk's album cover. Yes, the famous Vorsprung durch Technik - Advancement through Technology - can be heard in U2's "Zooropa" from 1994: "Zooropa - Vorsprung durch Technik. Zooropa - Be all that you can be." In the video for Blur's "Parklife", also from 1994, the text line "It's got nothing to do with that Vorsprung durch Technik you know" coincides with Damon Albarn and Phil Daniels pulling away from a red Audi Cab at a traffic light in their old Ford Granada.
1998, German trance DJ Paul van Dyk released an album called "Vorsprung Dyk Technik". ...............what FrontTrak is? In America, not only Audi's famous four-wheel-drive system quattro has a cool-sounding name of its own - the front-wheel-drive system is called FrontTrakâ„¢
...... .............that the first female winner of a world championship rally drove an Audi? Michèle Mouton
Michèle Mouton and her co-driver Fabrizia Pons took the victory in the Rally San Remo in 1981, driving an Audi quattro.
In 1982, she came second in the drivers' championship, while Audi managed to win the manufacturers' title.
..... .............that Audi were testing methanol fuel already in 1976? Methanol-driven Audi 100 Here is a picture of a methanol-driven Audi 100 from winter tests in Nikkaloukta in northernmost Sweden, performed by Audi and Volkswagen in 1976.
Both pure methanol and a mixture of 15% methanol and 85% petrol were tested.
...... ...........that Audi were about to equip the type 43 Audi 100 with a 170 hp Wankel engine?
NSU RO80 The Wankel or rotary-piston engine type was developed by NSU, and used in the futuristic sedan NSU RO80. However, the five-cylinder engine prevailed, and the last NSU was built in 1977.
..... .............where Audis are built? The Audi plant in Ingolstadt The pre-WW2 Audis were built in Zwickau in Saxony. After the war, an Auto Union spare parts depot was located in Ingolstadt, just north of Munich in Bavaria. That became the base for Auto Union's and later Audi's production. When Audi and NSU merged in 1969, the NSU plant in Neckarsulm was made available for Audi production, especially after the last NSU was produced in 1977.
Today, the main plants are still Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm, with the addition of an assembly plant in Györ in Hungary.
..... .............that not only Audi models have been produced in Audi factories? After the take-over by Volkswagen in 1965, the Ingolstadt plant was also used to assemble Volkswagen Beetles.
In the 1970s, the four-wheel-drive jeep VW Iltis was completely built in Ingolstadt, and Porsche 924s were built in Neckarsulm.
..... ...that Audi's station wagon or estate models weren't always called "Avant"? Audi 75 Variant, 1969 Avant, ususally meaning "before", "pre-" or "front-" (as in "avant garde"), was introduced in 1977 for the 5-door version of the Audi 100 type 43.
But Audi's first station wagon or estate car was the 3-door version of the Audi 60/75/80 model introduced in 1968. It was sold under the name Audi Variant, but in fact the first prototype went under the name Audi 80 Universal.
The next version was the 5-door Audi Fox Wagon or Audi 80 Estate, of the type B1 kind from 1973-79. This model was only sold in a few countries (Fox Wagon in the US, 80 Estate in the UK and South Africa), but was practically identical to the Volkswagen Passat Variant.
In the Audi spare parts database ETKA, it is named "Squareback", yet another name for this practical car type. ...some more movies with Audis in them?
* An Audi S8 is used in "Ronin" from 1998, starring Robert de Niro. At the beginning of the movie, wheelman Larry (actor Skipp Sudduth) is asked what kind of car he needs for an upcoming mercenary mission and he replies: "Something very fast. Audi S8, something that can shove a bit." After that, the S8 is involved in spectacular car chases before being demolished.
* In "Mission:Impossible 2" from 2000, Tom Cruise in a Porsche 911 races Thandie Newton in an Audi TT Roadster on winding mountain roads. Read more about Audi's involvement in this movie in this article from AudiWorld.
* In "The Insider" from 1999, Russel Crowe drives an Audi A4, but after he's lost his job and his money he has to trade it for an old Volvo.
* In "Lethal Weapon", one of the bad guys hijacks an Audi 5000 with the phrase: "Mind if I test-drive your Audi?" Later, he rolls up to an unsuspecting police officer and shoots him through the driver's window.
* Apparently, there is supposed to be an Audi involved in the French movie "A Man And A Woman - 20 Years Later" (original title: "Un Homme Et Une Femme - Vingt Ans DéjÃ*") from 1986, though I have not seen this movie myself.
* Nick Nolte plays a small town sheriff in "The Affliction". He's out driving with a friend when they meet a car on the highway. "That was my ex-wife in the Audi", the sheriff says, and his friend replies: "Audi's a good car!" They turn around and go back into town, where the sheriff ends up having an argument with his ex-wife in front of the silver Audi sedan (I've forgotten which model it was).
* In British thriller "Divorcing Jack" from 1998, the main character and his journalist colleague are driving a Ford Mondeo, when they notice that they're being followed by a type 43 Audi 100. The Audi starts chasing them and tries to push them off the road, but ends up crashing into a tractor.
* Fellow Audi-nut Tom Nas from The Netherlands told me these additional Audi-spottings: "Reading through your 'Audis in movies' notes, I can tell you that there's a red 5000 prominently starring in 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off',
a type 43 5000 in 'E.T.',
a type 82 in 'View To A Kill',
a Coupe GT in 'Patriot Games'
two Audis (4000 and 5000) in 'Independence Day',
a couple of Audis in 'Dumb and Dumber',
a Coupe GT in 'Goldeneye',
besides that S8 there's a type 44 100 and a type 81 80 in Ronin.
Now you know which tapes to rent when you're bored..." Thanks!
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UneekTT
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04-24-2007 12:01 AM