The Origins of Audi and Its Four Ring Emblem

To many people Audi is just another automobile manufacturer, however, Audi is a company with a long-standing history and a tradition of creating luxurious cars. The founder of Audi, August Horch (1868 - 1951), first worked in engine construction at Carl Benz in Mannheim and eventually worked his way up to head of motor vehicle construction. In 1899 Horch decided to branch off and establish the company A. Horch & Cie. After a great deal of work and much anticipation, in 1901 Horch finally put his first car on the road which had about 4-5 hp (Imagine that!).

The company began to grow until eventually Horch had to build a bigger factory. He decided to create a share-issuing company called A. Horch & Cie. Motorwagen-Werke AG. However, in 1909 Horch ended up leaving the company he founded because of some issues with his business partners. He also lost the battle to keep the name of his company. Therefore, when Horch started a new company, a new name had to be chosen. Thus, "Audi" was born. Audi means "Hark!" in Latin. It wasn't until 1910 that the first cars appeared bearing the name "Audi".

The Audi Emblem Was Born
The Audi emblem came about as a culmination of four previously independent automobile manufacturers: Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer. The irony of Audi and Horch eventually coming back together to form a union with the other two companies! DKW and Wanderer were both started about the same time as Horch. This foursome was dubbed the "Auto Union AG" and each circle in the emblem represents each of the four brands. The emblem was used solely on Auto Union racing cars.

Eventually Audi stood on its own and came to the U.S. with the help of Volkswagen, the company that bought the Auto Union and the factory in Ingolstadt in 1964. Well, as they say..."and the rest is history!"

To this day Audi is still a company driven by passion and a love for manufacturing cars. However, like all companies, it has had its share of ups and downs. That hasn't stopped them from striving to become the #1 loved luxury car maker for the next decade and beyond. The company has continually reported increases in sales and keeps coming out with new and improved models! The company is still based in Ingolstadt, but has become a brand known all over the world. Can the company hold out for another 70+ years? Only time will tell...