It was the fusion of four companies that made the unforgettable “four rings” emblem immortal. While Audi owns the first ring, the other three represents the other companies who merged with them, making this German carmaker stronger than ever. They were DKW, Horch, and Wanderer, and now they collectively use the badge of Audi.

The company is owned and founded basically by August Horch. Prior to the establishment of Audi, he has founded another company. But when the first Horch car was produced in 1901, August Horch was unfortunately kicked out of his own company. This is because his former partners sued him for “trademark infringement”, according to Audi history. Fate was probably not in favor of Horch during this time in his life, and he lost the court battle. His former partners then won the rights to use the company name, and he was banned from using it in his future business endeavors. Fortunately, his son came up with a better one, which was the Latin translation for his family name “Horch”. If Horch in German means “hark” or “listen”, it is “Audi” in Latin, according to research.

Since its establishment, Audi has begun to create the most innovative concepts in car technology. Take the Quattro concept. The first and most recognized four-wheel drive Grand Tourer is the Audi Quattro. This technology is basically applicable to all rally cars that Audi sets sail in the world of racing. But through this concept, Audi was able to gain a wider clientele, knowing that they are now capable to give more. Hence, they also equip this concept to their newer production models.

Mostly pitted against top-notch cars as Mercedes Benz and BMW, Audi retained its unblemished glory through its nearly 100 years in the industry. From being a stylish ride, to iconic movie cars, and unbeatable sports cars—Audi has been there. They were able to show consistency and commitment, which the people welcomed. Looking back at the company’s glorious history, we can tell that Audi will have many more centuries to come.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 11th, 2007 at 11:01 pm and is filed under About Audi. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.