The History of Audi

August Horch was the pioneering German engineer who founded Audi in 1910. In his early life Horch trained as a blacksmith and a shipbuilder, with a keen interest in Motors. He gained a degree in engineering and took a job working for Karl Benz (co-founder of Mercedes-Benz) for 3 years, before leaving to start his own company A. Horch & Co. in 1899. In 1901 the company manufactured its first car, but only 8 years later he left the company over a dispute. He founded a new business named Horch-AutomobilWerke; however, he lost the rights to the Horch name after a court case with his old rival company. It was then that Horch renamed his company Audi, the Latin for equivalent of Horch, as both mean ‘Hark’ or ‘listen’ in their respective languages. Audi found early success, with an initial range of four-cylinder models and a subsequent six-cylinder model in 1924. Horch left the company in 1920, going on to publish an autobiography and become an honorary professor.

Under Nazi control, Audi joined the Auto Union consisting of the original Horch Company, Dampf-Kraft-Wagen (DKW) and Wanderer. The four ringed emblem of Audi is a tribute to these four companies, linking together to form a stronger entity, headed by leaders of the industry, including August Horch. During the Second World War the Auto Union concentrated on producing armoured cars and transport vehicles for the Nazis, whilst producing a range of small cars, suitable for the economic climate of the time. When Germany fell to the allies, most of the Auto Union’s factories were destroyed. The Union itself broke as the country divided and DKW became the most influential brand, having bought most of the shares in Audi prior to the war. This run was short lived, as DKW couldn’t compete with Volkswagen which thrived in economic boom in the early 60s. Bought-out by its rival, the DKW name and their two-stroke engine was dumped in favour for Audi and the new four-stroke engines.
The modern era of Audi had arrived, as the brand grew to encompass the early saloon cars of America in the 70s, the rallying success of the Quattro in the 80s and the iconic sport cars of the 90s.

Audi Silverstone Driving Experiences

For something a little different, why not try the Audi Silverstone Driving Experience. If you think that you might enjoy learning how to get the very best out of a number of beautiful Audi models whilst at the same time improving your general driving abilities, then this is a perfect opportunity for doing so. Don’t inderestimate the difficulties thoughm if you enjoy a challenge then you will find that this experience is very demanding indeed.

The Audi Silverstone Driving Experience is unique in that it is the only one supported directly by Audi. It is held on Silverstone’s Stowe Circuit where you will get to drive three of the top performing Audis and take them to the edge of their impressive capabilities. The cars you get to drive are the TTRS, the RS5 and the R8 V10. You will receive expert supervision but how much you are able to get our of the cars depends largely on you.

The specific aspects addressed by the training include car control, how to stay safe whilst driving very fast, spotting dangers and evaluating risks. In terms of technique you will learn how to corner fast, how to use understeer, how to change lane at speed, high speed braking including threshold braking, and how to manoeuvre the car to avoid dangers. You will also get to be a passenger in the car when it is driven to its limits by a professional.

The day begins early with a breakfast and after that you will be in the tick of it all day apart from a short lunch brake.

Both Audi TT models are top performers and have thunderous pace but if you enjoy real speed, then the highlight of the day will be driving the R8 V10. Apart from its stunning looks it really is a performer. The V10 engine is 5.2 litres and it develops a massive 525 bhp and has a 0 to 62 mph acceleration time of less than 4 seconds and, as you might anticipate, superb handing.

Top 5 Best Selling Audis

When it comes to giving a car insurance quote, Audi would nearly always be one of the most sought after policies. They finished 2010 with 1,092,400 sales worldwide, an increase of 15 per cent. In the UK alone, Audi sold 99,828 vehicles and it stands as Europe’s best selling premium brand. Audi’s largest market is Germany, with China a close second, USA third and the UK a close forth. The Audi’s clean diesel TDI range are big sellers due to their market leading fuel economy.

The Audi A1, A3, A4, A5, and A6 are leaders in their individual markets and are regularly amongst the top five of Audi’s best selling vehicles. The sporty Audi A1 has won many awards as the current best super-mini.

The Audi A3 is a practical small family car with a good price and lean fuel economy. It competes with cars like the VW Golf as a premium level hatchback with prices starting at just under £15,000.
The Audi A4 is one of the most popular Audis on the market which has granted this saloon a near cult status. At just over £20,000 it is a leader in quality and specification.

Audi excels in its executive cars – the Audi A5 is the more affordable compact executive model. It is a large cruiser blessed with Audis typical elegant and understated style. Its prices start at around £23,000.

The Audi A6 is the flagship executive car. It is nearly unparalleled in its refinement and comfort. The ergonomically designed cabin is ideal for the long haul motorway journeys common to business executives. Car insurance quotes for the above vehicles are in high demand and all offer reasonable insurance groups.

Audi will always be a market leading brand due its obsession with quality and refinement. Whereas some cars might cut corners on engineering and build, this typically reliable German brand stickles on all the finer details to ensure quality.