One of the largest and most successful German automobile concerns has undergone remarkable development in recent years. Audi brand cars have always been considered a premium class; under the wing of the huge Audi-Volkswagen corporation, this brand has received enormous opportunities to use the best technologies, the most successful solutions in technical and design areas. It is these features that cars attract their customers, despite the ever-increasing price tags and incredible configurations in which you can find many unnecessary parts. Audi today competes with BMW, and is also one of the main rivals of Japanese and American luxury brands. This is precisely the fate envisaged by the current characteristics of corporate growth.
Among the first questions that potential car buyers ask is the question of car assembly. Many people believe that all Audi models, as premium cars, are assembled exclusively in Germany. In fact, the brand has a mass of assembly plants around the world, which explains its prevalence both on the distant shores of the Atlantic and in the difficult Australian market. It’s also an interesting fact that Audi cars are now officially recognized as the best purchase on the secondary market, which increases their popularity due to their proven quality and huge service life. Let's look at the main features of assembling cars of this German brand.
New models - a chic development of technology from Audi
Today, not a single model stays on the corporation’s assembly line for more than five years. And five years can be quite a long time for such cars. Therefore, in most cases, the corporation offers updated styling of its cars before the old design becomes obsolete. Many potential buyers are surprised at the speed at which the design range of cars is updated, but the company’s picky management is not too concerned about this. In 2015, the corporation presented a fairly large number of new products and restylings, among which the following updates attracted the main attention:
- Audi RS4 Avant is a large station wagon with sporty characteristics and a futuristic design, stiff suspension and powerful engines, costs from 4,700,000 rubles;
- Audi RS5 Coupe is a luxurious sports car with incredible style and very advanced technology; the car can surprise with its sporty dynamics and a price of 4,800,000 rubles;
- Audi S6 Avant is a new model with sporty inclinations, low ground clearance and amazing dynamics, luxurious engines make the trip unforgettable, and the price is raised to 4,480,000 rubles;
- Audi Q3 and RS Q3 are amazing compact crossovers with a real zeal for the future, not only in design, but also in the technical part, the cars start at prices of 1,615,000 and 2,990,000 rubles, respectively;
- The Audi Q7, a generation-changing large crossover, has become the center of attention of the company’s model range; its optimal appearance and advanced technology begin to cost from 3,630,000 rubles.
Don't forget about such designer models as the Audi TTS Coupe and Audi R8 Coupe. These are the most expensive and unique representatives of passenger cars from the German concern, which have proven their right to exist with unexpectedly high sales all over the world. New design developments of the automobile concern are becoming even more aggressive, the company is offering more and more interesting features and presenting unforgettable features of the technical part of its cars. Development does not stop for a second, so next year we will look at the Audi lineup with completely different eyes. We invite you to be surprised by new Audi technologies while watching a test drive of the 2015 Q7 model year:
Story
was born in 1909, ahead of its main competitors. The headquarters of the concern is located in Ingolstadt.
Cars currently in production were originally produced under the Auto Union brand. The company took off after World War II thanks to the purchase of all shares. In 1964, Auto Union became a subsidiary. Thanks to their joint activities, the concern produced many iconic cars, such as the Audi 100 (popularly nicknamed the cigarette), Audi 80, Audi Q7 and many others.
The company is still not losing ground in the automotive market, producing more and more premium cars, an example of which is the new Audi A8.
Warranties from the manufacturer or dependence of reliability on the location of the assembly branch
Over the many years of its existence on the market, the German manufacturer has been characterized as a responsible and reliable supplier of cars. Despite the fact that branches of the Audi plant are scattered all over the world, the Germans are meticulous about the manufacture of products at absolutely all factories; the human factor influencing the quality of products is minimized. At each enterprise of the concern, regardless of what country it is, modern, modernized equipment is installed for the production of products that meet international standards, and each car supplied for sale undergoes the strictest technological control. Even at branches in African and some Asian countries, where it would be much cheaper to use human labor, the German manufacturer refuses this option to solve the problem, preferring, despite the significant financial costs, to produce suitable, reliable and technologically advanced products.
There were precedents when a concern, in favor of supplying quality goods, refused to manufacture certain models if there were complaints from technologists about the quality of the machines produced. For example, in Russia, the Audi Q5 and Q7 models were withdrawn from production due to a decrease in demand for them due to inconsistencies in the quality of assembled cars. Statistical data and user reviews indicate that product quality does not suffer depending on which branch directly produced the Audi car, where the car was assembled, however, exceptions to the rules were still registered. This fact forces potential buyers, when selecting a vehicle, especially a premium category from the Audi concern, to figure out where this or that model is assembled.
The main assembly features of the Audi concern
The company manages to monitor all its divisions. The concern carries out strict control over assembly quality, which is what caused the withdrawal of some Audi models from Russian production, in particular the Q5 and Q7 crossovers. Buyers expect more than just decent quality from a company. In Europe, Audi assembly is carried out in full; every detail of the future vehicle is subject to strict certification. It is worth noting that the corporation is actively developing technologies that will later be successfully inherited by other brands of the concern. Today, the main tasks and operating principles of the company are as follows:
- the highest quality of cars, the absence of any childhood diseases in new developments;
- extensive testing of each technology that is introduced into the technical or functional part of the machines;
- certification of each individual piece of equipment, testing and grinding of parts at the factory;
- maximum automation of production even in those countries where it is more profitable to use manual labor;
- assembly control, which is carried out by German experts at each plant where Audi is assembled;
- multi-stage system for selecting materials for the interior, high-quality plastic and excellent layout;
- the most modern design features, constant competition among the best designers of the company.
Audi is one of the few brands that does not have one permanent design bureau. The corporation collects competitive submissions from various divisions of its designers, and then selects the best designs. However, other projects do not remain idle, because the company has brands such as Volkswagen, Skoda and Seat, which are less picky about the appearance of their equipment. That is why Audi always has the best design features among those presented to the management to choose from. However, this is a rather subjective area of activity, because some people like the Spanish Seat much more than the classic stylish image of Audi.
Life of the company from 1970 to 1990
On the eve of the 70s, Auto Union GmbH and NSU Motorenwerke AG merged. New, and its headquarters were located in Neckarsulm. The United Corporations have set themselves the main goal of introducing innovative technologies. That is why their slogan became the phrase “High-Tech Excellence.” In 1972, a new product from Audi appeared on the market - the Audi 80. The car was distinguished by its compactness and high level of comfort. It shared a platform with the Volkswagen Passat and was offered as a sedan or station wagon. Later, a luxury version of the car was released - the Audi 90. Engineers installed a MacPherson strut front suspension and telescopic shock absorbers. It was offered with a range of gasoline engines with power from 54 to 100 hp. In 1973, the model surpassed the Alfa Romeo Alfetta and Renault 5 in the European market.
In 1974, there was a change in the management of the design department. Ferdinand Piëch became the head of the unit. Under his leadership, a five-cylinder engine, turbocharger technology and all-wheel drive in passenger cars were created and installed in cars. 11 years later, in 1985, it was decided to rename it. The company is gaining momentum. Engineers are introducing more and more new products into cars, surprising buyers. Audi switches to a fully galvanized body and turbocharged gasoline engines. They also get a direct injection diesel engine. The aerodynamics system has been improved and the power of eight and twelve-cylinder engines has increased.
Back in 1976, engineers had the idea that an all-wheel drive system could be installed in a light car. The idea came to the developers during a test drive of the VW Iltis all-terrain vehicle. The excellent handling of the car in snowfall prompted the creators to the idea that such a system could be installed in the Audi 80. A year later, the design project of the new Audi quattro model was ready. In March 1980, Audi introduced a new car model that became a sensation. The presentation took place at the Geneva Motor Show. The company released the first passenger car with Quattro all-wheel drive. The car did not immediately receive public recognition. It was criticized for its heavy weight and complex design, but over time the Quattro still proved that it deserves attention. At competitions, racers won many victories using this car. The advertising campaign also had a positive effect on sales. A video appeared on the screens in which a car was climbing up a ski jump.
In 1988, Audi again amazed car enthusiasts. At the Paris Motor Show, the V8 sedan was presented, which was equipped with a V8 engine and an all-wheel drive system. The car is equipped with a 3.6- and 4.2-liter engine with a capacity of 250 and 280 horsepower, respectively. The model features high noise insulation. The Audi V8 was considered one of the most stylish models.
Interesting facts, technology and motorsport
Off-road vehicles from Audi - benchmark offerings on the market
Audi was the first company to conduct crash tests (starting in 1938).
The Audi 80 was sold in North America first as the Audi Fox and later as the Audi 4000.
Audi became the first automaker to create its own virtual world on the PlayStation Home resource. Visitors can enjoy excursions through the virtual space of Audi Space and the opportunity to take part in the Vertical Run racing event.
Audi cars have won the prestigious Le Mans 24 race three times in a row - in 2000, 2001 and 2002. In honor of such a tremendous success, the Audi Le Mans quattro sports concept car was presented in Frankfurt in 2003.
