Anniversaries

From the very start, the four interlinked rings were the brand emblem of Auto Union AG, which was the second-largest German motor-vehicle manufacturer when the company was formed in the town of Chemnitz in 1932. August Horch founded his first company back in 1899 and in 1873, Audi’s predecessor brand, NSU, came into existence. Today AUDI AG looks back on a 100-year history and thus on many anniversaries. Audi Tradition feels a connection with this history and celebrates these anniversaries with events, in publications or with special projects – including building a replica of the Audi Front 225 Roadster, which was presented as part of the “100 Years of Audi” anniversary in 2009.

MediaInfos

Company

08/27/2024

Auto Union GmbH founded in Ingolstadt on September 3, 1949: A new beginning 75 years ago

Audi has been building cars at the Ingolstadt site for over 75 years. Audi Tradition will commemorate this anniversary with a lecture at the Audi museum mobile and a celebration on Josef-Strobl-Platz in downtown Ingolstadt, the historic site of the company’s former headquarters. Visitors to the anniversary celebration on Sunday, September 8, can look forward to a collection of the first vehicle models produced in Ingolstadt and other enjoyable activities. The evening before, the Night of the Museums at the Audi mobile museum will offer wide-ranging entertainment. The Audi Big Band will perform a colorful mix of Latin, soul, funk, and pop, and visitors will also be treated to numerous highlight tours, including the current special exhibition “Form vollendet”.

Grand Opera: New Audi Tradition exhibition “125 years of Horch”

Company

06/07/2024

Grand Opera: New Audi Tradition exhibition “125 years of Horch”

It was 125 years ago that Audi founder August Horch started A. Horch & Cie., his very first company. Audi Tradition is celebrating the prestigious anniversary with a new special exhibition. Open from June 10 to December 31 at the Audi Forum Neckarsulm, it showcases premium exhibits framed by renowned opera houses – hence the title: “Grand Opera – 125 years of Horch”.

Germany’s first small car was launched 50 years ago

Company

04/04/2024

Germany’s first small car was launched 50 years ago: the Audi 50

It arrived at just the right time: The Audi 50, the first small car from a German manufacturer, was launched in 1974, shortly after the beginning of the oil crisis in 1973. Its fuel consumption was economical, and its design pioneering: front-wheel drive with a transverse engine, a two-door hatchback with a large trunk and fold-down backrest, compact external dimensions, and appealing road performance and driving characteristics. Moreover, the Audi 50 was a blueprint for the structurally almost identical VW Polo, which was launched seven months later, leveraging synergies within the Volkswagen Group – already a recipe for success half a century ago.

Audi Tradition to celebrate multiple anniversaries in 2024

Company

01/12/2024

Audi Tradition to celebrate multiple anniversaries in 2024

The most notable anniversaries at a glance: In the “Anniversary Dates 2024” digital booklet, Audi Tradition details this year’s anniversary highlights and summarizes over 30 historically significant events spanning products, the company, and motorsports. The booklet is now available for download in English and German from the Audi MediaCenter.

Company

12/20/2023

Record-breaking aerodynamics in ‘flying lawn chairs’, Blue Whales, and Dolphins from NSU

The NSU Rennfox Dolphin, and Rennmax Blue Whale: streamlined motorcycle models which scooped many prestigious victories in the 1950s. The Neckarsulm-based company, NSU, applied its early wind tunnel research into aerodynamics on the race track and in record-setting runs. In the final episode on the history of NSU to mark the brand’s 150th anniversary, Audi Tradition presents some of the heritage brand’s unique vehicles.

Quadruple victory for NSU Type 6/60 PS racing car at the German Grand Prix on the AVUS circuit

Company

11/29/2023

Quadruple victory for NSU Type 6/60 PS racing car at the German Grand Prix on the AVUS circuit

The NSU brand and motorsports are an alliance with tradition, not to mention numerous highlights and, above all, emotions. A quadruple victory by the white supercharged six-cylinder cars in their class at the first German Grand Prix on the AVUS circuit in Berlin in 1926 stands out in the story of NSU racing between the two world wars. In this ninth episode on the history of NSU to mark the brand’s 150th anniversary, Audi Tradition presents the pre-war NSU Type 6/60 PS racing car.

Company

10/27/2023

A sporty evolution: from the NSU Prinz to Bergmeister

Siegfried Spiess, Günther Irmscher, or Wilhelm “Willi” Bergmeister – fans of the traditional brand NSU will be familiar with these names. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Neckarsulm-based company offered small but powerful cars for everyday use as well as for sports. First came the NSU Prinz 1000, followed by the NSU TT and the NSU TTS. In this eighth episode of the NSU anniversary series, Audi Tradition makes a foray into this very sporty chapter of NSU history.

Sporty, beautiful, and innovative: the NSU/Wankel Spider

Company

09/27/2023

Sporty, beautiful, and innovative: the NSU/Wankel Spider

It was one of the stars at the 1963 IAA in Frankfurt: the NSU/Wankel Spider. The real sensation of the open two-seater was not its beautiful design; instead its inner qualities really excited the public. The heart of the sports car was the world’s first single-rotor wankel engine ever used in a production car. In this seventh episode on the history of NSU, Audi Tradition presents the NSU/Wankel Spider and its innovative drive concept.

Company

07/19/2023

State of the ArTT – the Audi TT turns 25: Summer exhibition at the Audi museum mobile

The Audi TT made design history when the series debuted 25 years ago. A quarter of a century later, Audi Tradition celebrates the iconic sports car in its “State of the ArTT” exhibition. Visitors can see the unique showcase from July 24 to September 24 at the Audi museum mobile in Ingolstadt.

Company

06/29/2023

A boxy model: the NSU “Uruguay”

The NSU “Uruguay” is undoubtedly an exotic member of the NSU family. That’s what the Neckarsulm locals colloquially called the rustic station wagon back in the day. Between 1969 and 1971, the NSU importer in Montevideo produced around 500 units of the somewhat angular car in P6 and P10 versions. Audi Tradition introduces the NSU Uruguay in this fourth episode of the anniversary series on NSU history.

A timeless design icon: The Audi TT turns 25

Company

05/02/2023

A timeless design icon: The Audi TT turns 25

Twenty-five years, three generations: The brand with the four rings wrote design history with the Audi TT. Since its debut in 1998, the sports car has struck a chord with people worldwide thanks to the fun it promises drivers and its clear design language. „Auto Europe“ voted it the best new car of the year in 1999.

Company

04/26/2023

Futuristic, aerodynamic, stylish: The NSU Ro 80

Even the name is special: Ro 80 – Ro stands for rotary piston, and 80 is the type designation. When first unveiled at the IAA International Motor Show in September 1967, the NSU Ro 80 astonished the automotive world. NSU connoisseur Klaus Arth described it this way: “Many visitors don’t know what to admire first. The futuristic shape, the extravagant drive, or both”. The car inspired the public but did not result in a sales hit, so the last NSU Ro 80 rolled off the production line in April 1977. In this second episode of the series on the history of NSU, Audi Tradition presents this model.

BasicInfo

Technology

11/02/2020

40 years of quattro: the highly successful technology from Audi

A technology and success story from Audi is celebrating a major birthday: The quattro drive system has turned 40 years old. Since the original quattro first made its debut in 1980, the principle of four-wheel drive has become one of the cornerstones of the brand. To date Audi has sold almost 11 million cars with quattro drive. The most recent chapter of the success story is electric: The Audi e-tron uses electric all-wheel drive, and the e-tron S models already feature its first expansion stage: electric torque vectoring, i.e. the need-based shifting of torque between the rear wheels.

Technology

03/03/2020

40 Years of quattro: the All-Conquering Technology from Audi

A technology and success story from Audi is celebrating a major birthday, as the quattro drive system turns 40 years old. Since the original quattro first made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 1980, the principle of four-wheel drive has become one of the cornerstones of the brand. To date, Audi has produced almost 10.5 million cars with quattro drive systems. Now, it is time for the next chapter in this particular success story: The prototypes Audi e-tron S and e-tron S Sportback use electric torque vectoring.

Press kit

Company

12/20/2023

150th Anniversary NSU and Audi Neckarsulm site

The traditional NSU brand is celebrating its birthday. In 1873, Christian Schmidt and Heinrich Stoll founded “Mechanische Werkstätte Schmidt & Stoll” in Riedlingen for the production of knitting machines, which later evolved into NSU Motorenwerke AG and ultimately into today’s Audi site in Neckarsulm. Even NSU’s name is closely associated with Neckarsulm, as the company name is derived from the city on the Neckar and Sulm rivers. NSU impressively demonstrates the development of mobility – from bicycles and motorcycles to automobiles.

Pictures

As of: 01/01/2015

Show album