NSU 7/34 PS

1873 

Christian Schmidt and Heinrich Stoll establish a workshop for the production of knitting machines in Riedlingen on the Danube. 

1880 

The company relocates to Neckarsulm 

1886 

Bicycle production begins 

1900 

Motorcycle production begins 

1906 

Production of automobiles begins (“Original Neckarsulmer Motorwagen”) 

1928

Automobile production ends and the factory in Heilbronn is sold 

1933 

Ferdinand Porsche commissioned to build the NSU/Porsche Type 32, the VW Beetle’s predecessor 

1945 

Part of the plant is destroyed in World War II; production gradually resumes beginning in mid-1945 

1955 

NSU Werke AG is the world’s largest motorcycle plant 

1958 

Automobile production resumes with the NSU Prinz I to III 

1964 

Production of the NSU/Wankel Spider, the world’s first production car with a rotary piston engine, begins

1967 

Series production of the NSU Ro 80 begins; due to its futuristic design and rotary piston engine, it is voted “1968 Car of the Year”

1969 

Merger with Auto Union GmbH Ingolstadt to become Audi NSU Auto Union AG; the majority shareholder is Volkswagen AG

1974/75 

The site is threatened with closure during the oil crisis. In the legendary “March on Heilbronn,” employees fight successfully to save the plant 

1975 

To better utilize production capacity, contract manufacturing of the Porsche 924 begins; the Porsche 944 follows shortly thereafter 

1982 

The Audi 100 achieves a world-record coefficient of drag (Cd) value of 0.30 

1985 

Introduction of the fully galvanized car body in the Audi 100 and Audi 200; company renamed AUDI AG and headquarters moved to Ingolstadt

1988 

AUDI AG enters the full-size car class with the Audi V8 

1989 

Introduction of turbocharged diesel engine with direct fuel injection in a passenger vehicle 

1990 

First DTM victory for Audi with an Audi V8 quattro driven by Hans-Joachim Stuck 

1994 

Start of production of the Audi A8, the first series-produced vehicle in the world with a completely aluminum body (ASF – Audi Space Frame) 

2000 

Production of the Audi A2, the first aluminum, large-volume production car, begins 

2001 

Victory in Le Mans with the newly developed FSI direct fuel injection 

2005 

Audi Forum Neckarsulm opens 

2006 

German premiere of the Audi R8 sports car; first victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a diesel engine developed in Neckarsulm 

2007 

Establishment of the production turntable between the Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm plants with the start of production of the Audi A4 Sedan

2008 

Inauguration of the new Audi toolmaking shop 

2011 

Audi acquires a 23-hectare plot in the Böllinger Höfe industrial park in Heilbronn (further plots acquired in 2014 and 2018)  

2012 

Inauguration of the Technical Center for Fiber-Reinforced Polymers and the new Engine Test Center 

2013 

Audi Neckarsulm receives the J.D. Power Award as “Best Production Plant in Europe” 

2014 

Inauguration of Audi Böllinger Höfe (Logistics Center and R8 production)

2015 

Audi Forum Neckarsulm celebrates its tenth anniversary

2016

New Audi A8 production buildings open

2017 

Opening of the Fuel Cell Competence Center  

2018 

Inauguration of the Technical Center for the Testing of Aluminum Materials 

2019 

Establishment of an MEA Technical Center (functional layer systems) for fuel cell development; start of the cross-site Mission:Zero environmental program with measures for decarbonization, sustainable water use, resource efficiency, and biodiversity 

2020 

Start of production of the all-electric Audi e-tron GT quattro

2021 

Automotive Initiative 2025 (AI25): Establishment of a network of expertise for the digital transformation of vehicle production and logistics; establishment of a Competence Center for high-voltage batteries  

2022

Optimizing production for electromobility: Modernization of existing buildings, groundbreaking ceremony for new paint shop

2023

Inauguration of C20, the new five-story Technical Development building.
Anniversary: For Audi in Neckarsulm, the year 2023 centered on the 150th anniversary of the NSU brand: “150 years as the engine of change: Audi Neckarsulm – a strong history, a strong future”. Related events included a Family Day in July, a day for NSU fans in September, and the special exhibition “Innovation. Daring. Transformation. 150 Years of NSU”.