97-559: The Audi A5 is a series of compact executive / grand touring coupé cars produced by the German automobile manufacturer Audi since June 2007. The A5 range additionally comprises the coupe, cabriolet , and "Sportback" (a five-door liftback with a fastback roofline) version of the Audi A4 saloon and estate models. Under Audi's internal platform numbering convention, the A5 is a member of
194-461: A 2,612 cc inline-four engine model Type A, followed by a 3,564 cc model, as well as 4,680 cc and 5,720 cc models. These cars were successful even in sporting events. The first six-cylinder model Type M, 4,655 cc appeared in 1924. August Horch left the Audiwerke in 1920 for a high position at the ministry of transport, but he was still involved with Audi as a member of
291-479: A 2018 model in the beginning of 2017. Early production models included 2.0 TFSI quattro 155 kW (211 PS; 208 hp), 3.2 FSI quattro, 2.0 TDI 125 kW (170 PS; 168 hp) with six speed manual gearbox and start/stop system, 2.7 TDI, 3.0 TDI quattro. Production versions went on sale in September 2009. The A5 Sportback is available with two petrol engines and three diesel engines. The Audi S5
388-502: A 3.0 TFSI V6 supercharged engine. The A5 Cabriolet replaced the A4 Cabriolet. Delivery of A5 Cabriolet began in the second quarter of 2009. The vehicle was unveiled at the 2009 New York Auto Show . The U.S. versions of A5 and S5 Cabriolet went on sale in September 2009 as a 2010 model. Early models included A5 2.0 I4 TFSI Multitronic, A5 2.0 Quattro Tiptronic, S5 Quattro S-Tronic. The A5 Sportback has four frameless doors and
485-400: A centre differential . Commonly referred to as the "Ur-Quattro" (the " Ur- " prefix is a German augmentative used, in this case, to mean 'original' and is also applied to the first generation of Audi's S4 and S6 Sport Saloons, as in "UrS4" and "UrS6"), few of these vehicles were produced (all hand-built by a single team), but the model was a great success in rallying. Prominent wins proved
582-479: A corner of the room. Several times he looked like he was on the verge of saying something but would just swallow his words and continue working, until he finally blurted out, "Father – audiatur et altera pars ... wouldn't it be a good idea to call it audi instead of horch ?". Horch in German means 'hark' or 'hear', which is audi in the singular imperative form of audire —'to listen'—in Latin. The idea
679-654: A device requiring the driver to press the brake pedal before shifting out of park. A legacy of the Audi 5000 and other reported cases of sudden unintended acceleration are intricate gear stick patterns and brake interlock mechanisms to prevent inadvertent shifting into forward or reverse. It is unclear how the defects in the idle-stabilization system were addressed. Audi's U.S. sales, which had reached 74,061 in 1985, dropped to 12,283 in 1991 and remained level for three years, —with resale values falling dramatically. Audi subsequently offered increased warranty protection and renamed
776-488: A distance of 350 kilometers. The television adverts for the A5 Sportback used sound from Audi Sound Studio. The facelift vehicles, covering A5 Coupé, Convertible, Sportback, S, and RS models, include updated front and rear lights, as well as a new front bumper design. The new front end includes pronounced air inlets, revamped grilles, and flat fog lights. The vehicle is 10 millimetres (0.39 in) longer overall than
873-485: A less practical, elongated rear end design. In Australia, fastbacks (known as "slopers") were introduced in 1935, first designed by General Motors' Holden as one of the available bodies on Oldsmobile , Chevrolet , and Pontiac chassis. The sloper design was added by Richards Body Builders in Australia to Dodge and Plymouth models in 1937; it was subsequently adopted by Ford Australia in 1939 and 1940, as well as
970-555: A long, tapering fastback like roofline, giving it a "four door coupé like" appearance. While it shares many exterior cues with the A5 coupé, the Sportback's interior is similar to the A4 saloon; although all A5 models have same platform as the A4, the Sportback is closer in design to the A4 than the rest of the A5 family. The Sportback has been described as "a saloon with the front end (including an identical S-line look) and taillights of
1067-463: A low drag coefficient . For example, although lacking a wind tunnel , Hudson designed its post-World War II cars to look aerodynamic, and "tests conducted by Nash later found that the Hudson had almost 20% less drag than contemporary notchback sedans". However, the aerodynamic teardrop shape meant lower headroom for rear seat passengers, limited visibility to the rear for the driver, and also meant
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#17327823611841164-409: A problem when the brake pedal was pushed. Subsequent investigation revealed that 60 Minutes had engineered the failure—fitting a canister of compressed air on the passenger-side floor, linked via a hose to a hole drilled into the transmission. Audi contended, prior to findings by outside investigators, that the problems were caused by driver error, specifically pedal misapplication. Subsequently,
1261-558: A silver leather border, aluminum 'Audi exclusive' badges on door panels, carbon fiber beltline and a piano black instrument cluster. The vehicle was unveiled in 2012 Audi Club North America meeting at Infineon Raceway. In 2009, Audi introduced the seven speed S-Tronic transmission option for A5 with 2.0 TFSI quattro (155 kW) for the UK market, which replaced the six speed Tiptronic in the United Kingdom and Germany. Beginning with
1358-628: A sloper style made on Nash chassis. According to automotive historian G.N. Georgano , "the Slopers were advanced cars for their day". In Europe, there was a sloping rear on streamlined cars as early as 1945, from which the shapes of the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 356 are derived. In Japan, the Toyota AA first adopted the fastback style in 1936. It was strongly influenced by the 1933 DeSoto Airflow . The 1965 Mitsubishi Colt 800
1455-492: A sound flap and black tailpipe trims. A Carbon design package is available for the engine compartment and for the vehicle body. Styling packages include a black or matte aluminum look. The RS5 weighs 1,800 kg (3,968 lb), with 56.3 percent at the front and 43.7 in the rear which makes it prone to understeer, Audi has added two electro-mechanical systems to counter its nose-heaviness. The stability-control system attempts to stop front-end plow before it happens by squeezing
1552-542: A sport exhaust system with black finishers. Audi Audi AG ( German: [ˈaʊ̯di ʔaːˈɡeː] ) is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt , Bavaria, Germany. A subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group , Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide. The origins of the company are complex, dating back to the early 20th century and
1649-535: A state of the art factory for Auto Union's, the company's aging model range at this time did not benefit from the economic boom of the early 1960s to the same extent as competitor manufacturers such as Volkswagen and Opel . The decision to dispose of the Auto Union business was based on its lack of profitability. Ironically, by the time they sold the business, it also included a large new factory and near production-ready modern four-stroke engine, which would enable
1746-585: A study of their wartime activities. The investigation found that the company worked with the SS to build seven labor camps where more than 3,700 prisoners were put to work for Auto Union. In addition, 16,500 more people were forced to work at the company's factories in Zwickau and Chemnitz , and another 18,000 at an underground plant in Bavaria where 4,500 people died. Some of the company's factories were bombed by
1843-501: A subsidiary responsible for development and production of Audi high-performance models: the R8 and the RS model range. The new merged company was incorporated on 1 January 1969 and was known as Audi NSU Auto Union AG , with its headquarters at NSU's Neckarsulm plant, and saw the emergence of Audi as a separate brand for the first time since the pre-war era. Volkswagen introduced the Audi brand to
1940-603: A template for VW's new front-wheel-drive water-cooled range which debuted from the mid-1970s onward. In 1969, Auto Union merged with NSU , based in Neckarsulm , near Stuttgart . In the 1950s, NSU had been the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles, but had moved on to produce small cars like the NSU Prinz , the TT and TTS versions of which are still popular as vintage race cars. NSU then focused on new rotary engines based on
2037-449: A type of electronic throttle control . Significantly: multiple "intermittent malfunctions of the electronic control unit were observed and recorded ... and [were also observed and] reported by Transport Canada." With a series of recall campaigns, Audi made several modifications; the first adjusted the distance between the brake and accelerator pedal on automatic-transmission models. Later repairs, of 250,000 cars dating back to 1978, added
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#17327823611842134-426: Is among the best-selling luxury automobile brands in the world. Automobile company Wanderer was originally established in 1885, later becoming a branch of Audi AG. Another company, NSU, which also later merged into Audi, was founded during this time, and later supplied the chassis for Gottlieb Daimler 's four-wheeler. On 14 November 1899, August Horch (1868–1951) established the company A. Horch & Cie. in
2231-689: Is favorably viewed by the majority of the motoring press. Appraised for a rarely seen example of an excellent all-round niche car. Walter de Silva has said that the Audi A5 coupe is "his most beautiful design ever". The Audi A5 3.0 TDI won the Michelin Challenge Bibendum under the Prototypes category. The Ethanol E100 Coupé clinched overall victory in the Michelin Challenge Bibendum 2010 eco rally over
2328-426: Is often defined as having a single slope from the roof to the rear of the vehicle. Traditionally a fastback will have a trunk opening that is separate from the rear window which remains in a fixed position. The term "fastback" is not interchangeable with " liftback "; the former describes the car's shape, and the latter refers to a roof-hinged tailgate that lifts upwards for storage area access. More specifically,
2425-562: Is the Audi A5 Sportback 1.8 TFSI. United States models of A5, S5 went on sale as 2013 model year vehicles. Changes to the RS5 Coupé for 2012 included upgraded dampers and springs on the suspension front, new electric power steering replacing engine-driven hydraulic power steering, exclusive retractable rear spoiler, red cam covers, and a carbon fiber intake manifold, optional piano black trim, twenty-inch graphite-colored wheels,
2522-525: The Road & Track Illustrated Automotive Dictionary defines the fastback as A closed body style, usually a coupe but sometimes a sedan, with a roof sloped gradually in an unbroken line from the windshield to the rear edge of the car. A fastback naturally lends itself to a hatchback configuration and many have it, but not all hatchbacks are fastbacks and vice versa. In the case of the Ford Mustang ,
2619-608: The Audi A4 replaced the Audi 80 . The new nomenclature scheme was applied to the Audi 100 to become the Audi A6 (with a minor facelift). This also meant the S4 became the S6 and a new S4 was introduced in the A4 body. The S2 was discontinued. The Audi Cabriolet continued on (based on the Audi 80 platform) until 1999, gaining the engine upgrades along the way. A new A3 hatchback model (sharing
2716-696: The B-platform series of vehicles, sharing its platform designation with the A4 saloon and Avant . The first generation A5 ( Type 8T ) is therefore a member of the B8 family, whilst the second generation model ( Type 8W6 ) is based on the B9 . Both are derived from the Volkswagen MLB (Modular Longitudinal Matrix) architecture. When presented at the March 2007 Geneva Motor Show , the A5 marked Audi's return to
2813-877: The Ehrenfeld district of Cologne . In 1902, he moved with his company to Reichenbach im Vogtland . On 10 May 1904, he founded the August Horch & Cie. Motorwagenwerke AG , a joint-stock company in Zwickau (State of Saxony ). After troubles with Horch chief financial officer, August Horch left Motorwagenwerke and founded in Zwickau on 16 July 1909, his second company, the August Horch Automobilwerke GmbH . His former partners sued him for trademark infringement. The German Reichsgericht (Supreme Court) in Leipzig , eventually determined that
2910-561: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) concluded that the majority of unintended acceleration cases, including all the ones that prompted the 60 Minutes report, were caused by driver error such as confusion of pedals. CBS did not acknowledge the test results of involved government agencies, but did acknowledge the similar results of another study. In a review study published in 2012, NHTSA summarized its past findings about
3007-470: The Volkswagen Golf Mk4 's platform) was introduced to the range in 1996, and the radical Audi TT coupé and roadster were debuted in 1998 based on the same underpinnings. The petrol engines available throughout the range were now a 1.4 L, 1.6 L and 1.8 L four-cylinder, 1.8 L four-cylinder turbo, 2.6 L and 2.8 L V6 , 2.2 L turbo-charged five-cylinder and
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3104-619: The Volkswagen Polo ) in 1974. The Audi 50 was a seminal design because it was the first incarnation of the Golf/Polo concept, one that led to a hugely successful world car. Ultimately, the Audi 80 and 100 (progenitors of the A4 and A6 , respectively) became the company's biggest sellers, whilst little investment was made in the fading NSU range; the Prinz models were dropped in 1973 whilst
3201-402: The compact executive coupé market since the (B3/B4) Audi 80 based coupé model ended production in 1996. On May 10, 2006, Audi confirmed that the A5 would go into production. The B6/B7 A4 spawned a convertible variant but not a coupé. For the fourth-generation A4 (B8), Audi decided to spin off the cabriolet , along with a new coupé and 4-door fastback sedan, into a nameplate of its own as
3298-590: The 2.0 L Turbo engines are available for the A5 in Canada. In 2013 Audi introduced the new A5 Black Edition . Both the Audi A5 and the S5 Cabriolet (convertible/cabriolet) production began in the beginning of 2009. The A5 Cabriolet included a fabric roof as opposed to a retractable hardtop as on the Volkswagen Eos . The engine ranges are same as contemporary A5 coupé models, but S5 Cabriolet came with
3395-583: The 2011 model year, the A5 2.0 TFSI Quattro coupé and cabriolet includes 8 speed Tiptronic transmission option, replacing the 6-speed Tiptronic in the U.S. and Canada markets. For the S5 3.0 TFSI quattro (245 kW), the manual transmission was discontinued for the European market. Titanium Package was introduced in 2011 model year of A5 Coupe, S5 Coupe sold in the U.S. The car was praised for its design, build quality, performance, and all-wheel drive system, and
3492-789: The 3.2 litre FSI V6 engine delivering 195 kW (265 PS; 261 hp). The design was based on the Nuvolari quattro concept car. The A5 and the S5 Coupé were unveiled simultaneously at the Salon International de l'Auto ( Geneva ) and Melbourne International Motor Shows on March 6, 2007. Ordering of the A5 and S5 began on March 6, 2007 and the first deliveries were made in June 2007. Launch models included 3.2 FSI V6 engine multitronic and 3.0 TDI quattro 6-speed, with 1.8 TFSI available in autumn 2007. Early U.S. models included
3589-1016: The 4.2 FSI engine is based upon Audi's 5.2 FSI V10 engine (found in the D3 Audi S8 and Audi R8) with two cylinders removed. The vehicle was unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show . Sales of the Audi RS5 began in spring 2010. The Ethanol E100 Coupé is a prototype designed for the Michelin Challenge Bibendum 2010 series. It includes a 2.0 TFSI engine rated 132 kW (179 PS; 177 hp) and 320 N⋅m (236 lbf⋅ft) torque, six-gear manual quattro drivetrain. It accelerates from 0–100 kilometres per hour (0–62 mph) in 6.9 seconds with top speed of 236 km/h (147 mph), and weighs 1,310 kg (2,888 lb). The car officially consumes 9.9 litres per 100 kilometres (29 mpg ‑imp ; 24 mpg ‑US ) when running on ethanol, but drivers managed 9.5 L/100 km (30 mpg ‑imp ; 25 mpg ‑US ) on ethanol during
3686-521: The 4.2 L V8 engine . The V6s were replaced by new 2.4 L and 2.8 L 30V V6s in 1998, with marked improvement in power, torque and smoothness. Further engines were added along the way, including a 3.7 L V8 and 6.0 L W12 engine for the A8. Audi's sales grew strongly in the 2000s, with deliveries to customers increasing from 653,000 in 2000 to 1,003,000 in 2008. The largest sales increases came from Eastern Europe (+19.3%), Africa (+17.2%) and
3783-569: The A5 3.2 FSI Quattro and the S5 coupé 4.2 FSI Quattro. Both included either a six-speed manual or six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission . The S5 model went on sale in November 2007, equipped only with a manual transmission, while the A5 and the Tiptronic went on sale beginning of spring 2008. The A5 went on sale in Canada in 2008, which included A5 3.2 FSI with choice of six speed manual or six speed Tiptronic transmission. Since 2011, only
3880-589: The A5 coupé but the wheelbase of the A4", with the Sportback positioned more as the "designer's car" compared to the more conventional A4 saloon. The Sportback model is available in Europe, Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, Mexico, Argentina, and South Africa. Although not originally sold in the United States and Canada, the A5 Sportback entered the North American market as
3977-585: The A5. The A5 was the first of the B8 family of vehicles to be released (the others being the A4 and the Q5 crossover SUV), all based on the Audi MLP platform (Modular Longitudinal Platform) which underpin the next generation A6 and A8 . The A5 is the third coupé in Audi's line up, following the second generation TT and the R8 . The A5 adopted design elements of the Nuvolari quattro concept car. The A5 debuted with
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4074-532: The A5. Changes for the 2010 model year include LED tail lamps, the introduction of Premium Plus and Prestige trim levels, and new optional equipment such as Leather/Alcantara seats. Despite sharing the same nameplate, the powertrains were different between the coupé and the Cabriolet/Sportback for the 2010–12 model years. The 2010–12 Audi S5 coupé had a 4.2 litre fuel stratified injection (FSI) V8 engine that produces 260 kW (349 hp), while
4171-559: The Allies . With no prospect of continuing production in Soviet-controlled East Germany, Auto Union executives began the process of relocating what was left of the company to West Germany . A site was chosen in Ingolstadt , Bavaria , to start a spare parts operation in late 1945, which would eventually serve as the headquarters of the reformed Auto Union in 1949. On 17 August 1948, Auto Union AG of Chemnitz
4268-632: The Audi 60, 75, 80, and Super 90, selling until 1972. Initially, Volkswagen was hostile to the idea of Auto Union as a standalone entity producing its own models having acquired the company merely to boost its own production capacity through the Ingolstadt assembly plant—to the point where Volkswagen executives ordered that the Auto Union name and flags bearing the four rings were removed from the factory buildings. Then VW chief Heinz Nordhoff explicitly forbade Auto Union from any further product development. Fearing that Volkswagen had no long-term ambition for
4365-465: The Audi brand, Auto Union engineers under the leadership of Ludwig Kraus developed the first Audi 100 in secret, without Nordhoff's knowledge. When presented with a finished prototype, Nordhoff was so impressed he authorised the car for production, which when launched in 1968, went on to be a huge success. With this, the resurrection of the Audi brand was now complete, this being followed by the first generation Audi 80 in 1972, which would in turn provide
4462-421: The Audi unintended acceleration problems: "Once an unintended acceleration had begun, in the Audi 5000, due to a failure in the idle-stabilizer system (producing an initial acceleration of 0.3g), pedal misapplication resulting from panic, confusion, or unfamiliarity with the Audi 5000 contributed to the severity of the incident." This summary is consistent with the conclusions of NHTSA's most technical analysis at
4559-484: The Auto Union business, under a new owner, to embark on a period of profitable growth, now producing not Auto Unions or DKWs, but using the "Audi" name, resurrected in 1965 after a 25-year gap. In 1964, Volkswagen acquired a 50% holding in the business, which included the new factory in Ingolstadt, the DKW and Audi brands along with the rights to the new engine design which had been funded by Daimler-Benz, who in return retained
4656-456: The German car market, while Audi held only 0.1%. After the final few Audis were delivered in 1939 the "Audi" name disappeared completely from the new car market for more than two decades. Richard Bruhn , a Nazi party member, was Auto Union's chairman of the board from 1932 to 1945 and then again after the war when the company was reestablished. In 2014 Audi became the last major German car company, after Volkswagen, BMW and Daimler, to commission
4753-451: The Horch brand belonged to his former company. Since August Horch was prohibited from using horch as a trade name in his new car business, he called a meeting with close business friends, Paul and Franz Fikentscher from Zwickau. At the apartment of Franz Fikentscher, they discussed how to come up with a new name for the company. During this meeting, Franz's son was quietly studying Latin in
4850-660: The Illinois state and U.S. federal levels. In the mid-to-late 1990s, Audi introduced new technologies including the use of aluminium construction. Produced from 1999 to 2005, the Audi A2 was a futuristic super mini, born from the Al2 concept, with many features that helped regain consumer confidence, like the aluminium space frame , which was a first in production car design. In the A2 Audi further expanded their TDI technology through
4947-407: The Ingolstadt head office site. In 1958, in response to pressure from Friedrich Flick , then the company's largest single shareholder, Daimler-Benz took an 87% holding in the Auto Union company, and this was increased to a 100% holding in 1959. However, small two-stroke cars were not the focus of Daimler-Benz's interests, and while the early 1960s saw major investment in new Mercedes models and in
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#17327823611845044-543: The Michelin Challenge Bibendum Rallye. The S5 Special Edition is a limited (125 units) version of the 2012 S5 4.2 FSI Quattro Coupé for the U.S. market, commemorating the end of Audi S5 4.2 FSI Quattro production. It included Prestige Package, Daytona Grey body color, 19-inch 5-spoke Rotor design wheels, a two-tone Polar Silver and Black S5 sport seats, silver contrast stitching on the seats, armrests, shifter and steering wheel; floor mats with
5141-634: The Middle East (+58.5%). China in particular has become a key market, representing 108,000 out of 705,000 cars delivered in the first three quarters of 2009. One factor for its popularity in China is that Audis have become the car of choice for purchase by the Chinese government for officials, and purchases by the government are responsible for 20% of its sales in China. As of late 2009, Audi's operating profit of €1.17 billion ($ 1.85 billion) made it
5238-511: The RS5 features a single-frame grille with a shiny charcoal gray rhombus pattern grid, Xenon plus headlights with a sweeping strip of LED daytime running lights, redesigned bumper tapers downward into a splitter, flared fenders inspired by Audi Quattro, side sills with angular caps, trim strips with aluminum look on the single-frame grille and near the side windows and the outside mirrors; a choice of 8 body colours, two oval exhaust pipes integrated within
5335-428: The S5 Cabriolet and Sportback have a supercharged 3.0 litre TFSI V6 engine producing 245 kW (329 hp) which is shared with the 2010 Audi S4 3.0 TFSI quattro sedan and avant. The coupé had a choice of either a six speed manual or six speed Tiptronic automatic, while the Cabriolet/Sportback has the seven speed S-tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Aluminium A5 Coupé is a prototype vehicle demonstrating
5432-492: The United States fell after a series of recalls from 1982 to 1987 of Audi 5000 models associated with reported incidents of sudden unintended acceleration linked to six deaths and 700 accidents. At the time, NHTSA was investigating 50 car models from 20 manufacturers for sudden surges of power. A 60 Minutes report aired 23 November 1986, featuring interviews with six people who had sued Audi after reporting unintended acceleration, showing an Audi 5000 ostensibly suffering
5529-477: The United States for the 1970 model year. That same year, the mid-sized car that NSU had been working on, the K70 , originally intended to slot between the rear-engined Prinz models and the futuristic NSU Ro 80 , was instead launched as a Volkswagen. After the launch of the Audi 100 of 1968, the Audi 80 /Fox (which formed the basis for the 1973 Volkswagen Passat ) followed in 1972 and the Audi 50 (later rebadged as
5626-695: The West German versions. West and East German models were equipped with the traditional and renowned DKW two-stroke engines. The Zwickau plant later manufactured the infamous Trabant until 1991, after it was acquired by the Volkswagen Group following the reunification of Germany, and has since been substantially rebuilt. In 2021, production of the Audi Q4 e-tron began at the plant, marking the return of Audis being manufactured at Zwickau after over 80 years. A new West German headquartered Auto Union
5723-486: The affected models—with the 5000 becoming the 100 and 200 in 1989 —and reached the same sales levels again only by model year 2000. A 2010 BusinessWeek article—outlining possible parallels between Audi's experience and 2009–2010 Toyota vehicle recalls —noted a class-action lawsuit filed in 1987 by about 7,500 Audi 5000-model owners remains unsettled and remains contested in Chicago 's Cook County after appeals at
5820-418: The aluminum Audi Space Frame (ASF) concept. It is based on Audi A5 Coupé 2.0 TFSI with 155 kW (211 PS; 208 hp) engine, but it uses the aluminum Audi Space Frame, aluminum and carbon fiber-reinforced plastics body. Punch riveting, bonding or laser-MIG hybrid welding replaced spot welding. The vehicle is 110 kg (243 lb) lighter than the equivalent steel-bodied production model. The vehicle
5917-505: The biggest contributor to parent Volkswagen Group's nine-month operating profit of €1.5 billion, while the other marques in Group such as Bentley and SEAT had suffered considerable losses. May 2011 saw record sales for Audi of America with the new Audi A7 and Audi A3 TDI Clean Diesel. In May 2012, Audi reported a 10% increase in its sales—from 408 units to 480 in the last year alone. Audi manufactures vehicles in seven plants around
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#17327823611846014-475: The board of trustees. In September 1921, Audi became the first German car manufacturer to present a production car, the Audi Type K, with left-handed drive. Left-hand drive spread and established dominance during the 1920s because it provided a better view of oncoming traffic, making overtaking safer when driving on the right. In August 1928, Jørgen Rasmussen , the owner of Dampf-Kraft-Wagen (DKW), acquired
6111-448: The brakes on the inside wheels which effectively drag those tires enough to pull the car into the corner. The RS5 also has an active rear differential that can apportion power between the rear wheels to create a similar effect or even oversteer; in normal conditions, Quattro all-wheel-drive delivers 60% of the engine’s torque rearward and rising to as much as 85 percent depending on conditions. According to Quattro GmbH chief Stephan Reil,
6208-1273: The bumper, spoiler in the tailgate automatically extends at 120 km/h (75 mph) and retracts at 80 km/h (50 mph), extensively clad underbody integrating air vents for the seven-speed S-Tronic and the front brakes. In the cockpit, the model has electrically adjustable sports seats in leather/Alcantara combination upholstery with side sections and integrated head restraints (optional bucket seats with more prominent contours and folding backrests, ventilated and luxuriously upholstered climate-controlled comfort seats; optional seat upholstery featuring special leathers and colors as well as silver headlining), steering wheel upholstered in perforated leather, black gauges with white lettering and distinctive scaling, driver information system with integrated lap timer and an oil temperature gauge, black interior with decorative inlays made of carbon fiber (optional dark stainless-steel mesh, black piano finish or brushed aluminum inlay), instrument panel fascia in piano finish, pedals, footrests, optional MMI navigation systems' control buttons in aluminum; door handles with two slim strips, aluminum inserts at door sill trims and RS 5 logos, optional suede-covered controls and floor mats bearing RS 5 logos, sport exhaust system with
6305-787: The car's rear, a configuration similar to what would become known as the "fastback" 25 years later. Merriam-Webster first recognized the term "fastback" in 1954, many years before the popularization of the term "hatchback", which entered the dictionary in 1970. Opinions vary as to whether the terms are mutually exclusive. Early examples of fastback cars include the 1929 Auburn Cabin Speedster, 1933 Cadillac V-16 Aerodynamic Coupe, 1935 Stout Scarab , 1933 Packard 1106 Twelve Aero Sport Coupe, Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic, Tatra 87 , Porsche 356 , Saab 92/96 , Standard Vanguard , GAZ-M20 Pobeda , and Bentley Continental R-Type . Fastbacks provide an advantage in developing aerodynamic vehicles with
6402-399: The dormant Horch trademark and the Düsseldorf factory which became a Mercedes-Benz van assembly plant. Eighteen months later, Volkswagen bought complete control of Ingolstadt, and by 1966 were using the spare capacity of the Ingolstadt plant to assemble an additional 60,000 Volkswagen Beetles per year. Two-stroke engines became less popular during the 1960s as customers were more attracted to
6499-432: The early 1940s until 1950, nearly every domestic manufacturer offered at least one fastback body style within their model lineups. Although the styling was good, the cars had less trunk capacity compared to the notchback designs. In the mid-1960s, the style was revived on many GM and Ford products until the mid-1970s. Marketing terminology changed in 2004, with the launch of the first generation Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class . It
6596-435: The fatally flawed NSU Ro80 went out of production in 1977, spelling the effective end of the NSU brand. Production of the Audi 100 had been steadily moved from Ingolstadt to Neckarsulm as the 1970s had progressed, and by the appearance of the second generation C2 version in 1976, all production was now at the former NSU plant. Neckarsulm from that point onward would produce Audi's higher-end models. The Audi image at this time
6693-470: The five-cylinder engine was a successful and robust powerplant, it was still a little too different for the target market. With the introduction of an all-new Audi 100 in 1992, Audi introduced a 2.8L V6 engine . This engine was also fitted to a face-lifted Audi 80 (all 80 and 90 models were now badged 80 except for the USA), giving this model a choice of four-, five-, and six-cylinder engines, in saloon , coupé and convertible body styles. The five-cylinder
6790-458: The historical trademarks and intellectual property of the original constituent companies (the exception being Horch, which had been retained by Daimler-Benz after the VW takeover), and to operate Audi's heritage operations. In 1986, as the Passat-based Audi 80 was beginning to develop a kind of "grandfather's car" image, the type 89 was introduced. This completely new development sold extremely well. However, its modern and dynamic exterior belied
6887-433: The ideas of Felix Wankel . In 1967, the new NSU Ro 80 was a car well ahead of its time in technical details such as aerodynamics, light weight, and safety. However, teething problems with the rotary engines put an end to the independence of NSU. The Neckarsulm plant is now used to produce the larger Audi models A6 and A8 . The Neckarsulm factory is also home of the " quattro GmbH " (from November 2016 " Audi Sport GmbH "),
6984-522: The initial enterprises ( Horch and the Audiwerke ) founded by engineer August Horch . Two other manufacturers ( DKW and Wanderer ) also contributed to the foundation of Auto Union in 1932. The modern Audi era began in the 1960s, when Auto Union was acquired by Volkswagen from Daimler-Benz . After relaunching the Audi brand with the 1965 introduction of the Audi F103 series, Volkswagen merged Auto Union with NSU Motorenwerke in 1969, thus creating
7081-480: The late 1960s to the 1970s, American coke bottle styling became popular in Japan, as seen on Toyota 's 1973 Celica "Liftback" . In North America, the numerous marketing terms for the fastback body style included "aerosedan", "club coupe", "sedanette" and "torpedo back". Cars included Cadillac 's Series 61 and 62 Club Coupes, as well as various other models from General Motors , Ford , and Chrysler . From
7178-513: The low performance of its base engine, and its base package was quite spartan (even the passenger-side mirror was an option). In 1987, Audi put forward a new and very elegant Audi 90 , which had a much superior set of standard features. In the early 1990s, sales began to slump for the Audi 80 series, and some basic construction problems started to surface. Through the early 1990s, Audi began to shift its target market upscale to compete against German automakers Mercedes-Benz and BMW . This began with
7275-701: The majority of shares in Audiwerke AG. In the same year, Rasmussen bought the remains of the U.S. automobile manufacturer Rickenbacker , including the manufacturing equipment for 8-cylinder engines. These engines were used in Audi Zwickau and Audi Dresden models that were launched in 1929. At the same time, 6-cylinder and 4-cylinder ( the "four" with a Peugeot engine) models were manufactured. Audi cars of that era were luxurious cars equipped with special bodywork. In 1932, Audi merged with Horch , DKW, and Wanderer , to form Auto Union AG, Chemnitz . It
7372-585: The predecessor. Changes to S5 (available as Sportback, Coupé and Cabriolet) include the 3.0 TFSI (333PS) engines on all models, new lights, modified body details, new crystal effect paint finishes, Quattro drive with the crown-gear center differential, electromechanical power steering, special S sport suspension, standard 18-inch wheels. The updated vehicles were unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show . Sales began in Europe in 2011 as 2012 model year vehicles. Early models include A5 1.8 TFSI, A5 2.0 TFSI, A5 3.0 TFSI, S5 3.0 TFSI, 2.0 TDI and 3.0 TDI. The base model
7469-551: The present-day form of the company. The company name is based on the Latin translation of the surname of the founder, August Horch . Horch , meaning 'listen', becomes audi in Latin. The four rings of the Audi logo each represent one of four car companies that banded together to create Audi's predecessor company, Auto Union. Audi's slogan is Vorsprung durch Technik , which is translated as 'Progress through Technology'. Audi, along with German brands BMW and Mercedes-Benz ,
7566-401: The rear of the car having a single slope from the roof to the tail. The kammback is not a fastback design with a roofline that tapers downward toward the car's rear before being cut off abruptly. Some models, such as the Ford Mustang , have been marketed explicitly as fastbacks, often to differentiate them from other body styles (e.g. coupé models) in the same model range . A fastback
7663-554: The release of the Audi V8 in 1990. It was essentially a new engine fitted to the Audi 100/200, but with noticeable bodywork differences. Most obvious was the new grille that was now incorporated in the bonnet. By 1991, Audi had the four-cylinder Audi 80, the 5-cylinder Audi 90 and Audi 100 , the turbocharged Audi 200 and the Audi V8. There was also a coupé version of the 80/90 with both four- and five-cylinder engines. Although
7760-477: The second generation Q5. From 2002 up to 2003, Audi headed the Audi Brand Group, a subdivision of the Volkswagen Group's Automotive Division consisting of Audi, Lamborghini and SEAT, which was focused on sporty values, with the marques' product vehicles and performance being under the higher responsibility of the Audi brand. Fastback A fastback is an automotive styling feature , defined by
7857-518: The smoother four-stroke engines. In September 1965, the DKW F102 was fitted with a four-stroke engine and a facelift for the car's front and rear. Volkswagen dumped the DKW brand because of its associations with two-stroke technology, and having classified the model internally as the F103 , sold it simply as the "Audi". Later developments of the model were named after their horsepower ratings and sold as
7954-423: The term "fastback" is used to differentiate against the coupé notchback body style, which has a steeper rear window followed by a horizontal trunk lid. Automobile designers in the 1930s began using elements of aircraft aerodynamics to streamline the boxy-looking vehicles of their day. Such designs, which were ahead of their time when exhibited during the early 1930s, included a droplet -like streamlining of
8051-443: The time: "Audi idle-stabilization systems were prone to defects which resulted in excessive idle speeds and brief unanticipated accelerations of up to 0.3g [which is similar in magnitude to an emergency stop in a subway car]. These accelerations could not be the sole cause of [(long-duration) sudden acceleration incidents (SAI)], but might have triggered some SAIs by startling the driver. The defective idle-stabilization system performed
8148-526: The use of frugal three-cylinder engines. The A2 was extremely aerodynamic and was designed around a wind tunnel . The Audi A2 was criticised for its high price and was never really a sales success but it planted Audi as a cutting-edge manufacturer. The model, a Mercedes-Benz A-Class competitor, sold relatively well in Europe. However, the A2 was discontinued in 2005 and Audi decided not to develop an immediate replacement. The next major model change came in 1995 when
8245-421: The viability of all-wheel-drive racecars, and the Audi name became associated with advances in automotive technology. In 1985, with the Auto Union and NSU brands effectively dead, the company's official name was now shortened to simply Audi AG . At the same time the company's headquarters moved back to Ingolstadt and two new wholly owned subsidiaries; Auto Union GmbH and NSU GmbH , were formed to own and manage
8342-564: The world, some of which are shared with other VW Group marques although many sub-assemblies such as engines and transmissions are manufactured within other Volkswagen Group plants. Audi's two principal assembly plants in Germany are: Outside of Germany, Audi produces vehicles at: In September 2012, Audi announced the construction of its first North American manufacturing plant in Puebla , Mexico. This plant became operative in 2016 and produces
8439-499: Was a conservative one, and so, a proposal from chassis engineer Jörg Bensinger was accepted to develop the four-wheel drive technology in Volkswagen 's Iltis military vehicle for an Audi performance car and rally racing car. The performance car, introduced in 1980, was named the " Audi Quattro ", a turbocharged coupé which was also the first German large-scale production vehicle to feature permanent all-wheel drive through
8536-1087: Was built by Audi's Aluminium and Lightweight Design Centre in Neckarsulm. Available in coupé body, the RS5 features a 4.2 FSI engine rated at 450 PS (331 kW; 444 hp) at 8250 rpm and 430 N⋅m (317.15 lb⋅ft) at 4000-6000 rpm, coupled with a seven-speed S-Tronic transmission and quattro permanent all-wheel-drive with crown-gear centre differential and electronic torque vectoring. It has 19 inch alloy wheels in an exclusive five arm structure design with 275/35 tires (optional 19 inch winter wheels), 365 mm (14.37 in) diameter ventilated aluminium front brake discs (optional 380 mm (14.96 in) diameter carbon ceramic front brake discs), aluminium 8 piston brake calipers with RS logos in high-gloss black, electronic stabilization program with integrated sport mode, speed dependent servotronic steering, Audi drive select with three (4 with MMI navigation system) modes of operation (comfort, auto, and dynamic, optional custom), and optional dynamic steering. Aesthetically,
8633-572: Was deleted from the commercial register. These actions had the effect of liquidating Germany's Auto Union AG. The remains of the Audi plant of Zwickau became the VEB (for "People Owned Enterprise") Automobilwerk Zwickau or AWZ (in English: Automobile Works Zwickau). The former Audi factory in Zwickau restarted assembly of the pre-war models in 1949. These DKW models were renamed to IFA F8 and IFA F9 and were similar to
8730-538: Was during this period that the company offered the Audi Front that became the first European car to combine a six-cylinder engine with front-wheel drive. It used a power train shared with the Wanderer, but turned 180 degrees, so that the drive shaft faced the front. Before World War II , Auto Union used the four interlinked rings that make up the Audi badge today, representing these four brands. However, this badge
8827-574: Was enthusiastically accepted by everyone attending the meeting. On 25 April 1910 the Audi Automobilwerke GmbH Zwickau (from 1915 on Audiwerke AG Zwickau ) was entered in the company's register of Zwickau registration court. The first Audi automobile, the Audi Type A 10/22 hp (16 kW) Sport-Phaeton, was produced in the same year, followed by the successor Type B 10/28PS in the same year. Audi started with
8924-583: Was launched in Ingolstadt with loans from the Bavarian state government and Marshall Plan aid. The reformed company was launched 3 September 1949 and continued DKW's tradition of producing front-wheel drive vehicles with two-stroke engines. This included production of a small but sturdy 125 cc motorcycle and a DKW delivery van, the DKW F89 L at Ingolstadt. The Ingolstadt site was large, consisting of an extensive complex of formerly military buildings which
9021-520: Was released in coupé form to the public at the same time as the A5. The Audi S5, in comparison to the A5, features a different fascia (as do most Audi S and RS models ), including a string of LED daytime running lights around the bi-Xenon headlamps and a vertically striped chrome grille. In many markets, the S5 includes as standard, 19-inch alloy wheels with a five parallel spoke design, bigger brakes, heated leather sport seats, and other convenience features, some of which are available only as an option on
9118-662: Was soon dropped as a major engine choice; however, a turbocharged 220 PS (160 kW; 220 hp) version remained. The engine, initially fitted to the 200 quattro 20V of 1991, was a derivative of the engine fitted to the Sport Quattro . It was fitted to the Audi Coupé , named the S2 , and also to the Audi 100 body, and named the S4 . These two models were the beginning of the mass-produced S series of performance cars. Sales in
9215-529: Was suitable for administration as well as vehicle warehousing and distribution, but at this stage there was at Ingolstadt no dedicated plant suitable for mass production of automobiles: for manufacturing the company's first post-war mass-market passenger car plant capacity in Düsseldorf was rented from Rheinmetall-Borsig . It was only ten years later, after the company had attracted an investor, when funds became available for construction of major car plant at
9312-446: Was the first post-war Japanese fastback, and the 1958 Subaru 360 was the first kei fastback. The Prince Skyline 1900 Sprint was developed by Prince Motor Company in 1963, but was never marketed. Afterwards, all Japanese automakers adopted the fastback style, with the 1967 Honda N360 , 1968 Nissan Sunny Coupe, 1968 Mazda Familia Rotary Coupe, 1970 Suzuki Fronte "Sting Ray Look" , and 1971 Daihatsu Fellow Max . From
9409-436: Was used only on Auto Union racing cars in that period while the member companies used their own names and emblems. The technological development became more and more concentrated and some Audi models were propelled by Horch- or Wanderer-built engines. Reflecting the economic pressures of the time, Auto Union concentrated increasingly on smaller cars through the 1930s, so that by 1938 the company's DKW brand accounted for 17.9% of
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