127-523: The Audi S2 is an Audi sports car , manufactured by the division of quattro GmbH (now Audi Sport GmbH) on the same platform as the Audi 80 (B4) in Neckarsulm , Germany , produced from 1991 to 1995. The Audi S2 is the first car in the Audi S series. In 1994, a more powerful Audi RS 2 Avant was released. Together with Konrad Schmidt Motorsport GmbH (SMS), who had been responsible for Audi's DTM version of
254-456: A "Super Beetle" (the Type 131) to its lineup in 1971. The Type 131 differed from the standard Beetle in its use of a MacPherson strut front suspension instead of the usual torsion bars . The Super Beetle featured a new hooded, padded dash and curved windshield (from 1973 model year on up). Rack and pinion steering replaced recirculating ball steering gears in the model year 1975 and up. The front of
381-471: A "beetle" shape, the front bonnet rounded for better aerodynamics (necessary as it had a small engine). In 1934, with many of the above projects still in development or early stages of production, Adolf Hitler became involved, ordering the production of a basic vehicle capable of transporting two adults and three children at 100 km/h (62 mph). He wanted a car every German family would be able to afford. The "People's Car" would be available through
508-672: A "political animal" rather than a commercial enterprise—technically making it liable for destruction under the terms of the Potsdam Agreement —the equipment could have been salvaged as war reparations . Allied dismantling policy changed in late 1946 to mid-1947, though heavy industry continued to be dismantled until 1951. One of the factory's wartime 'KdF-Wagen' cars had been taken to the factory for repairs and abandoned there. Hirst had it repainted green and demonstrated it to British Army headquarters. Short of light transport, in September 1945
635-456: 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
762-783: A black, green, and sand colour (3) 11GS, a chestnut brown and two azure blue, (2) 24A-M51 in red, (1) 21A in blue, (1) 23A in blue, (1) 22A beige colour, and one ambulance. Volkswagens were seen in Canada for the first time at the Canadian National Exhibition in August 1952 and were accepted enthusiastically. (At least one Type 2 bus from this order still exists, and is currently in France undergoing restoration). The first shipment for Volkswagen Canada reached Toronto in early December 1952. (At least one Type 1 from this first shipment still exists, and
889-521: A bloody fool, young man." The official report said: "To build the car commercially would be a completely uneconomic enterprise." Ford representatives were equally critical. In March 1948, the British offered the Volkswagen company to Ford, free of charge. Henry Ford II , the son of Edsel Ford , travelled to West Germany for discussions. Heinz Nordhoff was also present, as well as Ernest Breech, chairman of
1016-400: 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
1143-400: A certificate of authenticity presented to the original purchaser. Dealer-installed options for this limited-edition Superbeetle included the following: white stripes running the length of the rocker-panel, a special shifter knob, bumper overriders, tapered exhaust tips, fake walnut inserts in the dashboard (behind the steering wheel and the glovebox cover) as well as Bosch fog lights mounted on
1270-524: 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
1397-650: 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
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#17330861753091524-504: A former senior manager at Opel who had overseen civilian and military vehicle production in the 1930s and 1940s, was recruited to run the factory in 1948. In 1949, Major Hirst left the company—now re-formed as a trust controlled by the West German government and government of the State of Lower Saxony . The "Beetle" sedan or "peoples' car" Volkswagen is the Type 1. Apart from the introduction of
1651-535: A growing reputation for reliability helped production figures surpass the levels of the previous record-holder, the Ford Model T . On 17 February 1972, the 15,007,034th Beetle was sold. Volkswagen could now claim the world production record for the most-produced, single make of car in history. By 1973, total production was over 16 million. To commemorate its passing the Ford Model T's record sales mark and its victories in
1778-464: A lot of similarities in the rear axle support system to the later B5 A4 quattro. The B4 platform S2 Avant was also used between 1993 and 1995 as the basis for Audi's RS2 Avant super-sports estate, which was modified for Audi with assistance from Porsche . 7,370 S2 Coupés were built, along with 1,812 S2 Avants and only 306 S2 sedans. In total, 9,488 S2s of all types were produced. Audi Audi AG ( German: [ˈaʊ̯di ʔaːˈɡeː] )
1905-572: A market sector already being dominated by the Fiat 127 and Renault 5 , and which before long would also include the Austin Metro and Ford Fiesta . In 1981, the second-generation Polo launched as a hatchback (resembling a small estate car). In 1983 the range was expanded, with the introduction of a Coupe (similar to a conventional hatchback), and the Classic (a 2-door saloon). The Polo's practicality, despite
2032-521: A plant near São Paulo in Brazil. Volkswagen do Brasil was accused of spying on workers during the time of the military dictatorship in the 1970s and informing police on oppositional activities. In 1976, mass arrests occurred and some VW employees were tortured. In 1979, Brazilian VW workers travelled to Wolfsburg to inform the CEO in person. In 2015, activists and former VW employees in Brazil spoke out in public accused
2159-409: 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,
2286-703: A resemblance to the original Beetle, based on the platform of the Polo. Due to a positive response to the concept, a production version was developed as the New Beetle , based on the Golf's larger platform. In 1995 the Sharan was launched in Europe, the result of a joint venture with Ford , which also resulted in the Ford Galaxy and SEAT Alhambra . The company's evolution of its model range
2413-493: A savings plan at 990 ℛ︁ℳ︁ (US$ 396 in 1938)—about the price of a small motorcycle (the average income being around 32 ℛ︁ℳ︁ a week). It soon became apparent that private industry could not turn out a car for only 990 ℛ︁ℳ︁. Thus, Hitler chose to sponsor an all-new, state-owned factory using Ferdinand Porsche's design (with some of Hitler's design suggestions, including an air-cooled engine so nothing could freeze). The intention
2540-529: 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
2667-572: 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
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#17330861753092794-495: 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
2921-537: 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
3048-533: A top speed of 246 km/h (152.9 mph). In 1993, the S2 received some cosmetic updates, including new AVUS-style alloy wheels, ellipsoid beam (projector) headlamps and clear front indicator lenses. In February, the S2 Avant was introduced (with the more powerful engine and six-speed transmission from the outset). A limited run of four-door S2 sedan models were sold from July 1993 until 1994. The S2 saloon and Avant feature
3175-449: 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
3302-571: Is China (including Hong Kong and Macau ), which accounts for 40% of its sales and profits. The name "Volkswagen" derives from the German words Volk and Wagen , meaning "people's car." Volkswagen was established in 1937 by the German Labour Front (German: Deutsche Arbeitsfront ) as part of the Strength Through Joy (German: Kraft durch Freude ) program in Berlin . In
3429-663: Is a German automobile manufacturer based in Wolfsburg , Lower Saxony , Germany. Established in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party , it was revitalized into the global brand it is today after World War II by British Army officer Ivan Hirst . The company is well known for its iconic Beetle and serves as the flagship marque of the Volkswagen Group , which became the world's largest automotive manufacturer by global sales in 2016 and 2017. The group's largest market
3556-504: 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 the initial enterprises ( Horch and the Audiwerke ) founded by engineer August Horch . Two other manufacturers ( DKW and Wanderer ) also contributed to
3683-426: 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
3810-580: Is credited as already having conceived the basic design during the mid-1920s. Josef Ganz developed the Standard Superior (going as far as advertising it as the "German Volkswagen"). In Germany, the company Hanomag mass-produced the 2/10 PS "Kommissbrot", a small, cheap rear-engined car, from 1925 to 1928. Also, in Czechoslovakia, the Hans Ledwinka -designed Tatra T77 , a very popular car amongst
3937-641: 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
Audi S2 - Misplaced Pages Continue
4064-843: 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
4191-543: 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
4318-611: The Scirocco followed. The coupe was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro . Based on the platform of the not yet released Golf , it was built at Karmann due to capacity constraints at Volkswagen. The pivotal model emerged as the Volkswagen Golf in 1974, marketed in the United States and Canada as the Rabbit for the 1st generation (1975–1985) and 5th generation (2006–2009). Its angular styling
4445-611: The United States armed forces and subsequently handed over to the British, within whose occupation zone the town and factory fell. The factory was placed under the control of British Army officer Major Ivan Hirst , REME , a civilian Military Governor with the occupying forces. At first, one plan was to use it for military vehicle maintenance, and possibly dismantle and ship it to Britain. Since it had been used for military production, (though not of KdF-Wagens) and had been in Hirst's words,
4572-616: The V8 quattro , Audi developed a sports version of the Coupé in September 1990 called the Audi S2 . This was meant to boost lagging sales of the Coupé and as partial replacement for the famous Audi Quattro (launched in 1980). The front was revised to match the Audi V8 , with new headlights and a grille with a body-coloured surround, a look which was then introduced on the entire Audi range before long. The S2 featured
4699-461: 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
4826-695: The Volkswagen Polo followed. It was a re-badged Audi 50 , which was soon discontinued in 1978. The Polo became the base of the Volkswagen Derby , which was introduced in 1977. The Derby was for all intents and purposes a three-box design of the Polo. After a second model generation, the Derby was discontinued in 1985, although the body style lived on in the form of the Polo classic/Polo saloon until 1991. Passat, Scirocco, Golf, and Polo shared many character-defining features, as well as parts and engines. They built
4953-543: 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
5080-663: The Volkswagen Type 2 commercial vehicle (van, pick-up, and camper), and the VW Karmann Ghia sports car, Nordhoff pursued the one-model policy until shortly before his death in 1968. Volkswagens were first exhibited and sold in the United States in 1949 but sold only two units in America that first year. On entry to the US market, the VW was briefly sold as a Victory Wagon . Volkswagen of America
5207-760: The amphibious Schwimmwagen —manufactured for German forces. One of the first foreigners to drive a Volkswagen was the American war correspondent Ernie Pyle , who had the use of a captured Volkswagen for a few days after the Allied victory in Tunisia in May 1943. As was common with much of the production in Nazi Germany during the war, slave labour was utilised in the Volkswagen plant, e.g. from Arbeitsdorf concentration camp. The company would admit in 1998 that it used 15,000 slaves during
Audi S2 - Misplaced Pages Continue
5334-518: 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
5461-543: 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
5588-626: 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
5715-465: 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
5842-421: 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
5969-481: 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
6096-448: The Baja 1000 Mexican races from 1967 to 1971, Volkswagen produced its first limited-edition Beetle. It was marketed as the "Baja Champion SE" in the United States and the "Marathon" Superbeetle in the rest of the world. It featured unique "Marathon Blau" metallic blue paint, steel-pressed 10-spoke 15-inch (38 cm) magnesium-alloy wheels, a commemorative metal plate mounted on the glovebox and
6223-581: The Beetle and the NSU -based K70 also failed to sell. Beetle sales had started to decline rapidly in European and North American markets. The company knew that Beetle production had to end, but faced a conundrum of how to replace it. VW's ownership of Audi/ Auto Union proved beneficial. Its expertise in front-wheel drive , and water-cooled engines would help Volkswagen produce a credible Beetle successor. Audi influences paved
6350-509: The British Army was persuaded to place a vital order for 20,000 cars. However, production facilities had been massively disrupted, there was a refugee crisis at and around the factory, and some parts (such as carburettors ) were unavailable. Hirst and his German assistant Heinrich Nordhoff (who went on to run the Wolfsburg facility after the military government ended in 1949) helped to stabilise
6477-456: 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
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#17330861753096604-454: The German elite, was becoming smaller and more affordable at each revision. Ferdinand Porsche , a well-known designer for high-end vehicles and race cars, had been trying for years to get a manufacturer interested in a small car suitable for a family. He built a car named the "Volksauto" from the ground up in 1933, using many popular ideas and several of his own, putting together a car with an air-cooled rear engine , torsion bar suspension , and
6731-447: 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
6858-446: 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
6985-407: 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
7112-467: 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
7239-523: The United Kingdom when they were demobilised . In 1986, Hirst said that factory workers were, after many years of Nazi conditioning, initially reluctant to follow his orders; to counter this, he had his military uniform brought back from Britain and wore it in the factory, after which he reported having no problems even though he was no longer a soldier at the time but a civilian member of the military government. The post-war industrial plans for Germany set out rules that governed which industries Germany
7366-420: The United States as the Rabbit until the spring of 1984. The second-generation Golf hatchback/Jetta sedan ran from October 1983 until the autumn of 1991, and a North American version produced at Westmoreland Assembly went on sale at the start of the 1985 model year. The production numbers of the first-generation Golf has continued to grow annually in South Africa as the Citi Golf , with only minor modifications to
7493-492: 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
7620-429: 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
7747-514: 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
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#17330861753097874-419: The acute social situation while simultaneously re-establishing production. Hirst, for example, used his engineering experience to arrange the manufacture of carburettors, the original producers being effectively 'lost' in the Soviet zone . The first few hundred cars went to personnel from the occupying forces, and to the postal service . Some British service personnel were allowed to take their Beetles back to
8001-432: 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
8128-443: The autumn of 1983 (sold as the Rabbit in the United States and Canada and as the Caribe in Latin America). Its chassis also spawned the Volkswagen Scirocco sport coupe , Volkswagen Jetta saloon/sedan, Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet convertible, and Volkswagen Caddy pick-up. North American production of the Rabbit commenced at the Volkswagen Westmoreland Assembly Plant near New Stanton, Pennsylvania in 1978. It would be produced in
8255-405: The basis for Volkswagen's turn-around. While Volkswagen's range of cars soon became similar to that of other large European car makers, the Golf has been the mainstay of the Volkswagen line-up since its introduction, and the mechanical basis for several other cars of the company. There have been eight generations of the Volkswagen Golf , the first of which was produced from the summer of 1974 until
8382-453: 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
8509-400: The board for Ford. Henry Ford II looked to Breech for his opinion, and Breech said, "Mr. Ford, I don't think what we're being offered here is worth a damn!" Ford passed on the offer, leaving Volkswagen to rebuild itself under Nordhoff's leadership. From 1948, Volkswagen became an important element, symbolically and economically, of West German regeneration . Heinrich Nordhoff (1899–1968),
8636-418: 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
8763-526: The car was stretched 2 inches (51 mm) to allow the spare tire to lie flat, and the combination of these two features increased the usable front luggage space. In 1973, Volkswagen introduced the military-themed Type 181 , or "Trekker" in Europe, "Thing" in America, recalling the wartime Type 82. The military version was produced for the NATO -era German Army during the Cold War years of 1970 to 1979. The US Thing version only sold for two years, 1973 and 1974. By late 1972, Volkswagen had decided to cancel
8890-418: The car, using crisp layouts and witty copy to lure the younger, sophisticated consumers with whom the car became associated. Even though it was almost universally known as the Beetle (or the Bug), it was never officially labelled as such by the manufacturer, instead referred to as the Type 1. Although the car was becoming outdated, during the 1960s and early 1970s, American exports, innovative advertising, and
9017-442: The company elsewhere (mostly in developing countries), and the New Stanton, Pennsylvania factory closed on 14 July 1988. Meanwhile, four years after signing a cooperation agreement with the Spanish car maker SEAT in 1982, Hahn expanded the company by purchasing a majority share of SEAT up to 75% by the end of 1986, which VW bought outright in 1990. On 4 July 1985, Volkswagenwerk AG was renamed to Volkswagen AG . Volkswagen entered
9144-529: The company's silence about the persecution of its workers. In fall 2016, VW commissioned an expert review of the situation due end of 2017. On 22 August 1960, Volkswagenwerk GmbH was renamed to Volkswagenwerk AG . Sales soared throughout the 1960s, peaking at the end of the decade thanks in part to the famous advertising campaigns by New York advertising agency Doyle, Dane Bernbach . Led by art director Helmut Krone , and copywriters Julian Koenig and Bob Levinson, Volkswagen advertisements became as popular as
9271-452: 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
9398-476: The early 1930s, cars were a luxury—most Germans could afford nothing more elaborate than a motorcycle, and only one German out of 50 owned a car. Seeking a potential new market, some car makers began independent "people's car" projects – the Mercedes 170H , BMW 3/15 , Adler AutoBahn , Steyr 55 and Hanomag 1.3L, among others. The growing trend was not nascent; Béla Barényi , a pioneering automotive engineer,
9525-416: The factory workers. This factory had only produced a handful of cars by the time war started in 1939. None were actually delivered to any holder of the completed saving stamp books, though one Type 1 Cabriolet was presented to Hitler on 20 April 1944 (his 55th birthday). War changed production to military vehicles—the Type 82 Kübelwagen ("Bucket car") utility vehicle (VW's most common wartime model), and
9652-481: 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
9779-516: 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
9906-502: 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 the present-day form of the company. The company name is based on the Latin translation of
10033-564: The front bumper. The 1961 Type 1 Beetle had a 36 hp 1200cc four cylinder air-cooled flat-four opposed OHV engine made of aluminium alloy block and heads. By 1966, the Type 1 came with a 1300cc engine. By 1967 the Type 1 had a 1500cc engine, and 1600cc in 1970. The air-cooled engine lost favour in the United States market with the advent of unleaded petrol and smog controls. These air-cooled engines were commonly tuned to be fuel-rich in order to control engine over-heating, and this led to excessive carbon monoxide emissions. VW production equipment
10160-524: The historic Audi brand, which had disappeared after the Second World War. VW ultimately merged Auto Union and NSU to create the modern Audi company, and would go on to develop it as its luxury vehicle marque . The purchase of Auto Union and NSU was a pivotal point in Volkswagen's history, as both companies yielded the technological expertise that proved necessary for VW to survive when demand for its air-cooled models went into decline. Volkswagen added
10287-518: 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
10414-433: 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 "),
10541-521: The interior, engine and chassis, using tooling relocated from the New Stanton, Pennsylvania plant when that site began to build the Second Generation car. In the 1980s, Volkswagen's sales in the United States and Canada fell dramatically, despite the success of models like the Golf elsewhere. Sales in the United States were 293,595 in 1980, but by 1984 they were down to 177,709. The introduction of
10668-528: The lack of a five-door version, helped ensure even stronger sales than its predecessor. It continued to sell well after a makeover in 1990, finally being replaced by an all-new version in 1994. Also arriving in 1981 were the second generation of the larger Passat and a second generation of the Volkswagen Scirocco coupe. In 1983 the MK2 Golf was launched. At the beginning of 1988, the third generation Passat
10795-513: 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
10922-689: 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
11049-431: The nearly finished typ 266 , a project for a mid-engined car to replace the Beetle, and to focus on front-wheel-drive, water-cooled cars. Rudolf Leiding , recently made head of Volkswagen, cited noise, heat, and servicing problems with the mid-engine layout, as well as the difficulty of making it a station wagon. Volkswagen was in serious trouble by 1973. The Type 3 and Type 4 models had sold in much smaller numbers than
11176-563: The new Type 3 mechanical underpinnings. The name 'Squareback' was used in the United States for the Variant. In 1969 the larger Type 4 (411 and 412) models were introduced. These differed substantially from previous vehicles, with the notable introduction of monocoque /unibody construction, the option of a fully automatic transmission , electronic fuel injection , and a sturdier powerplant. In 1964, Volkswagen acquired Auto Union , and in 1969, NSU Motorenwerke AG (NSU). The former company owned
11303-708: The outbreak of war in 1939, none of the participants in the savings scheme ever received a car. In 1950, a lawsuit was issued that, after 12 years of trial, ultimately provided a credit of 12% off the list price of a new VW base model or 5-times less the value paid into the saving scheme. Prototypes of the car called the KdF-Wagen (from the German term Kraft durch Freude , meaning " Strength Through Joy ") appeared from 1938 onwards. The first cars had been produced in Stuttgart . The car already had its distinctive round shape and air-cooled , flat-four , rear-mounted engine . The VW car
11430-493: The power increase was minimal, the engine now produced 350 N⋅m (258 lb⋅ft) of torque (up from 309 N⋅m (228 lb⋅ft)) and featured an overboost function that allowed up to 380 N⋅m (280 lb⋅ft) in short bursts. The 3B-engined car will accelerate from 0-100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 5.7 seconds, continuing to a top speed of 246 km/h (152.9 mph). The ABY-engined S2 Coupé will accelerate from 0-100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 5.9 seconds, continuing to
11557-495: 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
11684-553: 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. Volkswagen Volkswagen ( VW ; German pronunciation: [ˈfɔlksˌvaːɡn̩] )
11811-572: The second-generation Golf, GTI and Jetta models helped Volkswagen briefly in North America. Motor Trend named the GTI its Car of the Year for 1985, and Volkswagen rose in the J.D. Power buyer satisfaction ratings to eighth place in 1985, up from 22nd a year earlier. VW's American sales broke 200,000 in 1985 and 1986 before resuming the downward trend from earlier in the decade. Chairman Carl Hahn decided to expand
11938-518: The segment above the Golf. In 1998 the company launched the new Lupo city car. In 1999 they announced the first "3-litre" car, a lightweight version of the Lupo that could travel 100 km with only 3-liters of diesel—making it the world's most fuel efficient car at the time. Volkswagen began introducing an array of new models after Bernd Pischetsrieder became Volkswagen Group CEO (responsible for all Group brands) in 2002. The sixth-generation VW Golf
12065-509: 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
12192-506: The supermini market in 1975 with the Volkswagen Polo , a stylish and spacious three-door hatchback designed by Bertone . It was a strong seller in West Germany and most of the rest of Western Europe, being one of the first foreign small cars to prove popular in Britain. It had started out in 1974 as the Audi 50 , which was only available in certain markets and was less popular. The Polo entered
12319-405: 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 ,
12446-410: The third-generation Golf, which was European Car of the Year for 1992. The Golf Mk3 and Jetta Mk3 arrived in North America in 1993. The sedan version of the Golf was badged Vento in Europe but remained Jetta in the United States. The Scirocco and the later Corrado were both Golf-based coupés . In 1994, Volkswagen unveiled the J Mays -designed Concept One , a "retro"-themed concept car with
12573-443: 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
12700-523: 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
12827-421: 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
12954-436: The war effort. German historians estimated that 80% of Volkswagen's wartime workforce was slave labour. Many of the slaves were reported to have been supplied from the concentration camps upon request from plant managers. A lawsuit was filed in 1998 by survivors for restitution for the forced labour. Volkswagen would set up a voluntary restitution fund. In April 1945, KdF-Stadt and its heavily bombed factory were captured by
13081-564: The way for this new generation of Volkswagens: the Passat, Scirocco, Golf , and Polo. First in the series was the Volkswagen Passat (Dasher in the US), introduced in 1973, a fastback version of the Audi 80 , using many identical body and mechanical parts. Estate/wagon versions were available in many markets. In Europe, the estate/wagon version dominated market share for many years. In spring 1974,
13208-470: The well-proven 2.2-litre in-line five-cylinder 20-valve turbo petrol engine from the Audi 200 20V, which was a variant of the engine used in the Audi Quattro . A similar version of the engine was used in the Audi 100 based S4 (the 'Ur-S4'). The S2 came as standard with quattro permanent four-wheel drive, and featured a heavy-duty 5-speed manual transmission , and was capable of 150 mph. The S2
13335-555: 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
13462-493: 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
13589-476: Was allowed to retain. These rules set German car production at a maximum of 10% of 1936 car production. By 1946, the factory produced 1,000 cars a month even though it was still in disrepair. Owing to roof and window damage, production had to stop when it rained, and the company had to barter new vehicles for steel for production. The car and its town changed their Second World War-era names to "Volkswagen" and " Wolfsburg " respectively, and production increased. It
13716-671: Was continued with the Golf Mk4 , introduced at the end of 1997 (North America in 1999), its chassis spawned a host of other cars within the Volkswagen Group; the Volkswagen Bora (the sedan known as the Jetta in the United States), SEAT Toledo, SEAT León, Audi A3 , Audi TT , and Škoda Octavia . Other main models during the decade include the Polo , a smaller car than the Golf, and the larger Passat for
13843-556: 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
13970-606: Was designed by the Italian Giorgetto Giugiaro . Its design followed trends for small family cars set by the 1959 Mini – the Golf had a transversely mounted , water-cooled engine in the front, driving the front wheels, and had a hatchback , a format that has dominated the market segment ever since. Beetle production at Wolfsburg ended upon the Golf's introduction. It continued in smaller numbers at other German factories ( Hanover and Emden ) until 1978, but mainstream production shifted to Brazil and Mexico. In 1975,
14097-437: Was driven on a nationwide tour for Volkswagen Canada's 60th year of business festivities in 2012). By 1955, sales warranted the building of the Volkswagen plant on a 32-acre (13 ha) site on Scarborough's Golden Mile . To this, a 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m ) building with administration, showrooms, service, repairs and parts was built in 1957, with storage for $ 4,000,000 of parts. In 1959, VW started production at
14224-527: 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
14351-556: 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
14478-669: Was established in Berlin by the Deutsche Arbeitsfront , the national labour organization of the Nazi Party. More than a year later, on 16 September 1938, it was renamed to Volkswagenwerk GmbH . Erwin Komenda , the longstanding Auto Union chief designer, part of Ferdinand Porsche's hand-picked team, developed the car body of the prototype, which was recognisably the Beetle known today. It
14605-460: Was eventually moved to Mexico where vehicle emissions were not regulated. Beetles were popular on the US West Coast where the limited-capacity cabin heating was less inconvenient. Beetles were popularised on the US West Coast as beach buggies and dune buggies. VW expanded its product line in 1961 with the introduction of four Type 3 models (Karmann Ghia, Notchback, Fastback, and Variant) based on
14732-607: Was formed in April 1955 to standardise sales and service in the United States. Production of the Type 1 Volkswagen Beetle increased dramatically over the years, the total reaching one million in 1955. The UK's first official Volkswagen importer, Colborne Garages of Ripley, Surrey , started business with importing parts for the models brought home by soldiers returning from Germany. Canadian Motors, Limited brought in Canada's first shipment of Volkswagens on 10 July 1952 (shipping order 143075). The order consisted of 12 vehicles, (3) model 11C,
14859-471: Was initially available with a 2.2-litre turbocharged engine which produced 220 PS (162 kW; 217 bhp) (Engine code 3B), coupled to a 5-speed transmission. In October 1992, the engine received minor upgrades as per the Audi S4, including distributor-less ignition, which increased power output to 230 PS (169 kW; 227 bhp) (Engine code: ABY) which was coupled to a new 6-speed gearbox. Although
14986-592: Was just one of many KdF programs, which included things such as tours and outings. The prefix Volks ("People's") was not just applied to cars, but also to other products in Germany—the Volksempfänger radio receiver for instance. On 28 May 1937, Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH ("Company for the Preparation of the German Volkswagen Ltd."), or Gezuvor for short,
15113-576: Was launched in 2008, came runner-up to the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia in the 2009 European Car of the Year , and has spawned several cousins: VW Jetta , VW Scirocco , SEAT León , SEAT Toledo , Škoda Octavia and Audi A3 hatchback ranges, as well as a new mini- MPV , the SEAT Altea . The GTI, a " hot hatch " performance version of the Golf, boasts a 2.0 L Turbocharged Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) direct injection engine. VW began marketing
15240-573: 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
15367-434: Was one of the first cars designed with the aid of a wind tunnel —a method used for German aircraft design since the early 1920s. The car designs were put through rigorous tests and achieved a record-breaking million miles of testing before being deemed finished. The construction of the new factory started in May 1938 in the new town of "Stadt des KdF-Wagens" (renamed Wolfsburg after the war), which had been purpose-built for
15494-644: 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
15621-545: Was still unclear what was to become of the factory. It was offered to representatives from the American, Australian, British, and French motor industries who all rejected it. After an inspection of the plant, Sir William Rootes , head of the British Rootes Group , told Hirst the project would fail within two years, and that the car "...is quite unattractive to the average motorcar buyer, is too ugly and too noisy. If you think you're going to build cars in this place, you're
15748-523: 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
15875-399: Was that German families could buy the car through a savings scheme ( " Fünf Mark die Woche musst du sparen, willst du im eigenen Wagen fahren " – "Five Marks a week you must set aside, if in your own car you wish to ride "), which around 336,000 people eventually paid into. However, the project was not commercially viable, and only government support was able to keep it afloat. Due to
16002-573: Was the next major car launch and Volkswagen did not produce a hatchback version of this Passat, despite the rising popularity of the hatchback body style throughout Europe. Just after launching the B3 Passat, Volkswagen launched the Corrado , analogous to the Scirocco , although the Scirocco remained in production until 1992; a third generation of Scirocco was in production 2008–17. In 1991, Volkswagen launched
16129-436: 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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