It was June 29, 1932 when the Audi trademark was born, whose logo of the four intertwined rings symbolize the merger of four previously independent car manufacturers: Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer. These are the roots of today’s AUDI AG.
The birth of Audi
At the initiative of the State Bank of Saxony, the companies Audiwerke AG, Horchwerke AG and Zschopauer Motorenwerke JS Rasmussen Ag (Dkw) merge to form Auto Union Ag. The new entity simultaneously concludes an agreement with Wanderer Werke Ag for the purchase and leasing of the automotive division of Wanderer. The new group is headquartered in Chemnitz, with the administration located at the Dkw plant in Zschopau until 1936.
After its creation, Auto Union Ag is the second largest automotive group in Germany.
The logo and brands
The company logo reproduces four intertwined rings that represent the inseparable unity of the four founding companies. The Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer brands are retained. Each of the four brands of the group is assigned a specific market segment: DKW operates in the motorcycles and small cars segment, Wanderer builds and sells mid-range cars, Audi sells vehicles in the luxury mid-range segment and Horch is synonymous with cars. luxury at the high end of the market.
Who is Audi today
The Audi group with its Audi, Ducati and Lamborghini brands is one of the most successful premium manufacturers in the automotive and motorcycle sectors. It is present in more than one hundred world markets and manages nineteen production plants in twelve countries. The wholly owned subsidiaries of Audi Ag include Audi Sport GmbH (Neckarsulm, Germany), Automobili Lamborghini SpA (Sant’Agata Bolognese) and Ducati Motor Holding SpA (Bologna).