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Audi can trace a long and illustrious history through their various company guises in the world of motor sport. This is something Audi dealerships are extremely proud of, and given the chance will talk about for hours. Originally however Audi was a conglomeration of different brands. It was in 1906 that the company’s founder August Horch drove an Audi to victory in the Herkomer Run. These successes were followed up by victories in 1912, 1913 and 1914 in the Austrian Alpine Rallies. Naturally these accomplishments were touted by Audi dealerships across Europe, who felt their brand to be a leader in the motor sport sphere.

The four Auto Union brands competed in a variety of competitions across Europe. These entrants took the form of both company racers and private entrants, both experienced success in Auto Union cars. In the thirties Audi, then Auto Union cars approached the starting line of Berlin’s Avis circuit, in their inaugural race they finished third, in a car designed by Ferdinand Porsche; a man who later started his own car manufacturing company. It was in 1934 that Auto Union recorded their first Grand Prix victory; fittingly enough at the German GP, held at the world famous Nurburg Ring.

Another member of the Audi family DKW experienced great levels of success in rallying throughout the fifties and sixties. The success of DKW was touted in dealerships across the land as during this period the company’s cars were able to record more than one hundred championship titles, a staggering one hundred an fifty overall wins and thirty five team successes. The ability of DKW to record rally wins was astounding for the time and showed a special dispensation for Audi group cars in the rallying sphere.

NSU, another derivative of Audi took the mantle of rally successes with two models, the Prinz TT and the Type TTS. Combined these cars won nearly thirty national championships from the late sixties to the early seventies; the most famous drivers of the period being Gunter Imschev, Manfred Kilian and of course Siegfried Spiess. This rallying heritage carried on at Audi in later years, the company constantly learning from their triumphs to produce evermore impressive and adept vehicles.

The nineteen eighties was truly a revelation for Audi as they designed and developed the Quattro; a car that dominated rallying for more than half a decade. The Quattro utilised a newly developed all wheel drive system and set the standard in the rally world at a time where the rest of the paddock criticised the benefits of four wheel drive. Critics were soon silenced however, once the Quattro had won two championships back to back. The pack soon caught up but this did not stop dealerships bragging to their respective counterparts of their company’s forward thinking attitude and advances in technology.

Audi have always had a strong rallying tradition, unfortunately today they have pulled out of the world rally championships and are instead focussing their development efforts on road cars. That is not to say that the development of racing cars has been wasted; the Quattro technology is still being used by the company with many cars on the forecourts of dealerships bearing the prestigious badge. One thing is certain, the company motto of advancement through technology is more than just a motto; it is an ethos as well as a mandate for design.

Motor industry expert Thomas Pretty studies how the range of cars in Audi dealerships can trace a rich and illustrious rallying heritage.