Auto Union AG was a German automobile manufacturing company that was established in 1936 in Chemnitz, Saxony. It was formed by the merger of four German automobile manufacturers: Audi, Horch, DKW, and Wanderer. Auto Union acted as an umbrella firm for these four brands and is considered to be the immediate predecessor of Audi as it is known today.
In addition to its role as an umbrella company, Auto Union is also famous for its racing team, the Auto Union Rennabteilung. The racing team was based at the Horch works in Zwickau, Saxony and competed in Grand Prix motor racing in the 1930s. The team's most famous car was the Auto Union Type C, which was powered by a mid-mounted V16 engine and achieved great success on the racetrack. The Auto Union Type C is considered to be one of the most iconic racing cars of all time.
History
Auto Union was a German automobile manufacturer established in 1932 and was the immediate predecessor of Audi. It was an amalgamation of four German brands: Audi, Horch, DKW, and Wanderer. Auto Union is widely known for its racing team (Auto Union Rennabteilung), which competed in Grand Prix car racing from 1934 onwards and dominated the sport. After being reduced to near ruin following World War II, Auto Union was re-founded in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, in 1949 and later evolved into the modern-day Audi company following its takeover by Volkswagen in 1964 and merger with NSU Motorenwerke in 1969. The current corporate entity that bears the Auto Union name, Auto Union GmbH, was founded in 1985 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Audi AG. Its purpose is to act as the owner of Auto Union's historical trademarks and intellectual property, as well as managing Audi's heritage operations. The company's distinctive logo, four interlocking rings to represent the original four members of the Auto Union, survives as the logo of Audi.
