The slogan of Audi - ‘Vorsprung durch Technik,’ which means ‘Advancement or Progress Through Technology,’ is marking its 50th anniversary this year. Yet, even today, this famous slogan of the Four Rings has not lost its appeal, as each year, there’s substantial advancement, perhaps through technology, creating more history behind it. It will be interesting to know that the intent was ingrained since the brand was created 61 years before the slogan was coined.
It all began with August Horch, one of Germany’s pioneering automobile engineers, who started his own business A.Horch & Cie in Cologne, after working with Carl Benz company in Mannheim for some time. The difference of opinion with the management made him leave A.Horch & Cie in 1909 and immediately establish a second car company in Zwickau. Because his surname was already in use and was protected by trademark, he chose its Latin translation for the new company. So ‘horch’ – or ‘hark’ – became ‘audi’ - the brand for the second company that commenced trading as Audi Automobilwerke GmbH, Zwickau on April 25, 1910.
Later the company associated with three other like-minded contemporaries, which was evident still even today. The four interlocking rings in the brand’s emblem symbolise the inseparable unity of the four founder companies - Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer. Each of the four brands was assigned a specific market segment within the group: DKW – motorcycles and small cars; Wanderer – midsize cars; Audi – cars in the deluxe midsize segment; and Horch – luxury cars at the top end of the market.
Introduced in 1968, the Audi 100 was the first that saw the massive success of the new Audi that proved its creators right. The Audi 100 also helped Auto Union to preserve its separate identity.
The birth of the slogan
Within three years, i.e. in 1971, Vorsprung durch Technik, was introduced, which is not just a slogan for the brand but an expression of the company’s future-oriented approach - to move ahead through technology as the backbone.
Couple of years before, Auto Union GmbH was merged with Neckarsulmer NSU Motorenwerke to form Audi NSU Auto Union AG at Neckarsulm.
The new company’s range of models included air-cooled engines of the rear-wheel-drive NSU Prinz series and the water-cooled four-cylinder engines of the front-wheel-drive Audi 60 and Audi 100, and the rotary engine of the futuristic-looking NSU Ro 80.
The idea to communicate this technological diversity as a competitive advantage came in 1970 from Hans Bauer. The Audi NSI advertising department employee devised the slogan that people around the world would come to recognise: ‘Vorsprung durch Technik.’
The new slogan made its first appearance in a large-sized advertisement in January 1971. Later, it appeared in all the communications from the company. The motto was adapted over the years in many ways, including ‘Audi. A nice bit of technology,’ or ‘Audi. Relaxed driving with perfect techn butology,’ but the company soon returned to the catchy original.
With the introduction of the Audi Quattro in 1980, the catchword was used more frequently in promotional activities. The largest illuminated advertisement in Europe at the time was installed on a high-rise along the A9 Autobahn at the exit for Ingolstadt-Nord, whihc is synonymous with the company even today.
Changing technology
In a new special exhibit titled ‘Living Progress – 50 Years of Vorsprung durch Technik,’ debuting in December, the German OEM will show visitors to the Audi Forum Neckarsulm its passion for technology throughout the years.
Though advancement through technology has been underpinning the company in every element, every individual perceives it differently.
Oliver Hoffmann, Member of the Board of Management of Audi for Technical Development, says the most critical milestone is Quattro technology. Not only was it the foundation for its rally successes, it also represents the transfer of its experience from racing into serial production.
The ‘decade of Audi’ was kicked off in Le Mans in the early 2000s. With new technologies such as FSI, Turbo-FSI, laser light, Ultra technology and hybrids, the brand dominated the renowned long-distance race as the unparalleled serial winner. The aluminium compact A2 1.2 TDI also made its debut, which was the first and, to this day, only four-door three-litre car.
The company made the next quantum leap in 2018 by introducing the Audi e-tron, its first fully electric vehicle to go into serial production, blazing the trail for premium electromobility. Three years later saw the Audi e-tron GT launch that surpassed its own benchmark in design and performance. In addition, the new brand campaign’ Future is an Attitude’ underlines the future-oriented approach of the carmaker to continually question age-old views of mobility.
Eco-focus
At the end of the 2010s, sustainability became the company’s core goal; it wants to be carbon-neutral by 2050. As a result, the OEM resolved that it will not be introducing any new models with combustion engines from 2026. As part of this initiative, the company isredefining advancement and focusing on sustainability, digitalisation and electrification. Hoffmann says the company’s prerogative is not to be driven by change but to be drivers of change. With new mobility, the company thinks outside the car, working on the electric mobility ecosystem.
The journey continues; therefore, Audi will not rest on the laurels of its technological advancement of the past years as it believes in Vorsprung durch Technik!