Three countries, one thousand kilometers, and pure electric power: a small group of journalists traveled through Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in the A6 Sportback e-tron performance1. They drove the high-range Audi from Copenhagen to Bergen – through charming towns, over impressive bridges, and along breathtaking waterfalls, national parks, and fjords.

Scandinavia is the perfect place to experience the benefits of all-electric travel. The fast-charging infrastructure is well developed, and electric cars are sometimes allowed to use bus lanes and park for free. On this special journey, a small group of journalists find out that a Scandinavian road trip isn’t just great for driving, but the landscapes are stunning too. For our first stage, covering around 600 kilometers, we head eastward from Copenhagen over the world’s longest cable-stayed bridge and through the nearly four-kilometer-long Drogden Tunnel. After a good 470 kilometers, it’s time for a quick recharging break: the 350 kW fast-charging station feeds 27 kWh into the A6 e-tron’s battery in just seven minutes. The Audi cruises almost silently along the remaining 140 kilometers to Oslo – our day’s destination has been reached.

On day two, the city highway gives way to well-developed country roads, which gradually become more winding and narrow – this is where the A6 e-tron can really show off its dynamic handling. “What an impressive driving experience!” says one of the participants. Hardangervidda Passage, the Vøringsfossen waterfall, and Eidfjord are simply hard to beat in terms of scenic beauty.

One last quick charging stop at kilometer 855, and then the trip in the all-electric A6 continues towards Bergen – passing over the impressive 1,380-meter-long Hardanger Bridge and through the more than 7,700-meter-long Vallavik Tunnel. When the odometer reads 1,057 kilometers, we’ve reached our destination: Bergen, the second largest city in Norway and departure port of the famous Hurtigruten mail ships. The media reps enjoy the fantastic view of the fjords surrounding Bergen, chat about their impressions of the drive, and all agree: this road trip was both varied and relaxed.

Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com

1. Audi A6 Sportback e-tron performance: Electric power consumption (combined): 15.9–14.0 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions (combined): 0 g/km; CO2 class: A

Audi brings interactive gaming fun directly into the car with the AirConsole gaming platform specially developed for vehicles. Passengers can now play together on the central MMI touch display or on the MMI passenger display in models with that feature. Smartphones are easily connected to the vehicle using a QR code and then serve as controllers. This makes every ride an entertaining experience for the whole family – both during everyday drives or when traveling.

Together with the gaming platform AirConsole, Audi is turning the car into an interactive playground. Passengers can experience a variety of games directly via the central infotainment system. In vehicles with an MMI passenger display, multiple games are even available during the drive, as the dynamic privacy mode ensures that distracting content is not visible to the driver while the car is moving. Passengers can easily turn their smartphones into game controllers by connecting them to the vehicle by scanning a QR code.

A variety of games for every age group – plus exclusive content

The AirConsole portfolio ranges from games of skill to party games and is regularly expanded. Classics such as Mattel’s UNO® Car Party! and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? provide a wide variety of entertainment.

To mark its 40th anniversary, the popular drawing game Pictionary™ is being reinterpreted through an additional collaboration with Mattel, especially for use in the car. Pictionary™ Car Party is exclusively available to Audi drivers until the end of 2025.

Seamless integration into everyday digital life

The introduction of AirConsole underscores Audi’s efforts to intelligently integrate modern technologies into users’ everyday lives. Whether you’re on a long holiday journey or just a short commute, the new gaming options provide variety and fun on every route.

AirConsole is now available in selected vehicles via the Audi Application Store. This currently applies to the Audi A5, Audi Q5, Audi A6, Audi A6 e-tron, and Audi Q6 e-tron model series, which have Android-based infotainment systems as their operating systems.

The Audi Application Store: digital portfolio continues to grow

The AirConsole offering is part of the Audi Application Store, which provides apps specially developed for use in the vehicle – from streaming services such as Spotify, YouTube and DAZN to news portals such as Articly. With a broad and market-specific range of third-party apps, Audi is creating a comprehensive digital ecosystem that is constantly being expanded.

In addition to the infotainment system, the Audi Application Store and smartphone interface are required to use the store. The Audi Application Store is directly integrated into the MMI. A myAudi account and active data connection are also necessary. As part of the package, customers receive a monthly volume of data that can also be used for streaming in the vehicle.

Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com

A new era began in Ingolstadt 60 years ago: the first post-Second World War Audi rolled off the assembly line on August 13, 1965. And on that occasion, after a quarter of a century, Auto Union GmbH once again adopted the traditional Audi brand name. The name itself was intended to demonstrate the model’s status as a technical pioneer. It was, after all, Audi’s first automobile with a four-cylinder, four-stroke engine. The Audi, known internally as the F 103, was a resounding success and spawned an entire model series that – with further developments in design and technology – remained in production until 1972.

In 1965, when the “new Audi” – as it was called in the press release for its world premiere at the IAA – was launched, Auto Union GmbH, the predecessor of today’s AUDI AG, found itself in a difficult economic situation. The company was not a stranger to challenging times; launching again after the Second World War was anything but easy: Germany lay in ruins; the Saxon Auto Union AG had been dismantled and had no future. Amid the post-war turmoil, former employees of Auto Union moved west and initially established a central depot for spare parts in Ingolstadt. In 1949, they went on to found Auto Union GmbH. The young company started producing vehicles; its first models – motorcycles and vans under the DKW brand – sold well during the period of reconstruction and the economic boom of post-WWII Germany.

As the population became more affluent, people’s expectations for cars soon rose. By the mid-1960s, the DKW models, based on pre-war technology, were considered outdated – the DKW brand was “out.” In particular, the long adherence to the two-stroke engine was causing sales figures to decline steadily: Auto Union’s last two-stroke model, the DKW F 102, proved to be a shelf warmer despite its modern design. And so, the Ingolstadt-based Auto Union GmbH found itself in a crisis in the 1960s. At the same time, changes in the corporate structure were also taking place. Daimler-Benz AG, which owned Auto Union from 1958 to 1964, gradually sold its shares to Volkswagenwerk AG in Wolfsburg, which also led to better utilization of production capacity. The VW Beetle emerged as the first white knight in these difficult times. Almost 348,000 Volkswagen 1200/1300 units were assembled in Ingolstadt between 1965 and 1969.

“New Audi” catalyzes technical and economic turnaround

Even more decisive for the company’s future was a decision made by its former owner, Daimler-Benz AG, in the early 1960s. It provided its subsidiary with a four-stroke engine at the beginning of that decade. The Stuttgart-based company also sent engineer Ludwig Kraus to Ingolstadt, where he later became chief developer. Kraus brought the new engine to series production at Auto Union, paving the way for the first car from Ingolstadt with a four-stroke engine. The “new Audi” hit the market in 1965 – 25 years after the last Audi 920 had rolled off the assembly line in Zwickau, Saxony, in 1940 as a result of the war-related production stoppage, and 55 years after the first Audi automobile ever had been delivered: the Audi Type A 10/22 PS.

In Ingolstadt, they wanted to make the technical change visible with the new model’s name as well. The “DKW” brand name, which had always been closely associated with the two-stroke engine, would therefore no longer be used for Auto Union GmbH vehicles. Instead, the new car was given the familiar pre-war name “Audi” – initially without any further additions or designations. The car was marketed as an Auto Union “Audi type.” Internally, the nomenclature was simply continued: the DKW F 102 became the F 103. This “new Audi” ultimately became the founder of an entire series.

From the historian’s perspective, there is another important detail: the name of the new car was purely a model designation – the company itself was still called Auto Union GmbH in 1965. It wasn’t until 20 years later, in 1985, that AUDI AG was founded. Since that time, the company and its products have borne the same short and distinctive name: Audi.

New addition to the family: original Audi evolves into whole family of vehicles

With the arrival of further models and performance levels, the new Audi was joined by the Audi 80, Audi Super 90, Audi 75, and Audi 60. Only the first Audi was denied the “72” designation during its entire production run. It was only unofficially known to customers and the press as the “Audi 72” or “Audi (72 PS).” The new Audi rolled off the production line starting in August 1965 and was available as a station wagon as of spring 1966, called the “Variant” at Volkswagen. The sedan models were available in two- and four-door versions, with the option of upscale equipment – with the suffix “L.” In 1966, the Audi 80 with an 80 PS engine was added to the model range, followed shortly afterwards by the top-of-the-line Audi Super 90 that featured extensive equipment. One of the things that set it apart visually from the other models was its chrome-plated trim strips on the wheel arches, which came as standard. With its larger displacement 90 PS engine, it reached a top speed of more than 160 km/h, a respectable figure at the time. In 1968, the mass-market Audi 60 model with 55 PS rounded off the range, and the Audi 75 replaced the 72 and 80 PS versions.

Advertising for the post-war Audi referred to a “medium-pressure engine,” because the 1.7-liter engine with its compression ratio of 11.2:1 was somewhere between a typical gasoline engine and a diesel engine in those days. The new model was also longer than the DKW three-cylinder, which is why the DKW F 102 – which served as the basis for the new Audi – had to be lengthened by 100 millimeters and the radiator installed at an angle next to the engine on the left-hand side. Instead of the round headlights found in the chrome-plated grille of the F 102, the Audi was given rectangular headlights in a slightly wider black radiator grille. A four-speed manual transmission with column-mounted shifter came as standard; an automatic transmission was not offered in this series. Like its predecessor, the DKW F 102, the new Audi had disc brakes mounted inside the transmission. The move away from the two-stroke engine signaled a new era: 16,000 new Audis were built in the first three months alone.

During its seven-year production run, the F 103 underwent only minor changes. For the 1970 model year, all versions were fitted with a redesigned dashboard as well as parallel-action windshield wipers instead of counter-rotating ones. Customers could then also order a center-console gearshift at an extra cost in place of the standard column-mounted shifter. In the summer of 1970, the fuel filler on the sedans was relocated from the rear of the vehicle to the right rear side panel. The rear lights were styled to match those of the Audi 100, which had been in production since 1968 and established Audi’s successful C series.

The Auto Union “Audi type” continued to be produced until summer 1972. It was replaced in mid-1972 by the completely newly developed Audi 80. The smallest model in the F 103 family, the Audi 60, became the most successful; more than half of all first-generation Audi cars built (416,852 vehicles) were Audi 60 and Audi 60 L models, accounting for a total of 216,987 units. The sales figures alone demonstrate just how important this car was for the brand with the four rings. It marked a turning point both technically and economically. Between 1965 and 1972, the new Audi and its family members attracted such great interest that they not only laid the foundation for a forward-looking model range for the company but also put Auto Union back on the road to success, thus contributing to the long-term independence of the Audi brand within the Volkswagen Group.

Lecture on July 23 – the history and significance of the “F 103” for Audi

On Wednesday, July 23, Audi historian Ralf Friese will share the story of how the first Audi after World War II came into being, and why this “original Audi” would go on to play such a pivotal role in shaping the future of the brand with the four rings. This event will take place at the Audi museum mobile in Ingolstadt. Admission is free. Registration is required by email to  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or by telephone at 0841 89-34433. Please register by Monday, July 21. The lecture on Wednesday, July 23, begins at 6 p.m. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.

Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com

The Audi Q3 has been a well-established bestseller in the premium compact segment for more than ten years. Now the third generation is setting new standards in several respects. The modern SUV’s exterior exudes self-confidence and emotion. Numerous innovative features turn the Audi Q3 into a digital companion. They provide a first-class user experience and also ensure greater comfort and safety for the driver and other road users thanks to many assistance systems. In addition to the well-balanced suspension, the digitalization of light also enhances customer benefits. A high degree of personalization and adaptive, high-resolution light functions are made possible with the new micro-LED technology in the digital Matrix LED headlights. Another feature of the new Audi Q3 is an efficient, partially electrified combustion engine with mild-hybrid technology and a plug-in hybrid model with an electric range of up to 119 kilometers (preliminary figures).

Gernot Döllner, CEO of AUDI AG: “With a total of more than two million vehicles sold worldwide since the launch of the first generation, the Audi Q3 is one of our best-selling models and has a high status in our product portfolio. With the third generation of the Audi Q3, we are renewing an important model family as part of our product initiative and strengthening our range with a powerful plug-in hybrid and efficient combustion engines. The new model combines efficiency, driving dynamics, and comfort.” In addition to efficient and partially electrified combustion engines, the Audi Q3 offers a new adaptive suspension that enables a balance between comfort and dynamics. Geoffrey Bouquot, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development at AUDI AG, adds: “With the Audi Q3 interior, we are transferring the digital stage from the full-size class to the compact segment. An innovative operating concept and numerous assistance systems increase safety and comfort and make the Audi Q3 the ideal digital companion for everyday life.”

Compared to its predecessor, the new Audi Q3 has an even more emotional design.The wide Singleframe and the sleekly tapered headlights are fully integrated into the aerodynamic concept. Viewed from the side, a horizontal shoulder line between the headlights and rear lights visually divides the car into two parts, creating a very special distribution of light and shadow.

The rear section is adorned with optional digital OLED rear lights, complemented by a continuous LED light strip and the illuminated rings. This level of lighting technology offered in the new Audi Q3 is available for the first time in the Audi compact segment.

The front of the compact SUV features digital Matrix LED headlights that use the micro-LED module for the first time in the Audi Q3. The use of this micro-LED technology improves illumination significantly and thus ensures a strong contrast on the road. The light guidance functions are now much more closely linked to the driver assistance functions. The digital daytime running lights with LED technology, consisting of 23 segments per side, create distinctive light signatures that make the vehicle easily recognizable on the road.

In the interior, the new steering wheel control unit means more storage space in the center console, a new user experience, and a better sense of space. The steering wheel control unit integrates two new steering column levers for the first time. The lever on the right serves as a gear selector, the one on the left as a control element for the light functions and windshield wipers. Also for the first time in the compact segment at Audi, it is possible to order acoustic glazing for the front side windows, which makes for better interior acoustics, particularly at high speeds. The 488-liter trunk volume (17.2 cu ft) also demonstrates the practicality of the Audi Q3. With the seat bench folded down, the storage space for the Audi Q3 increases to up to 1,386 liters (48.9 cu ft). The seat bench can be moved lengthwise, and its angle can be adjusted as standard. The SUV has a towing capacity of up to 2,100 kilograms (approx. 4,630 lb).

The entry-level model in the Audi Q3 family is the Audi Q3 SUV TFSI 110 kW1, a four-cylinder gasoline engine with mild-hybrid technology. The Audi Q3 SUV TDI 110 kW2is particularly suitable for driving long distances. The Audi Q3 SUV e-hybrid 200 kW3 can charge up to 50 kW with DC power under ideal conditions and is more powerful and efficient than ever before. A high-voltage battery with a gross capacity of 25.7 kWh (net 19.7 kWh) was installed for that purpose. This battery enables an electric range of up to 119 kilometers (preliminary figures) in the WLTP test cycle.

The further developed standard suspension delivers an improved driving experience. The sports suspension and the suspension with two-valve damper control are available as options for an optimally balanced driving experience. One driving assistance highlight is the adaptive driving assistant plus. For even greater safety on the road, an interior camera also monitors the driver for signs of drowsiness and lack of concentration. Trained parking allows customers to teach the Audi Q3 individual parking maneuvers, and the new reverse assist reliably helps you to back out of dead ends.

The new Audi Q3 will launch in October; orders can be placed starting in the summer. The Audi Q3 SUV TFSI 110 kW1 will be available in Germany at an entry-level price of 44,600 euros. The Audi Q3 SUV e-hybrid 200 kW3 will start at 49,300 euros. Audi is manufacturing the new generation jointly at its plants in Győr, Hungary, and Ingolstadt, Germany.

Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com

1. Audi Q3 SUV TFSI 110 kW: Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 6.6–6.0; combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 151–137; CO2 class: E

2. Audi Q3 SUV TDI 110 kW: Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 5.8–5.3; combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 152–139; CO2 class: E

3. Audi Q3 SUV e-hybrid 220 kW: Fuel consumption (weighted combined): 2.2–1.7 l/100 km (preliminary figures); power consumption (weighted combined): 15.0–13.9 kWh/100 km (preliminary figures); CO2 emissions (weighted combined): 49–39 g/km (preliminary figures); CO2 class (weighted combined): B (preliminary figures); fuel consumption with discharged battery (combined): 6.6–6.0 l/100 km (preliminary figures); CO2 class with discharged battery: E (preliminary figures)