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Audi Tradition at the 2004 Techno Classica

By - March 17, 2004

Audi Tradition at the 2004 Techno Classica

March 17, 2004

  • From “Alpensieger” to quattro
  • Milestones in the history of the Audi brand

    “Audi: Vorsprung durch Technik over the Years” is the motto of Audi Tradition’s presentation at this year’s Techno Classica exhibition, to be held in Essen from April 1 – 4, 2004. At this 16th “Oldtimer” show, the company and the historic Audi brand club will have a total of 1,400 square metres of stand space at their disposal in Hall 7. 400 sq. m more than in previous years. Sharing the stand this year for the first time is the new August Horch Museum from Zwickau, which was opened in September 2004 during the events held under the heading of “A Century of Automobile Manufacturing in the Chemnitz-Zwickau region”. Adjacent to this display is a presentation by the Audi subsidiary Lamborghini.

    The following Audi cars will be on display:

  • Audi Type C 14/35 PS “Alpensieger”, built in 1913: it was this model line that gained the Audi brand recognition on the international scene by successful participation in the International Austrian Alpine Run from 1912 to 1914.
  • Audi Type R 19/100 PS “Imperator”, built in 1929: the first Audi with an eight-cylinder engine! This imposing car, 5.16 metres long, is the past surviving example of this model series anywhere in the world; it is on display to the general public at the Techno Classica in Essen for the first time after its restoration.
  • Audi Front 225 Special Cabriolet, built in 1937: from 1933 onwards, the Auto Union began to establish front-wheel drive for midsize passenger cars with its Audi Front model. This elegant Audi Front Special Cabriolet was one of a batch of only 25 cars built in 1937.
  • Audi 72, built in 1965: in 1965, Auto Union began to build a new Audi in Ingolstadt that represented a departure from the previous cars with two-stroke engines. The new model appealed strongly to the motoring public and contributed to a revival of the Audi brand’s fortunes after World War II.
  • Audi 80 GLE sectioned model: the second-generation Audi 80 was a star of the midsize automobile scene in its day. This sectioned model aroused great interest 25 years ago at the 48th German Motor Show (the `IAA’) in Frankfurt, held in the autumn of 1979.
  • Audi 100 Avant, built in 1978: this new model version with sloping tailgate ushered in the series of Audi Avant models that has remained successful to the present day.
  • Audi quattro, built in 1984: the Audi quattro was the star of the 1980s. After many victories in rallies, the forward-looking quattro driveline concept was also a success in the standard product range and gave Audi an immense image bonus until now.

    For collectors of automotive rarities, Audi Tradition is exhibiting at the Techno Classica a series of newly developed lifestyle products and exclusive scale models of cars produced by the traditional Audi, DKW, Horch, Wanderer, Auto Union and NSU brands.

    With support from Audi Tradition, seven historic one-make clubs have joined forces with the Audi Club International to present their own stands at the exhibition: they are the German Audi 100 Coupé S Club, Audi 80 GT/GTE Club, Audi High Compression Engine Club, Auto Union Veterans Club (AUVC), German NSU Wankel Spider Club, German NSU Ro 80 Club and NSU IG Oberhausen.

    The four rings of the Audi badge symbolise the brands Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer, which were later combined under the umbrella of Auto Union. Auto Union and NSU, which merged in 1969, made many significant contributions towards the development of the car. AUDI AG was formed from Audi NSU Auto Union AG in 1985. Together with the two traditional companies Auto Union GmbH and NSU GmbH, Audi Tradition nurtures and presents the deep and diverse history of Audi. The Audi museum mobile at the Audi Forum Ingolstadt is open every day of the week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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