Four Rings For Sale: The Brands That Made Audi
Want a representative from each of Audi’s Four Rings in your collection? Check out these examples!
Random car spotting is one of our favorite pastimes. Because while it’s always interesting to pore over some rare bit of kit at a car show, catching something interesting in the wild is its own special kind of joy. To this very day, we remain haunted by the fact that — we swear — we saw a purple Vector parked on Venice Boulevard in Los Angeles, but since we were running late for a flight, we couldn’t stop. Was it a kit car? Was it one of the weird Lamborghini-based Vectors? We’ll just never know.
But while we keep our eagle eyes peeled constantly, and can spot weird rides like the Daihatsu Charade at 100 yards, we still don’t really see much old Audi product on the roads. Most everything wearing the Four Rings we see is maybe a decade old at best. That’s likely due to the fact that, at least in comparison to homegrown competitors like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, Audi has only recently graduated from niche status here in the States. If you have another explanation, make sure to let us know.
So in the spirit of social distancing, we decided to go on a virtual hunt. These are some examples of cars from DKW, Horch, Wanderer, and yes, Audi, that we found listed for sale.
Wanderer was founded in 1911, and along with cars, the company also made bicycles, motorcycles, and other products like typewriters.
We found this W 23 listed for sale on Classic Trader in Sweden, and while the pictures are straight-up terrible, it appears to be in great shape. The W 23 was the marque’s final model, and was manufactured from 1937 to 1941. Its straight-six engine was good for about 61 horsepower when it left the factory, which was enough to propel it to 65 mph. Given how hard it was to locate any Wanderers for sale, parts and documentation are likely near unobtainable, but it does look cool in two-tone blue.
Founded in 1916, DKW stuck around until 1969. The Munga was a go-anywhere vehicle which was popular with everyone from farmers to NATO militaries, though given that we’ve never seen one on our shores, that enthusiasm apparently faded out somewhere over the Atlantic.
With its square hood and triangular fenders, the front end is nothing if not distinctive, but we think it’s awkward looking, without the charm of even the Volkswagen Thing. This is another Classic Trader find, and if you simply have to have this Kermit-green baby, you’ll have to arrange shipping from Germany.
1937 Horch 853 Coupe, $575,000
Unlike the two vehicles above, we actually found this vehicle for sale in America, on Hemmings. The Horsch also has the distinction of inspiring this post, as it made an appearance in a novel we just read, which inspired us to look it up.
For the record, The Runner, by Christopher Reich is a pretty crappy book — but the 853 Coupe is a stunner. This example was actually recreated from a bare frame found in a barn, and looks to be concours grade. Notably, after he was forced out of his namesake company in 1909, Horsch founder August Horch would go on to found Audi.
We didn’t have to go far to find this S4 Avant, as it’s listed for sale right here in the Audi World Classifieds. According to the listing, this Laser Red longroof is supposedly one of only two brought to our shores for the 2002 model year.
While it’s currently rocking an automatic transmission, intriguingly, the seller says they could possibly help to facilitate a switch to a three-pedal setup, which would up our interest considerably. If you’re looking for a wagon that hauls more than cargo, this could be just the ride for you.
So what’s the oldest Audi, or pre-unification product you’ve seen in the wild? If you’ve got a story about some crazy-rare German hardware you saw parked on the street, head into the forums and post it up. We’re sure your fellow forum members would love to hear about any interesting sightings!
Photos: Hemmings, Classic Trader
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