Top 7 Audi Engineering Innovations
Audi has a strong reputation as a progressive innovator in the auto industry. Every wondered how they earned it?
1. First mass produced galvanized cars
Audi is well-known in the auto world for their progressive designs. While they bring interesting new looks and designs to their vehicles, they're also known for being at the cutting edge of manufacturing technology as well. They're notably the first company to use the galvanization technique on a mass produced line of cars. Galvanization refers to a process of coating steel or iron; this is done by dunking the parts in molten zinc. Porsche may have done it first in 1975, but it was Audi who brought it to the mass market. As expected, their competitors soon followed suit. This technique was so effective at increasing a vehicle's longevity that they even increased their car warranty accordingly.
2. They pioneered the aerodynamics design revolution
In the 1980s, you may have noticed cars became a lot more sleek-looking. This was done in order to account for wind drag and aerodynamics, helping to wrench better efficiency out of the performance. Who do you think started the trend? Audi has always held true to a motto of "form following function", meaning it made sense for their car appearances to help the car's performance. Cars were radically changed around that time, and when other automakers followed suit, car history was effectively made.
3. They were the first to implement a mid-engine
Audi was the first to place the engine in the mid-section of a vehicle. Although this isn't widespread with most civilian vehicles, it's been commonplace for race cars and sporting vehicles. A mid-section engine improves the center of gravity and enables greater handling. Audi first implemented this smart design in 1932, and it's since become the standard choice for racing vehicles.
4. They made the first five-cylinder petrol engine
Although a layman may think it's as simple as simply adding another cylinder onto a four-cylinder engine, it was far trickier for Audi to make this addition to the standard engine. When you add something so significant, all of the pre-existing balances in the design become skewed. The five-cylinder engine may be hard to really appreciate without the proper background, but rest assured: the rest of the engineering community were busy taking notes.
5. They were among the first to make an aluminum-based car
Aluminum is a perfect material for making cars with. Using aluminum is a common practice nowadays, but in 1913 it was practically unheard of. Audi's design to opt for an aluminum-based design was very smart. Aluminum is much lighter, not to mention less susceptible to rust. The lightweight materials mean that the exact same engine could perform noticeably better.
6. Audi has created synthetic diesel technology
More recently, Audi has come out with technology to create synthetic diesel fuel using water and carbon dioxide. Considering fuel is often seen as a precious, non-replaceable commodity, and those two ingredients are extremely abundant, it seems like Audi could be onto something massive. If this technology can be optimized for cheap and widespread synthesis, they could galvanize the auto market in more ways than one.
7. They're advancing electrical powertrain technologies
Audi has always been known as a progressive brand. Incidentally, hybrid and electric vehicles are poised to become a big part of Audi's future business. From the Formula E race circuits they're involved with to the E-Tron series of hybrids, Audi is asserting themselves at the forefront of auto innovations. If they keep at this pace, the future is theirs for the taking.
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