Sixty years. It’s a long time in any industry, but in the fast-paced world of automotive design and engineering, it’s an eternity. This year, Audi is marking six decades since its momentous return to the automotive stage, and to celebrate, they’ve gathered a collection of their greatest hits in the stunning Rioja region of northern Spain, a fitting backdrop of innovative architecture for a brand defined by its forward-thinking design.
It’s a story of innovation, near-extinction, and a defiant spirit that has defined the “Vorsprung durch Technik” ethos. The journey began at the 1965 Frankfurt Motor Show, where a saloon, simply dubbed ‘The Audi,’ kickstarted the modern era for a name that had been dormant since 1940. The name itself is a clever piece of history, coined in 1909 by founder August Horch. Having left his original company, he needed a new name and simply chose the Latin translation of his surname. “Horch” means “Listen!” in German, which in Latin is “Audi!”.
However, the brand’s future was far from certain. In the mid-sixties, new owner Volkswagen AG intended to use the Auto Union plants solely for VW production. Thankfully, Auto Union’s Technical Director, Ludwig Kraus, had other plans. In secret, he developed a new model and presented the prototype to VW management during a routine visit. That car was the seminal 1968 Audi 100, a model so impressive it not only secured the brand’s future but also set it on a path towards the premium sector and established a commitment to aerodynamics that continues today.
From that pivotal moment, Audi forged a reputation for creating icons. The celebration in Spain features key players from the Audi UK heritage fleet, cars that genuinely moved the goalposts for the entire industry.
- The Ur-quattro (1981): More than just a car, the “original” quattro was a revolution. It brought all-wheel-drive from the world of off-roading to performance road cars, changing top-level rallying forever. Its muscular, flared arches still look incredible, and its legendary five-cylinder turbo engine is the direct ancestor of the powerhouse found in today’s RS 3 models.
- The TT Coupé (1999): When the TT concept car debuted in 1995, it was a breathtaking exercise in geometric design. The production version that followed remained remarkably faithful to that vision, instantly becoming a modern classic. Penned by Freeman Thomas, its stunning lines and Romulus Rost’s minimalist, aluminium-detailed interior redefined what a sports car cockpit could be.
- The R8 (2007): Taking its striking lines directly from the 2003 Le Mans quattro concept, the R8 was Audi’s declaration that it could build a true supercar. It launched with a high-revving 4.2-litre V8 and that unforgettable open-gated manual shifter, later gaining a monstrous V10. For the purists, Audi even created the limited-edition R8 RWS, the first-ever rear-wheel-drive roadgoing R8, a machine made specifically for the most discerning drivers.
This “tireless pursuit of innovation” hasn’t slowed down. The same DNA is evident in the brand’s growing all-electric fleet. The celebration also stars contemporary heroes like the brutally elegant RS e-tron GT and the sleek A6 Sportback e-tron. The latter boasts a drag coefficient of just 0.21, making it the most aerodynamic vehicle in Audi’s entire history—a testament to a journey that began with the slippery shape of the Audi 100 decades ago.
As Audi exterior designer Gary Telaak notes, “Design has always been a fundamental pillar of the Audi brand”. From a secret prototype that saved the company to a stable of automotive legends and a future at the forefront of electric mobility, Audi has spent 60 years listening to the future and building it.
We’ve just taken the RS3 for a drive…
