Who Makes Audi Cars? Volkswagen Group Explained

Audi cars are manufactured by Audi AG, a German automotive company headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria^[1]. Audi AG is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Group, which acquired 100% ownership in November 2020 through a squeeze-out process^[2]. While Audi operates as a distinct luxury brand with its own design, engineering, and marketing divisions, it shares technology platforms, components, and manufacturing resources with other Volkswagen Group brands including Porsche, Bentley, and Lamborghini^[3].

Audi’s Corporate Structure

Volkswagen Group Ownership

Volkswagen AG serves as Audi’s parent company, holding complete ownership of Audi AG^[2]. This relationship evolved over decades, beginning when Volkswagen acquired Auto Union GmbH (Audi’s predecessor) from Daimler-Benz in 1964^[4]. Volkswagen was initially interested in the Ingolstadt factory’s 100,000-vehicle annual capacity and skilled workforce^[4].

The ownership structure transformed significantly in 2020:

• Prior structure: 99.64% VW-owned with 0.36% public float
• February 2020: VW announced intention to acquire remaining shares
• November 16, 2020: Audi became 100% VW-owned through squeeze-out
• Stock delisting: Audi shares removed from public trading^[2]

Brand Group Progressive

Within Volkswagen Group’s organizational structure, Audi operates as part of the Progressive Brand Group alongside other premium brands^[5]. This positioning reflects Audi’s role as a luxury automaker distinct from volume brands like Volkswagen, Skoda, and SEAT.

The Progressive Brand Group includes:

• Audi: Premium luxury vehicles
• Lamborghini: Supercars (owned by Audi since 1998)
• Bentley: Ultra-luxury vehicles
• Ducati: Premium motorcycles (acquired 2012)^[5]

Audi directly owns Lamborghini and Ducati as subsidiaries, managing these Italian brands while preserving their distinct identities^[2]. Lamborghini was acquired for $110 million in 1998 and continues production in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy^[2].

Where Audi Vehicles Are Manufactured

Primary German Facilities

Audi’s manufacturing footprint spans 21 locations across 12 countries^[2]. The two primary German facilities handle the majority of production:

Ingolstadt, Germany (Headquarters)

• Largest Audi production site with 440,000 annual capacity^[6]
• Models produced: A3, A4, A5, Q2, and the all-electric Q6 e-tron^[3]
• Home to Audi AG headquarters and Audi Museum Mobile^[7]

Neckarsulm, Germany

• Second major German facility
• Models produced: A6, A7, A8, and the Audi R8 supercar^[8]

Global Manufacturing Network

Facility Location	Primary Models	Notes
Győr, Hungary	A3, TT, Q3	Major European facility[3]
San José Chiapa, Mexico	Q5	Serves North American market[3]
Bratislava, Slovakia	Q7, Q8	VW Group shared facility[9]
Zwickau, Germany	Q4 e-tron	VW Group EV production hub[3]
Beijing/Changchun, China	A4 L, A6 L, Q5 L	607,000 annual capacity[6]
Aurangabad, India	A4, A6	Local assembly[6]
Curitiba, Brazil	A3	1,300 annual capacity[6]

No Audi vehicles are manufactured in the United States^[6]. US-bound Audis primarily come from Germany, Hungary, Mexico, and Slovakia.

Shared Technology With Volkswagen Group

Platform Sharing

Audi and Volkswagen share vehicle platforms developed by Volkswagen Group, enabling significant cost savings while maintaining brand differentiation^[10]. The two primary platforms are:

MQB (Modularer Querbaukasten)

• Transverse-engine, front-wheel-drive layout
• Used in: Audi A3, Audi Q3, VW Golf, VW Tiguan
• Development cost: Approximately $8 billion^[11]
• First introduced in 2012 with VW Golf Mk7^[11]

MLB (Modularer Längsbaukasten)

• Longitudinal-engine layout developed by Audi
• Used in: Audi A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, Q5, Q7, Q8, Porsche Macan^[12]
• First introduced in 2007 with Audi A5^[12]

This platform-sharing approach allows the Volkswagen Group to distribute development costs across multiple brands and models, passing cost advantages to consumers while maintaining distinct exterior designs, interiors, and features^[10].

Understanding Audi maintenance costs helps contextualize how platform sharing affects ownership experience.

The History Behind the Four Rings

Auto Union Origins (1932)

The iconic Audi four-ring logo represents one of automotive history’s most significant mergers^[13]. On June 29, 1932, four independent German automobile manufacturers merged to form Auto Union AG:

Ring	Company	Founded	Specialty
1st	Horch	1899	Luxury vehicles[13]
2nd	Audi	1909	Mid-range automobiles[14]
3rd	DKW	1916	Motorcycles and small cars[13]
4th	Wanderer	1885	Bicycles and automobiles[13]

The Audi Name Origin

August Horch founded his first company, A. Horch & Cie, in 1899^[15]. After leaving his namesake company due to disagreements with the board, Horch founded a new automaker in 1909. Unable to use his own name due to trademark restrictions, he translated “Horch” (German for “listen”) into Latin: “Audi”^[14].

Post-War Reconstruction

After World War II, Soviet occupation forces requisitioned and dismantled Auto Union’s production facilities in Saxony^[13]. The company restarted in West Germany, eventually becoming the modern Audi AG under Volkswagen ownership.

For buyers exploring the best Audi sedans, this heritage translates into German engineering standards and premium quality expectations.

Volkswagen Group Brand Portfolio

Volkswagen Group operates as one of the world’s largest automotive conglomerates, owning or controlling 12 main brands^[16]:

Brand Groups Structure

Core Brand Group:

• Volkswagen Passenger Cars
• Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
• Skoda
• SEAT/CUPRA^[5]

Progressive Brand Group:

• Audi
• Lamborghini
• Bentley
• Ducati Motorcycles^[5]

Sport Luxury Brand Group:

• Porsche^[5]

Trucks:

• Scania
• MAN
• Navistar (acquired 2022)^[17]

This structure allows each brand to maintain its identity while benefiting from shared resources, technology, and purchasing power^[3].

Key Takeaways

• Audi AG is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Group, achieving 100% ownership in November 2020 through a squeeze-out process
• The company manufactures vehicles at 21 locations across 12 countries, with primary facilities in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm, Germany
• The four-ring logo represents the 1932 merger of Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer into Auto Union AG
• Audi shares MQB and MLB platforms with other Volkswagen Group brands while maintaining distinct brand identity
• Audi owns Lamborghini (since 1998) and Ducati (since 2012) as subsidiaries within the Progressive Brand Group

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1. Wikipedia. (2024). Audi. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi
2. Autvex. (2025). Who Makes Audi Cars? Inside the Volkswagen Group. https://autvex.com/who-makes-audi-cars/
3. Audi AG. (2024). Locations of the Audi Group. https://www.audi.com/en/company/strategy/locations/
4. Volkswagen Group. (2022). The History of Audi. https://www.volkswagen-group.com/en/the-history-of-the-brands-17668/the-history-of-audi-17672
5. My Auto World. (2025). Volkswagen Group Brands. https://brands.myautoworld.com/volkswagen-group/
6. All American. (2025). Where Are Audi Cars Made? https://allamerican.org/investigation/audi/
7. HotBot. (2024). Where is Audi made? https://www.hotbot.com/answers/where-is-audi-made
8. Dubai Sports Car Rentals. (2024). Where Are Audi Cars Made: A Global Production Overview. https://dubaisportcarrentals.ae/blog/where-are-audi-cars-made/
9. Audi AG. (2024). Audi in Slovakia. https://www.audi.com/en/company/strategy/locations/slovakia/
10. Complete Car Care. (2024). Why Do Audi and Volkswagen Share Parts and Technology? https://completecarcare318.com/blog/why-do-audi-and-volkswagen-share-parts-and-technology
11. Wikipedia. (2024). Volkswagen Group MQB platform. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Group_MQB_platform
12. Wikipedia. (2024). Volkswagen Group MLB platform. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Group_MLB_platform
13. Audi MediaCenter. (2014). History of the Four Rings. https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/press-releases/history-of-the-four-rings-4093
14. Road and Track. (2017). The Story Behind Audi’s Four-Ring Logo. https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/videos/a32673/heres-why-audis-logo-features-four-rings/
15. Audi AG. (2024). The history of AUDI AG. https://www.audi.com/en/company/profile/audi-tradition/company-history/
16. All Car Leasing. (2024). Who Owns Volkswagen? Full List of VW Group Brands. https://www.allcarleasing.co.uk/blog/what-companies-do-vw-group-own/
17. Statista. (2025). Topic: Volkswagen Group. https://www.statista.com/topics/1574/volkswagen/