Audi is one of Germany’s oldest car manufacturers. As early as 1932, Audi began using the four-ring logo, which represented the merger of the Audi, DKW, Horch, and Rover brands into a single automotive company.
1. Horch Company: In 1909, due to disagreements with company personnel, Horch left the Horch Company he founded and subsequently established another automobile company in Zwickau. Because Horch’s name was already being used and registered as a trademark by his former company, he translated it into Latin as Audi, thus giving birth to the Audi brand.
2. Audi: In 1910, the first Audi-branded car was launched by the new company founded by Horch. From 1912 to 1914, Audi won the world’s most challenging long-distance rally—the International Austrian Alpine Rally—and received special acclaim.
3. DKW Company: Founded in 1919 by Gustave Rasmussen, this company initially focused on motorcycle production. At the time, DKW was the undisputed leader in the motorcycle industry. In 1930, Rasmussen commissioned the Zwickau factory to develop a small car. The first small car was named the DKW Front. This two-cylinder, front-wheel-drive car was Germany’s most produced and popular small car.
4. Rover Company: The name Rover dates back to 1896, related to bicycles manufactured at the Winkhoff and Dennick factories in Kemnes in 1885. In 1902, Rover began producing motorcycles, and in 1904, it made its first attempt at automobile production. In 1913, Rover began mass production of small cars, which were very popular.
So it has been used ever since, now do you know why?