Audi VIN Decoder & VIN Check — Models, Recalls, Specs, MPG & Safety
“Vorsprung durch Technik”
Audi AG is a German luxury automaker headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Group. Founded in 1909 by August Horch as Audi Automobilwerke, the brand's four-ring logo represents the 1932 Auto Union merger of Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer. Volkswagen acquired the modern Audi NSU Auto Union AG in 1966.
Audi competes in the German premium triumvirate alongside BMW and Mercedes-Benz and pioneered permanent all-wheel drive in passenger cars with the 1980 Quattro coupé. The brand's Vorsprung durch Technik slogan, in active use since 1971, signals an engineering-led positioning. Audi RS variants are produced by Audi Sport GmbH (formerly quattro GmbH), and the e-tron sub-brand designates Audi's battery-electric models, including the Q4 e-tron, Q6 e-tron and e-tron GT.
Audi shares its parent's Frankfurt Stock Exchange listing under VOW3 (Volkswagen Group). Recall data for every Audi VIN is reported to NHTSA, and EPA fuel-economy ratings, IIHS Top Safety Pick designations and J.D. Power studies provide independent benchmarks. ForCar.org decodes any Audi VIN to surface trim, factory options, open recalls and original window-sticker MSRP.
Audi at a glance
- Founded
- 1909
- Founder
- August Horch
- Headquarters
- Ingolstadt, Germany
- Parent
- Volkswagen Group (FRA: VOW3)
- Logo
- Four rings (1932 Auto Union merger)
- AWD heritage
- Quattro permanent AWD since 1980
- Performance arm
- Audi Sport GmbH (RS models)
- Slogan
- Vorsprung durch Technik (since 1971)
- Basic warranty
- 4 years / 50,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty
- 4 years / 50,000 miles
Decode any Audi VIN
Enter a 17-character VIN below to retrieve the trim, factory options, original window-sticker MSRP and any open NHTSA recall affecting that specific vehicle. ForCar.org pulls the same dataset that Audi dealers use to notify owners of safety recalls.
VIN Decoder
Signature Audi technology
Audi heritage
August Horch founded his namesake company in 1899, but trademark disputes after his 1909 departure forced him to rename his new venture; he chose Audi, the Latin translation of the German horch (listen). The 1932 merger of Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer formed Auto Union AG, the source of the four-ring logo. The brand was reborn under Volkswagen ownership in 1965 with the Audi 60 sedan, and the 1980 Quattro coupé brought permanent all-wheel drive to mainstream sedans.
Market position
Audi competes in the global premium and luxury segments alongside BMW and Mercedes-Benz, with overlap into Volkswagen Group platforms shared with Porsche and Bentley. The brand's engineering-led positioning emphasizes quattro AWD traction, interior craftsmanship and the Audi Sport RS performance variants. Within Volkswagen Group, Audi serves as the technology and powertrain incubator whose innovations migrate down to VW and Skoda.
New-vehicle warranty
AUDI VIN Decoder — Free VIN Check Video Guide
Watch our quick AUDI VIN decoder walkthrough. Learn how to decode any AUDI VIN number to get full vehicle history, recall alerts, specifications, fuel economy (MPG), safety ratings, and known problems — completely free on ForCar.org.
All Audi models (55)
Frequently asked questions
When was Audi founded and by whom?
Audi was founded in 1909 by August Horch and is headquartered in Ingolstadt, Germany.
Where is the VIN on a Audi vehicle?
The 17-character VIN appears in four standard locations: dashboard at the windshield base (driver side), driver-side door jamb sticker, the engine bay (firewall or engine block stamping), and the vehicle's title, registration and insurance documents.
How many Audi models can ForCar.org decode?
ForCar.org indexes 55 Audi nameplates. Any 17-character Audi VIN is decoded against the NHTSA dataset to return trim, factory options, open recalls and original window-sticker MSRP.
What is the Audi warranty?
Basic: 4 years / 50,000 miles. Powertrain: 4 years / 50,000 miles.
How to check Audi recalls by VIN?
Enter your VIN in the decoder above. ForCar.org queries NHTSA's open-recall dataset for that specific VIN and returns any safety recalls or Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) that affect your vehicle.
Disambiguation: This page covers Audi AG, the German automaker owned by Volkswagen Group — not the Audi Foundation or any unrelated audio brand.
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