Silver jubilee

A quarter of a century after the very first Audi A4 was produced in Ingolstadt, the model celebrates not only its silver jubilee, but remains the most successful model from Audi. 

A staggering 7.5 million Audi A4s have been produced since the first model, meaning that one in every five Audis sold is an A4 model of some kind.

The popularity internationally of the mid-sized, luxury model has not waned despite the rise in popularity of SUV and other models during that time. Last year alone some 344,586 A4 models were sold worldwide, and with a product upgrade set to be unveiled in just on a week, the future of the Audi A4 seems assured.

Obviously the Audi A4 struck a chord when it first appeared in 1994. Taking over from the Audi 80, it offered a new sense of elegance and comfort, beautifully combined with performance and a style that while subtle, caught the eye with its simple sophistication.

The reaction from the buying public was instantaneous, with the A4 becoming a bestseller in its first year of production, selling more than 272,000 cars in 1995.

“For a quarter of a century now, the Audi A4 has symbolised the Four Rings like no other model. It stands for cutting-edge technology in the premium mid-range, as well as for innovative production technologies at the highest level,” says Albert Mayer, Plant Director at Audi’s site in Ingolstadt. “The Audi A4 is a key pillar of the Ingolstadt plant in particular. Our employees’ tireless commitment and passion for our brand have been and continue to be the driving force behind the impressive success story of the A4.” 

Since the launch of the fourth A4 generation in 2007, Audi’s two main plants in Germany – Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm – have shared production of the A4 via the so-called production turntable system. Audi also manufactures the A4 in Asia for the local markets with production on Changchun, China, and in also in Aurangabad, India. 

Indeed, so popular is the A4 in China for example that market specific models have been developed specifically to meet the demand of the local consumers the Audi A4L (L for long wheelbase) a case in point and is the most popular Audi model on the Chinese market.

Globally the Audi A4 has meet and exceeded the demands of customers with an impressive array of model variants. The Avant variant also tremendously popular around the world, with Cabriolet models have also been developed throughout the model lineup, as well as the Audi A4 allroad quattro variant which has proved tremendously successful particularly on the Australian market.

The S4 and RS 4 models add greater performance to the lineup in both sedan and Avant configuration over the generations and the Audi A4 proved hugely successful in motorsport, dominating the DTM (German Touring Car Masters) throughout the mid 2000s.

“The A4 is a symbol of the Audi brand’s success. Our colleagues have made this possible over the past 25 years with a lot of dedication and commitment. This is a great achievement of which we members of the Works Council are very proud, and upon which I would like to congratulate everyone involved,” says Peter Mosch, Chairman of the Group Labor Council at AUDI AG.

Demand for the Audi A4 is unabated in what is now (since 2015) the fifth generation. Next week, a new chapter in the enduring Audi A4 story will be revealed and this popular model with enter a new phase with loyal customers and a host of new converts alike.