Audi is a manufacturer with an illustrious history but also one that's looking to the future with an unshakable confidence.

Once the poor relation to its Bavarian premium brand rivals, the marque has become one of the industry's major success stories, through careful development of its brand image and product portfolio.

You can trace the Audi story back to 1899 and August Horch, a German engineer and former employee of Karl Benz. Horch built cars under his own name which means 'Hark' or 'listen' in German before settling on the name Audi which means the same thing in Latin.

Audi became part of Auto Union in the 1930s, a company that was purchased by Daimler-Benz in the late 50s before the Ingolstadt factory and the Auto Union brands were sold to Volkswagen in 1964. But it was a further merger with NSU in the late 60s that gave rise to the Audi's modern era.

Audi really made its name in the 80s when what had been a conservative and largely low key manufacturer committed to develop four-wheel-drive technology. The resulting Audi Quattro took the rallying world by storm and the production version rejuvenated the brand in the eyes of motorists worldwide.

Today, Quattro all-wheel-drive plays a pivotal role in every Audi model line and the manufacturer offers a diverse range that stretches from premium hatchbacks, saloons and the ubiquitous Avant estates to luxury 4x4s and even ultra high performance supercars.

The Audi brand has come to stand for cool understatement in a way that sets it apart from its more extrovert premium rivals. Advanced technology, elegant design and finely crafted interiors are all part of what makes an Audi.