Audi Tradition presents the history of the Audi 100 and the Audi A6

• The exhibition on the successful model series at the Audi Forum Neckarsulm runs until April 30
• The Audi 100 allowed the brand to move upmarket in 1968.
• Since 1994, the Audi A6 has continued its success story, now in 100% electric and in a new thermal version which will be revealed on March 4, 2025.

Audi Tradition is presenting a special chapter in Audi history with a new exhibition at the Audi Forum Neckarsulm: the company is moving into the premium segment with the Audi 100. Running until April 30, a total of 17 exhibits with the eighth generation of the C model series, starting with the Audi 100 from 1968, patiently await visitors on the second floor of the Audi Forum.

In its four model generations, the Audi 100 has won the Golden Steering Wheel five times, the title of “Car of the Year” twice, and has been named “World Car of the Year” by automotive journalists once. The successful model series is underlined by the 3.2 million Audi 100s that have been sold in total. The presentation of the first Audi 100 in 1968 was preceded by an exciting story, as its development began in secret. Volkswagenwerk AG bought Auto Union GmbH in the mid-1960s and forbade the Ingolstadt company from developing new models. Ludwig Kraus, technical director of Auto Union at the time, ignored the order to only work on existing models. He wanted to add a mid-range model to the Audi brand, which had only been reintroduced in 1965 with the first Audi produced after the Second World War. At a time when VW Beetles were rolling off the production lines at the Ingolstadt plant, Kraus saw this as the only chance for an independent Auto Union to survive. His courage was rewarded and he received the green light from Wolfsburg for his study on the Audi 100. Production began in 1968, and capacity limits were soon reached in Ingolstadt. Production of the Audi 100 was therefore transferred to the Neckarsulm plant in 1970. The company sold 800,000 cars with the very first series. Three more generations followed and proved that Audi’s Vorsprung durch Technik was a reality with numerous innovations such as the fully galvanized body, optimized aerodynamics and high-efficiency engines.

Since 1994, the Audi A6 has continued the success story of the Audi 100. Nine variants of the Audi 100 and eight of the Audi A6 are on display in Neckarsulm, with the exhibition being rounded off by an Audi RS 6 Avant GT1) from 2024. According to curator Stefan Felber, each of the 17 vehicles is distinguished by a special feature. In addition to the “first”, which founded the ancestral line, visitors will also get to know a “globetrotter”, a “space feat”, a “long”, a “sloping”, a “connected” and the “supreme” – the latter being the Audi RS 6 Avant GT, which concludes the almost 60-year history of the model series on display. But, as we know, the success story of the model series will soon continue with its ninth generation – the new Audi A6 Avant will be revealed to the world on March 4 at 2 p.m.

Audi Forum Neckarsulm

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., free admission; guided tours of the exhibition possible. The Audi Forum Neckarsulm is closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.