Audi Tradition is showcasing a special chapter in the company’s history with a new exhibition at the Audi Forum Neckarsulm, highlighting the rise of Audi to the upper mid-size range with the Audi 100. The exhibition, running until April 30, features 17 exhibits from eight generations of the C model series, starting with the Audi 100 from 1968, on the second floor of the Audi Forum.
The Audi 100’s four model generations were marked by significant achievements, including five Golden Steering Wheel awards, two “Car of the Year” titles, and the “World Car of the Year” accolade. A total of 3.2 million Audi 100 units were sold, underscoring its success. The story of the Audi 100’s debut in 1968 is a fascinating one: its development began in secret after Volkswagenwerk AG acquired Auto Union GmbH in the mid-1960s and prohibited the development of new models. Technical Director Ludwig Kraus defied the order, believing that a mid-range model was crucial for Audi’s survival as an independent brand. His persistence led to approval for the Audi 100 study, and production began in 1968. By 1970, production moved to the Neckarsulm plant due to capacity limitations at the Ingolstadt facility.
The Audi 100’s legacy continued through three more generations, introducing numerous innovations like fully galvanized bodies, improved aerodynamics, and efficient engines. Since 1994, the Audi A6 has carried on the Audi 100’s success story.
The exhibition at Neckarsulm features nine Audi 100 variants and eight Audi A6 models, with a 2024 Audi RS 6 Avant GT rounding out the display. Curator Stefan Felber notes that each of the 17 vehicles has a distinct characteristic, including the “first one” that started the lineage, a “globetrotter,” a “feat of spaciousness,” a “long one,” a “sloping one,” a “connected one,” and the “supreme one,” the Audi RS 6 Avant GT. The exhibition reflects almost 60 years of the model series’ history, which will soon be continued with the ninth generation—the new Audi A6 Avant, set to be revealed on March 4 at 2 p.m.
