Audi is celebrating its 70th anniversary together with the city of Ingolstadt. However, this is not just a birthday celebration, but also a historic and forward-looking cooperation between two parties.
Audi in Ingolstadt: Yesterday - Today - Tomorrow
Ingolstadt. The heart of Audi. This is where the famous "4-Ring cars" have been manufactured in the world's largest Audi production plant for 70 years. Since, as mentioned above, the company is celebrating its 70th anniversary, the production plant in Ingolstadt is opening its doors to the general public under the motto "Audi in Ingolstadt: Yesterday - Today - Tomorrow". The motto alludes to the development of Audi. Both the development from the past to the present and the development from the present to the future are addressed in word and deed.
Three special exhibitions will entertain visitors. One of the highlights is the temporary exhibition in the Audi Museum Mobile "W49". The two other exhibitions will be open to all interested parties and Audi employees until September 21, 2019. There is sure to be something for classic car enthusiasts as well as those interested in contemporary cars.
How the phoenix rose from the ashes
September 3, 1949 is an important date in the entire history of Audi. On this day, Auto Union GmbH was founded in Ingolstadt. Production was resumed within the walls that once belonged to the Ingolstadt fortress. This happened just 4 years after the end of the Second World War. A remarkable achievement considering the miserable state Germany was in at the time. The decision to resume production would later prove to be a success story for two partners.
"W49" as a sign of further development and change
The "W49" exhibition deals with precisely this period and looks back on the long-standing partnership between Audi and Ingolstadt. The "W" in "W49" stands for "West" and was originally intended to distinguish the first motorcycle built in Ingolstadt from those from the East. For the Audi Group, however, the "W" represents far more than just a letter or a distinction between two motorcycles. Rather, it stands for reconstruction, daring, growth, further development or simply for "change". The number "49" stands for the year in which the success story began.
The temporary exhibition, which deals with the first decade (1949 - 1959) of cooperation between Ingolstadt and Audi, is deliberately presented in a double sense. This allows visitors to experience history at first hand, both from the perspective of Audi and the city of Ingolstadt. Classic car enthusiasts will get their money's worth with the presentation of the first products from Auto Union GmbH, among other things. For example, a DKW Schnelllaster and a DKW RT 125 W motorcycle will be on display. People who enjoy history will also enjoy the exhibition, as it also portrays the framework conditions of the new homeland at the time - for example the political restart by a young democracy or the new everyday life in Ingolstadt after the Second World War.
The transformation from the past to the present
The production site in the north of Ingolstadt has been the heart of the Audi Group for 60 years now. Around 44,000 people are currently employed here. They all work towards Audi's main goal: progress through technology. Back then, in the summer of 1959, Audi was able to move into the plant facilities and start production. The corresponding exhibition, which is located in the "Market and Customers" building, focuses on the milestones and highlights that have been set and achieved at the Ingolstadt site since 1950.
The fact that not only the Group and the plant have evolved over time, but also that the Audi logo has changed with the times, is shown by an impressive series of images. While the logo still consisted of an oval in 1979, it was replaced by the now world-famous 4 rings in 1985. The rings are representative of the Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer brands. The journey through time is complemented by the most important models in Audi's history. For example, you will find the Audi 80 or the DKW Junior de Luxe, as well as many other models. Of course, the legendary Quattro drive advertisement, in which rally driver Harald Demuth drives up the Pitkävuori ski jump (Finland) in an Audi 100 CS Quattro, is also included. A picture gallery and a remake of the commercial immortalize this historic highlight.
Forward-looking investments by Audi and Ingolstadt
Audi is of course not only concerned with the past, but also with the future, as the "Consistently Future" exhibition impressively conveys to visitors. Various forward-looking investments in the Ingolstadt site are shown in a pavilion on the Audi piazza. These include the "Ingolstadt Audi" rail stop and the IN-Campus. The train station is Ingolstadt's third train station and will be inaugurated and opened in December 2019. What is special about this station is that the central platform will be directly connected to both the Audi plant and the public transport network. Barrier-free, of course.
The IN-Campus mentioned above is planned for the east of Ingolstadt and represents a joint venture between Audi and Ingolstadt. Its task will be to redevelop the site of an oil refinery and transform it into a state-of-the-art technology park. From an oil refinery in need of renovation to a cutting-edge technology center. Definitely an investment in the future. Both for Audi and for Ingolstadt.
Further information
You can find more information on the Audi website.
