1859	Johann Baptist Winklhofer (Wanderer) is born.
1868	August Horch (later Audi) is born.
1873	What is later known as NSU-factory founded as knitting machine factory.
1878	Jörgen Skafte Rasmussen (DKW) is born.
1885	The mechanics Winklhofer and Jaenicke found a business (later Wanderer).
1886	NeckarSUlmer manufacture bicycles.
1887	Rudolf Slaby is born.
1896	August Horch enters the Benz company as a young boy.
1897	Horch designed at Benz the first two-cylinder in-line engine (Contramotor).
1898	August Horch leaves the company Benz.
1899	Horch founds his own business in Köln.
1901	First vehicle leaves Horch workshop. Start of motorbike production at NSU.
1902	Rasmussen founds OHG (accessories for steam engines), first Wanderer-motorbike
1903	NSU makes use of self-developed engines.
1904	Horch-factory moves to Zwickau and becomes a stock corporation.
1906	NSU manufactures cars. Rasmussen's factory (DKW) is partly transferred to Zschopau.
1909	Horch leaves the old business, and founds a new company with the name Audi.
1911	Also cheaper cars are assembled at Audi, the Tourist-Trophy (motorbike) is won.
1913	Four-stroke vehicles from Wanderer. Slaby is appointed manager of the new founded development department of the Daimler-factories. NSU-motorcycles perform very well in racing.
1915	Lorries and war accessories are manufactured at NSU.
1916	Rasmussen starts with the development of a steam powered vehicle.
1918	Rasmussen ceases the development of a steam powered vehicle, but the (german) name remains (DampfKraftWagen). Instead he signs a contract with Ruppe about designing two-stroke engines.
1920	Serial production of bicycles with auxiliary engines starts at DKW.
1921	Restart with motorcycle production after the War at NSU, three new car-models and lorries.
1922	In Zschopau the (DKW) motorcycle production starts.
1926	The electrical vehicle by DKW, NSU, and Schebera (auto body).
1927	DKW-two-cylinder-motorcycle with 500 cm³, 9 kW (12 bhp)
1928	DKW P15 open, for two persons with additionally two emergency seats. Cooperation between NSU and Fiat. Joint sales with Wanderer.
1929	The Zschopauer Motorenwerke (DKW) become the biggest motorcycle producer in the world. Fiat obligates NSU to stop producing cars.
1930	Improved sales department, training for the staff and first two-stroke engine at NSU.
1931	Vehicles with front wheel drive
1932	Parts of NSU merge with the Deutsche Industriewerke.
1933	The first three VW Beetle prototypes of Porsche are built at NSU.
1936	NSU takes over Opel's bicycle production, first NSU-Quick.
1939	Streamlined body developed, but due to the start of the war not in production.
1940	During the war NSU manufactures amongst motorcycles mainly a small and agile track-laying vehicle with Opel-engine.
1945	The factories in Sachsen are lost.
1946	Start of bicycle-production at NSU.
1948	NSU wins the german motorcycle title
1949	The factory in Sachsen is renamed: VEB-Fahrzeugbau Zwickau
1950	Lambretta-Scooter with NSU-two-stroke engine.
1951	8 motorcycle-worldrecords (NSU).
1952	Drag link drive for the camshaft (NSU) and Parallel-Twin with DOHC and vertical shaft drive
1953	NSU-Quickly (50 cm³) as successor of the Quick. NSU World champion in two series. Auto Union offers the three-cylinder-two-stroke engine in the West (3=6).
1954	NSU wins the Tourist Trophy and again manages to become World champion in two series.
1955	NSU biggest Motorcycle-producer in the world. Private driver Müller wins with NSU series-world championship.
1955	NSU holds all world records for motorcycles.
1957	NSU starts building cars again (Prinz) and evolution of the rotary piston motor.
1958	Auto Union enlarges engine to 1000 cm³.
1963	NSU: german mountain-master-champion of all series (Prinz), as well for the next two years.
1963	NSU-Wankel-Spider, NSU-series win Rallye Monte Carlo, bicycle production ceases.
1964	NSU Prinz 1000 TT with 40 kW (55 bhp)
1965	Auto Union renamed Audi, Audi 72 with Four-stroke Medium pressure range engine (before DKW F 102)
1966	The motorcycle production at NSU stops, as well as DKW-models.
1967	NSU Ro 80 with rotary piston engine, NSU 1200 TT with 48 kW (65 HP), 1000 TTS with 51 kW (70 HP)
1968	Audi 100, NSU Ro 80 car of the year, problems with the rotary piston engine at NSU.
1972	Audi 80 as first series production car with diagonal split of the dual-circuit brake and negative steering offset.
1973	Audi 80 adopted as VW Passat.
1974	Audi 50.
1975	Audi 50 adopted as VW Polo.
1976	Second Audi-100-generation
1977	Audi 100 Avant, last Ro 80
1978	Second Audi-80-generation, VW-Iltis (German Armed Forces) build at Audi.
1979	Audi 200 with (charged) five-cylinder
1980	All-wheel-drive of the Iltis leads to Audi Quattro
1982	Racing-series-World championship
1983	General permission for catalyst
1984	Permanent All-wheel-drive for all Audi-models, again Racing-series-World championship, Triple success at Rallye Monte Carlo
1985	Fully galvanised 100/200 models
1986	Audi 80 (third generation), also fully galvanised
1987	Order for Porsche 924, German Racing master championship by private driver
1988	Audi 90, Coupe and V8, Audi-100-manufacturing in China, american manufacturing-mastership
1989	Audi 100 with Diesel-direct injection, Record of a prepared version with 1,76 l/100 km at 60 km/h average, various successes in racing (USA)
1990	Audi Coupe Quattro S2, winner of the german Touring Masters (Stuck)
1991	Audi 100 (third generation) optional six cylinders, winner of the german Touring Masters
1992	Audi S4 as well with eight cylinders, Aluminum-Coupe-study with Mid-engine, twelve cylinder study
1993	Upper class with V8-Diesel engine
1994	Audi A8 with Aluminum-body, Audi A4, Factory for engines in Hungary
1995	Audi TT as Coupe and Roadster, Italian Series-Master championship
1996	Audi A3, A8 and S6 plus with 4,2-Liter-V8, Series-Master championship in 7 countries, taking over of Lamborghini

Car Components

2001 - 2012 Copyright for programs, texts, animations and pictures: H. Huppertz - Email: harald.huppertz@t-online.de
Translator: Don Leslie - Email: lesdon@t-online.de