DKW
In 1932, Audi, Horch, Wanderer and DKW merged to form Auto Union AG, with headquarters in the region of Saxony. In World War II, the factory was destroyed, and subsequently expropriated and placed under Soviet administration. The IFA – and later Wartburg – models were manufactured in these plants. However, some of the managers smuggled the plans to Ingolstadt and Düsseldorf, where new factories were built.
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DKW
DKW Junior
The DKW models were retained until 1963. In 1958, Daimler-Benz AG had taken a majority holding. The cars were rebadged from DKW to Auto Union. However, Daimler-Benz was not happy with the stubborn continuation of production of the two-stroke engine and the old body styling, and decided to discontinue production of the 80 bhp six-cylinder two-stroke engine. The harsh winter of 1961/62 caused wide-scale DKW engine failures. Auto Union was sold to the Volkswagen Group at a loss, and Audi was reborn as a huge success. The four rings remain as the brand trademark.
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