Articles by Jonah Wigley

...caused such a stir at the 1997 Tokyo motor show that the big Bavarian marque had no choice but to make a production version. The concept was called Z07, and the car it spawned – in limited numbers – was the BMW Z8, which was produced between 2000 and 2003 and given the E52 model code. 5703 Z8s were made and about half of them made their way to the United States. Penned by Henrik Fisker at BMW’s Designworks, very few changes were needed for the Z07 to go into production as the Z8. The windscreen was extended upwards and bigger front air dams were fitted. To keep it as faithful to the concept as possible, the designers incorporated clever features such as multi-function instruments, integrated side indicators that were invisible until needed, and modern equipment that was hidden behind interior retractable panels to preserve the simple, vintage-inspired look. The all-alloy chassis car cost $128,000 and was pulled by a 4.9 litre V8 engine that produced 294kW and 500Nm.The engine was shared by the M5 of the time. The Z8’s 0-100km/h time was officially 4.7 seconds but quicker times (to 4.2 seconds) have been recorded by various testers. The top speed, as per BMW regulations, was locked off at 249km/h, although when unbridled the feisty little Bimmer could reach 300 clicks. To make the Z8 more attractive to collectors, all elements of the car were constructed or finished by hand, and a number of custom options were available including non-standard paint and interior treatments. In 2003, a softer, less sporty version of the Z8 was introduced. It was called the Alpina V8 Roadster and it came with a smaller 4.8 litre V8 engine. Only a five-speed automatic transmission was available in the Alpina, and the car featured softer suspension and softer leather trim than its rawer, race-ready brother. Slightly bigger wheels were fitted and special Alpina gauges and steering wheel were also added. The Alpina outputs were 280kW and 519Nm but interestingly the top speed was 10km north of the original Z8, at 259km/h. Only 555 Alpinas were built. Images courtesy of www.bmwz8.us.  

The Honda City is a relative newcomer to Australia – having been launched here in February this year – but is well-known overseas. It first appeared there in 1996, and since then has sold more than a million units in 39 countries around the world; a success rate that Honda hopes will be repeated in the Australian market.  In our market, the little sedan aims to bridge the gap left by not having a hatch in the popular Civic range except for the hot Type R. Drivetrains We tested both variants available here; the five-speed automatic VTi and the five-speed manual VTi-L, both of which are powered by a single overhead cam i-VTEC, in-line four-cylinder engine that develops 88kW of power at 6600rpm and 145Nm of torque at 4800rpm. Combined fuel consumption and emissions figures are the same again for both vehicles at 6.3l/100kms and 148g/km CO2 for the manual and 6.6l/100km and CO2 156g/km for the auto. Exterior The Thailand-built City sits on a stretched version of the Honda Jazz platform, gaining 50mm at the wheelbase and allowing for a sizeable boot capacity of 500 litres.  The car has been given the family’s `arrowshot’ face, with a strongly defined grille design set off by slim-line headlights.The City is a smart-looking sporty number with a gently tapering slope up from the nose to the B-pillar and a short, squared-off rump that owes its styling to Honda sedan DNA, but is also a shape that is useful and becoming more common as compact sedans grow in popularity.  The only real difference between the two City variants is that the VTi-L weighs 15kg more, has slightly bigger wheels and has chrome-plated door handles and exhausts. Interior The City comes with most of the cabin features you’d expect from a new small Honda these days. Air conditioning, power windows, cruise control a multi-information display and plenty of compartments for storage – including seven cup holders, are all standard. The front seats are fully reclinable and the rear seats split 60/40 and you also get a leather wrapped steering wheel and premium cloth trim in the VTi-L. Safety As well as a comprehensive air bag package, the City offers advanced compatibility engineering, anti-lock brakes, central locking, electronic brakeforce distribution and Honda’s G-con technology. Pricing Pricing for the Honda City starts at $20,490 for the VTi manual and tops out at $25,685 for the VTi-L automatic with metallic paint. Driving Wigley says The Honda City does an adequate job for what it is but we haven’t rushed out to tell our friends about it yet. It feels more substantial than its slightly slimmer brother the Jazz, but at least the quirkiness of the Jazz gives it a small amount of X-factor. The City just doesn’t have much to crow about.  It’s airy inside and has enough head and leg room, and the higher level trim pack with leather wheel and gear knob adds a bit more comfort. Cornering quickly was hairy at times as it doesn’t feel like they got weight distribution down pat given the substantial body roll. But vision is great all around the car, and the engine, although not a beast, does give you enough grunt to push past a lane hogging truck, or merge quickly, if the need arises. Stop-start city driving - as you’d hope given the name of the car – is easy and the steering is light. Obviously the manual is more of a pain than the automatic in a bumper to bumper situation but that extra control makes it easily the best choice when you have a bit more room. The City is a capable, well built car and there’s no real complaints about the way it drives, but there’s nothing about it that gets you searching for excuses to grab the keys and head out. Verdict: 7/10Pincott says Before it arrived, we were thinking of the City as being a ‘Jazz with a boot’ but it’s a bit more than that.   There’s no doubt the boot space – in a car this size – is very useful, and while you’re not going to be carting wardrobes home in it, there’s enough capacity to accommodate most average family loads. But there’s a surprising amount of room inside the car as well, with head and legroom enough for reasonably tall people.  The interior is comfortable, well-styled and a little more elegant (or a little less funky, depending on your age and attitude) than the Jazz. And apart from a couple of stretches of cheap-looking plastic on the dash and doors, the finish is good quality. The visibility in the front row is great, helped by the higher seating position that accommodates the fuel tank under the front seats.  Both the manual and automatic transmissions are easy to use, but for crowded town driving we’ll happily go for the auto’s set-and-forget. The light steering was great around town, but lacked feedback in anything above urban speeds or twistier than a sedate city corner.  But let’s be honest, it’s close to pointless to look for track ability in a car like this. City by name, city by nature, and well-suited to that job. Verdict: 7.8/10 in town, 5.5/10 on the highway.

...and sat between the entry level Belmont and the top spec Premier. An icon and showpiece of the 1970’s, it spanned two generations to 1984 and was the most popular car of its time in Australia.For baby boomers, the Kingswood offered the chance for many to realise their great Australian dream, with luxury and mobility at a realistic price.First generation (1968-1971)The first Kingswood was released as part of the HK series and was lighter and heavier than its predecessor. The same six cylinder engine was used, but Holden introduced a V8 with the HK – the 307 Chevrolet small-block. The Monaro was introduced soon after, and was effectively the two door version of the Kingswood.Holden started making its own V8 for the HT in 1969, but that was the only big change until the introduction of the Tri-Matic automatic transmission with the HG in 1970.Second generation (1971-1984)A completely new design came with the HQ. It looked a lot different from the HG and was the first large Holden to feature coil-spring rear suspension.The HQ was only made in right hand drive so left hand drive markets never saw it; but it remains Holden’s biggest selling model even today at 485,650 units. However, motoring journalists panned its poor ride and handling – a feature added on the insistence of then Managing Director George Roberts, who said it should drive like a Cadillac.Special edition Kingswoods were produced during this time called ‘Vacationers’, and proved so successful that they were seen in various Holden ranges over the next twenty years.In 1974 the Sandman panel van was introduced. It took on some design elements and the sporty features of the Monaro. It was very popular and gained a reputation for being a love-mobile, attracting nicknames like Shaggin’ Wagon and Sin Bin.Apart from a few minor design and engine changes, there were no major upgrades for the HJ. Interestingly though, in 1975 some of the Premier bodies were made at Mazda in Japan, and were fitted with rotary engines. Unfortunately the engines were severely underpowered and the project was dropped in 1977.Government emissions controls saw the 2.85 straight six engine removed from the HX series in 1977, and it resulted in a big drop in performance across the range. There were only minor exterior changes for the HX. The Sandman vans got a tailgate logo and stripes down the sides, and the Kingswood got bucket seats as standard.In 1977, the poor ‘Cadillac’ handling was fixed with Holden’s new Radial Tuned Suspension (RTS), introduced along with minor exterior changes in the HZ. The base model Belmont was lost to another Kingswood variant and equipment levels were enhanced to match those of the Ford Falcon range.1978 saw the introduction of the first ever Commodore and consequently, the fall of the Kingswood reign in 1980. The last Sandman panel van was produced in October 1979 as it had lost its place in contemporary Australian youth culture.Although the true Kingswood was dead, the name lived on in the WB series as a ute; but the flame finally flickered out in 1984 when Holden stopped producing large luxury cars, focussing entirely on their medium vehicle range. 

Development costs were very high mainly due to the completely new design. But given Ford’s financial instability at the time, the company needed a big change to help turn things around.The new car featured class leading ride and handling, sophisticated suspension design and the latest safety additions including a driver’s side airbag, side-impact bars, seat belt pretentioners and ABS, as standard.Reworked over four generations to date, it wasn’t until it’s MkII phase in 1995, that the Mondeo made its way down to Australia. But it wasn’t a sales success. Australians preferred the bigger Falcon and unlike today, saw no need for a medium sized car in the range. The Mondeo struggled against established Japanese models like the Subaru Liberty, the Honda Accord and another Euro import, the Holden Vectra.In 2001 Ford Australia withdrew from the medium car segment claiming that it was in a decline, and the Mondeo was dropped from the range until it resurfaced in 2007 with the MkIV.Consequently, Australia completely skipped Mondeo MkIII; arguably an era when the car made its most significant improvements. It got larger, which addressed the lack of rear leg room - a major gripe over its lifetime - and the interior became more European. MkIII also introduced a new Duratorq diesel engine that was much more capable and competitive than the engine it replaced.Ford Australia reintroduced the Mondeo in 2007 due in large part to the popularity of smaller, more fuel efficient and environmentally friendlier cars, and with it the growing global dislike of larger ones. It has been marketed here as a stylish car with more than just good looks and is sold in a sedan, hatch and now, a wagon version.This time round sales have been good, even despite problems with parts supply from Europe, and the Mondeo has won numerous awards in Australia.The latest model comes with both diesel and petrol engines, and a choice of four trim levels, and Ford are currently considering an ECOnetic example for the Australian market.For more information on late model Ford Mondeos, see our list of related articles above. 

And have done for a very long time. But there are always buyers looking for something that avoids the clichés associated with the popular players. And for them, the Alfa Romeo stable has the attraction of being the ‘other’ desirable badge.Leading the charge for Alfa in the mid-sized sector is the 159 - the successor to the 156 that is credited with turning around perceptions about the Italian carmaker. Rather than being a marque for the brave - or at least those brave enough to defy the earlier reputation for poor quality - people started to buy the badge with more confidence. That continued as the 156 turned into the 159, and Alfa’s presence continued to grow, both overseas and here.The 2.4 litre JTD diesel tested here has consistently been the most popular version of the 159. Now, with a revised engine, more power and improvements to refinement and comfort, there’s a good chance it will remain at the top of the heap.Engine The upgraded 2.4 litre, five cylinder, JTDm turbo diesel DOHC engine puts out 154kW at 4000rpm and 400Nm at 2000rpm. A six speed-speed manual - or the six-speed Q-Tronic transmission in our test car - gets power to the wheels. Both the manual and the Q-Tronic do the 0-100km sprint in 8.4 seconds but the manual pips the Q with a top speed of 228km/h, over 224km/h.Around town the Q-Tronic – at 11.9l/100km - is quite a bit thirstier than the manual at 9.4l/100km. But on the open road the figures drop significantly for both vehicles; Q-Tronic 6.0l/100km, and manual 5.6l/100km. The Q-Tronic emits 215g/km of CO2 while the manual releases 179g/km.Exterior All changes to the new 159 are under the skin, such is the confidence Alfa Romeo has in the current Giorgio Giugiaro design - and it’s well-founded.There’s no mistaking an Alfa from the outside and the 159, which spawned the beautiful Brera, is probably the most obvious of the lot. Its strong smooth lines and gently angled creases give it a timeless shape that needs little modification.New 19-in alloys with big red Brembos showing through the spokes, and low profile tyres, speak the visual language of performance and agility.InteriorThe Ti, or Tourism International package brings with it a host of features for the 159, steered towards a sporty feel.Black leather with red stitching flows through the cabin, on the seats, steering wheel and gear stick. In normal Alfa fashion the dash is mostly brushed aluminium with round holes for the sunken dials. Alfa Romeo badges on the electric seats, red instrument highlights and drilled sport pedals are standard, as is Bluetooth capability and a USB connection point.SafetyOn top of a comprehensive airbag package, the 159 2.4 JTDm comes with anti-lock brakes, rear park braking sensors, electronic brakeforce distribution, variable dynamic control and child safety locks.PricingThe manual version of the Alfa Romeo 159 Ti JTDm 2.4 is available from $59,990 and the Q-Tronic from $62,990, plus dealer and statutory charges.DrivingThe 159 is a classic Alfa Romeo. It’s a beautiful car with a handsome, timeless shape. The Giorgio Giugiaro design hasn’t been touched and really doesn’t need to be. The interior again, is classic Alfa with gorgeous hand stitched dark leather and brushed alloy.The diesel engine has a nice quick jerk free pick up with enough stones to heave you back into your seat, and without even using the paddle shifters, changes - on sharp winding roads - are swift and appropriate.Fabulous weight distribution means negligible body roll and the big wheels and Brembos together with the double wishbone front and multi link rear suspension, help the 159 to stick nicely to the tar.Unfortunately it took everything we had to get past the fact that it sounded like a John Deere 6030 Series utility tractor with Pig Flu. Sure, it’s light on the juice but come on … seriously.Gorgeous car, but what a racket.Verdict: 7.9/10

There’s no doubt the little city package has loads of street presence with style to burn. But with the growing competition for buyer attention in this segment, it needs to be a bit more than just a head-turner.EngineThe Mazda2 Maxx is powered by a 1.5 litre, four cylinder in-line 16V DOHC engine, with sequential valve timing. It puts out 82kW at 6000rpm and 141Nm at 4000rpm. Fuel economy numbers for the five-speed manual sit around the 6.6l/100km and 7.0l/100km for the four-speed automatic.Exterior The Maxx is compact at just under 3.0 metres long and 1.68 metres wide, and with a strong crease line swooping from top of the front wheel arch to high in the rear, it sits with a sense of purpose and agility. Body-coloured power mirrors and door handles, a rear roof spoiler and alloy wheels are standard features that dress up the Maxx.InteriorInside, the Mazda2 Maxx is comfortable and airy. The seats are basic but offer some support. Head and leg room is adequate and the rear seats are 50/50 split fold.Mazda’s whole 2 range shares the full complement of interior features but for a six stacker CD player, a multi function steering and a slightly higher grade cloth trim that appear only in the Maxx and Genki models.Safety and security On top of the basic airbag package, safety features in the Mazda2 Maxx include anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, central locking and an engine immobiliser.PricingThe Mazda2 Maxx starts at $18,650 for the three-door manual and tops out at $21,300 for the five-door automatic. The optional safety pack that includes side and curtain airbags will set you back another $1,100.Driving On the road, the ride comfort is above average and handling is surprisingly tight. The Maxx also stays quite flat going hard into corners.Acceleration is far from mind-blowing - as you’d expect from the modest outputs - but it’s decent for such a small car. It doesn’t make too much of a fuss around the 110km/h mark on the freeway and holds its line well on the bitumen. At that speed you do get a little tyre rumble and side-mirror woosh but generally the cabin is quiet enough to hold a conversation without having to shout.Around town is where the Mazda2 Maxx shines, with the electrically-assisted steering getting extra bonus points when trying to jam the little car into tight parking spots. The multi-function steering wheel is a nice touch - both from creature comfort and safety points of view -and the gear-stick placement takes a bit of getting used to. But at this modest level of performance, the quirkier the car, the better it will possibly endear itself to potential buyers.

...in collaboration with Lamborghini, in sufficient numbers for homologation – approval to race.Early on in the project, Lamborghini pulled out for financial reasons and BMW took full control, by which time only seven prototypes had been made. All up, only 456 production examples were built.The M1 Design by Giugiaro was inspired by the Paul Bracq-designed BMW Turbo, created as a celebration piece for the Munich Olympics in 1972. As you can see in our gallery of photos, the M1 didn’t veer too far from the Turbo design.Powered by a twin-cam M88/1 3.5 litre, six cylinder engine, the precursor of BMW’s 3 and 5 series ‘M’ cars produced 204kW in the road-ready versions, and a whopping 634kW in the turbocharged racing cars.Procar In motorsport, the BMW M1 had various successes in the short-lived Group B era but is best known for Procar, a one-make championship using modified M1s.Known as the Procar BMW M1 Championship, it served as an opportunity for drivers from different disciplines to race against each other in exactly the same car. Niki Lauder and Nelson Piquet are notable winners of the event. Australia’s Alan Jones also raced during this time.In 1981 BMW chose not to continue Procar, deciding instead to pursue its entry into Formula One.BMW Art cars The BMW Art Car Project was started in 1975 by race driver and auctioneer Herve Poulain. His idea involved commissioning renowned artists to paint production and race ready beemers.To date 17 cars have been painted by big name artists like Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and our own Ken Done. Robin Rhode painted the last one – a BMW Z4 in 2009.BMW M1 Homage For the M1’s 30th anniversary, BMW unveiled the Giorgio Giugiaro-designed BMW M1 Homage Concept at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d'Este in 2008. It was again inspired by the BMW Turbo and, of course, the original M1. BMW insists that the Homage is just a ‘design study’ and will not be produced. 

The only Ute ever to claim the title of Australia’s most popular vehicle doubles as a tradies workhorse and family transporter and has gone through six generations of updates and modifications worldwide.First generation The First generation Hilux, nicknamed RN10, was a short wheel base truck made between 1968 and 1971, and ran with a 1.5 litre engine. A long wheel base version became available in 1969 and a 1.6 litre engine was added in 1971.Second generationHalfway through 1972 the MY73 Hilux came out with a more comfortable interior and some updates to the exterior. From 1972-1978 a 1.6 litre engine was available and from 1977-1978 a two litre engine was also used.In 1975 the Hilux went through a significant design change including a much more luxurious interior. It also gained a new 20R 2.2 litre engine, an optional five-speed manual and for the first time, an SR5 upscale package became available.Third generation The third generation Hilux was introduced as a 4WD for the first time. Automatic transmission makes its debut as well.In America in 1981 Toyota made a move into the SUV market by going into business with Winnebago. Out of that partnership the Trekker(Winnebago) was born, and via research and development on the Trekker, the 4Runner – sold in Australia among other countries – was produced.From 1981-1983 there was the choice of a 2.4 litre petrol and 2.2 litre diesel endine.Fourth generation There was an optional fuel injection engine in 1985 – the 22R-E – with a turbo charged option. A V6 engine was introduced in 1988.Design-wise, the introduction of an Xtracab two-row extended cab option was the major change.Fifth generationA longer wheelbase and one piece box cargo walls were introduced as part of the 1988 redesign. A three litre V6 engine was also added. Progress was relatively slow through this period. The fifth generation went right through to 2005.Sixth generation The sixth generation Hilux – the one we see today – is bigger and more luxurious than previous editions and truly is a family car.For a more information on the late model Hilux see the attached Related Articles.. 

The RX450h is touted as the world’s most efficient luxury hybrid SUV. Both have a lot to prove but going by the effort it seems Lexus have put into both vehicles, it seems they may deliver.EngineThe RX350 is powered by a water-cooled 3.5 litre quad cam, dual VVT-i V6 that puts out 204kW at 6200rpm and 346Nm at 4700rpm.   The RX450h moves with a 3.5 litre Atkinson-cycle V6 that makes full use of combustion energy by making the expansion stroke longer than the compression stroke. It is coupled with a rear mounted electric motor generator that lets the four wheels perform regenerative braking which in turn charges the hybrid battery.It puts out 183kW(220kW combined) at 6000rpm and 317Nm at 4800rpm.  Power to the wheels for both 4WD’s is achieved via a sequential-shift six-speed transmission.  Both cars will sprint from 0-100km/h in around eight seconds.Fuel consumption for the 350 has a combined rate of about 10.8l/100km - 4.4 litres higher than the hybrid at 6.4l/100km - and it outputs 254g/km of CO2, again substantially higher than the hybrid at 150g/km.ExteriorOutside, you could mistake the 350 and the 450h as the same car but if you look a little closer there are a few design tweaks that set them apart.  Both are imposing presences on the road at almost five meters long and two meters wide, sitting on big 18 or 19 inch alloys.But the hybrid has a modified grille design and gets blue accents on the headlights and tail lights and on the Lexus emblem and ‘hybrid’ badges.InteriorA completely new cabin design in the RX350 is carried across to the RX450h, again barring a few minor adjustments.  According to Lexus the cockpit has been divided into two zones; ‘display’ and ‘operation’, to provide information to the occupants effortlessly, and there is a mouse-like control stick on the centre console that navigates the multi-function display.The dash then is clutter free and gives the cabin an open airy feeling. The driving position is good, helped by the supportive and electronically adjustable leather bucket seats.  Enhanced climate control, Bluetooth compatibility, satellite navigation, a quality sound system and a head up display are standard but should be expected in vehicles at this level.The blue theme continues in the hybrid with blue accented meters. There is also a hybrid system indicator replacing the tachometer.   Both cars have adequate storage throughout including map pockets, cup and bottle holders and a large 21 litre centre console bin.The seats split 40/20/40 - the rear seats fold down flat - and have a quick release system. With all seats up and the parcel blind in place, the back holds 446 litres. There are also compartments under the cargo floor.SafetySafety is a certainly a feature in the 350 and 450h. On top of a comprehensive airbag package, both SUV’s have electronically controlled braking, anti-lock brakes, brake assist, electronic brakeforce distribution, traction control, vehicle stability control and vehicle dynamics integrated management.DrivingOne of our colleagues here at Carsguide referred to both cars as land yachts. We though that was a little unfair but did find them a little boofy at times, especially when trying to navigate round tight city streets come peak hour, and our ludicrously narrow car park here at work.But give them a bit more room and both ooze luxury and swallow potholes and ruts like the road is heavily under-laid plush pile. The 450h pips the 350 slightly for interior quality but so it should. Everything is at arms length and if you couldn’t be bothered looking for it, just fiddle around on the steering wheel controls and it’ll turn up.For such big units they’re quite toey too – eights seconds isn’t bad for a boat with wheels. Although the hybrid does take a little nanna nap – switches to electric power - when it meanders at low speed, and needs a nudge to kick it over to the petrol motor and get going properly.The big SUV’s do a great job ducking into and accelerating out of corners with grip like cars half their size and the new anchors keep you feeling nice and safe. The electric leather bucket seats have great side bolstering for added support and comfort too.Both cars live up to what they are supposed to be – quality, luxury SUV’s – no question. One thing that we couldn’t help wondering though was why can’t Lexus, and a lot of other car makers for that matter, work a bit harder to making these things look a bit cooler on the outside. Given the skill and man hours devoted to their hybrid technology, surely knocking a shape together that doesn’t necessarily match pearls, ain’t that hard.

... so we thought what better way to mark the occasion than with a short history and a massive gallery. The rings in the Audi emblem represent the four automakers that merged to form Audi AG in 1932. Audi, founded in 1909 was one of them. Horch, Wanderer and DKW were the other three. Now owned by Volkswagen, Audi is one of the biggest and most popular car manufacturers in the world, producing a large range of vehicles from luxury and prestige to practical and affordable. Horch After substantial experience in an already flourishing auto industry in the late 1800’s, including three years as the head of production at Carl Benz in Mannheim, August Horch went into business on his own, starting up August Horch & Cie. in 1899. Horch was one of the leading automotive engineers of his time and achieved great things in his tenure, including back to back years of 100 plus vehicle sales. After ten years at the helm, Horch decided it was time to move on and so created a another manufacturer, Audi. Audi Founded in 1909 the name Audi is based on the Latin translation of the surname of August Horsch. Horsh means 'listen' in German. The first Audi branded cars were produced in 1910, and continuing the success Horch had with his first firm, the cars posted victories between 1912 and 1914 in the International Austrian Alpine Run. Audi cars are also recognised as being the first to rearrange the position of the steering wheel and gear lever to make driving more comfortable. Wanderer It wasn’t until 1913 that Johann Baptist Winklhofer and Richard Adolf Jaenicke decided it was time to start producing cars. Long before then in 1885, the two bicycle mechanics decided to start making bicycles themselves – with Wanderer branding - because demand was so high. In 1896 they founded Wanderer Fahrradwerke AG and soon building bicycles became producing motorcycles. The company’s first car was the 1913 ‘Puppchen’. DKW Initially selling exhaust-steam oil separators for steam power plants, vehicle mud guards and lights, vulcanisation equipment and centrifuges of all kinds, the company once known as Rasmussen & Ernst, was founded in Chemnitz in 1902. In 1916 the name was changed to DKW when founder Jorgen Skafte Rasmussen experimented with steam driven vehicles, namely the Dampfkraftwagen. The company was renamed to Zschopauer Motorenwerke and started making two-stroke engines from which they graduated to motorcycle manufacture in 1922, utilising the DKW brand. Auto Union AG In 1932, Horch, Audi and DKW merged to form Auto Union AG and it immediately became the second largest auto maker in Germany. A purchase and leasing agreement was organised with Wanderer. Each brand was assigned a market segment. DKW – motorcycles and small cars, Wanderer – midsize cars, Audi – deluxe midsize and Horch – top end luxury cars. After WW2, many senior positions were made vacant, changing the firms direction. The name was changed in 1949 to Auto Union GmbH. After many years of two-stroke engine products, a new model appeared in 1965 with a four-stroke engine. Excited by the dawning of a new era, the ‘Audi’ name was resurrected. Volkswagen Group acquired Auto Union GmbH also in 1965. Audi AG The company merged with another car maker, NSU, in 1969 and the move played a key role in the development of the motor car. NSU cars were produced under the merger until 1977. After that, the company manufactured Audi cars exclusively and in 1985, the name Audi NSU Auto Union AG was simplified to Audi AG. The name it keeps today.