Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

Report – Volkswagen AG could be renamed Auto Union


Report – Volkswagen AG could be renamed Auto Union image

The Auto Union name is one with deep heritage for the German automaker. Once, the intertwined rings that are now Audi’s logo stood for the four companies that banded together to create Auto Union in the 1930s.

Australian media has cited an unnamed source inside the Volkswagen Group, who said the company is now mulling a resurrection of the Auto Union brand name, as the title for the entire group. For now, the nameplate is dormant and under VW control. The global rebranding, if real, would allow the automaker to finally separate the core Volkswagen unit from the naming of the Group – a move that would levy its premium brands more than before.

Auto Union, an important piece of automotive heritage for Audi, especially in the motorsports department, was created in 1932 when Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer merged to form a premium competitor to Mercedes-Benz. At one time, the nameplate even belonged to Mercedes’ parent Daimler, which acquired it in 1958 – but ultimately came into Volkswagen’s possession later on in 1964.

Under the Volkswagen Group umbrella – which was rumored to have its name changed to Auto Union as far back as 2004 – now live many more brands, as the company owns Audi AG, Automobili Lamborghini, Bentley Motors, Bugatti Automobiles, Porsche AG, Ducati Motor Holding, SEAT, Skoda Automobilova, Volkswagen commercial Vehicles and Volkswagen Cars, and also has shares in heavy truck makers Scania and MAN.