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When did Volkswagen buy Audi?

I didn’t realize Volkswagen owned other car brands (like Audi). When did VW buy Audi?

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Kathryn Mae Kurlychek · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
The Volkswagen Group purchased a stake in
Audi
AG in the early 1960s—but it wasn’t until the end of the decade that Volkswagen gained absolute control over the brand.
At the end of 1964, Volkswagen purchased a 50.1% stake in the former German automobile manufacturing company Auto Union, which was the earliest producer of post-war Audi vehicles.
Despite owning a majority stake in the company, Volkswagen continued to pursue complete control. When VW gained control of another German manufacturer, NSU Motorenwerke, in 1969, it was quickly combined with the former Auto Union.
Following the merger, the Audi marque was preserved. The acquisition of Audi AG came during a period of rapid growth for the Volkswagen Group, which gained several additional luxury brands in the following years: Bentley, Lamborghini, and Porsche among them.
Today, Audi AG includes its performance-focused subsidiary—Audi Sport GmbH—along with managing a number of defunct brands (Auto Union and MSU Motorenwerke among them).
Audi vehicles are among some of the top-selling luxury European vehicles in the world, alongside
Mercedes-Benz
and
BMW
.
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