How the four rings became the Audi trademark

As Audi’s trademark, the four interlocking rings symbolize the June 29, 1932 merger of four previously independent automobile manufacturers: Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer. They are the roots of today’s AUDI AG.

On June 29, 1932, on the initiative of the State Bank of Saxony, the former Audiwerke AG, Horchwerke AG, and Zschopauer Motorenwerke J. S. Rasmussen AG (DKW) companies merge to form Auto Union AG. The new entity simultaneously concludes an agreement with Wanderer Werke AG on the purchase and lease of Wanderer’s automotive division. The new group is based in Chemnitz, with administration located at the DKW plant in Zschopau until 1936. Following its creation, Auto Union AG is the second-largest motor vehicle group in Germany. The company logo shows four interlocking rings, representing the inseparable unity of the four founding companies. The brand names Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer are retained. Each of the group’s four brands is assigned a specific market segment: While DKW is active in the motorcycle and small cars segment and Wanderer builds and sells mid-size cars, Audi markets cars in the deluxe mid-size segment and Horch stands for luxury cars at the top end of the market.