The Auto Union was the result of the merger in 1932 of DKW, Horch, Wanderer and Audi for financial reasons. Only DKW, thanks to big motorcycle sales, was really financially sound. There was at that time no real car bearing the Auto Union sign only... with the exception of the Porsche designed rear-engined racing cars. A DKW became an Auto Union-DKW and that was also the case with the three other factories. Everything finished after World War Two when these factories-now in East Germany were nationalized. It was not until the 1950s, when Auto Union was established in the western part of Germany at Ingolstadt and Düsseldorf, that the Auto Union insignia appeared once more on DKW cars. Years later, the name was changed to Audi NSU Auto Union AG, with the old NSU works as the HQ. The great VW group is now the parent of all cars built under the Auto Union banner. ©VEA
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