In what year did Audi merge with DKW, Horch, and Wanderer to form Auto Union? The merger took place in 1932.
On June 29, 1932, Audiwerke, Horchwerke, DKW’s Zschopauer Motorenwerke, and the automotive division of Wanderer joined under the new umbrella company Auto Union AG. The combination was encouraged by the State Bank of Saxony as the companies faced severe financial pressure during the Great Depression.
The four businesses continued to operate as distinct brands, each serving a different market position. DKW was associated especially with affordable small cars and motorcycles, Wanderer with mid-range vehicles, Audi with technical innovation and front-wheel-drive cars, and Horch with luxury automobiles. Their unity was symbolized by four interlocking rings.
The date is sometimes confused with 1936, when Auto Union’s administration moved to Chemnitz. That was an organizational milestone, not the formation year. Auto Union later merged with NSU in 1969, creating Audi NSU Auto Union AG; the company adopted the name AUDI AG in 1985.