Which company merged with Auto Union in 1969 to form modern Audi?

NSU Motorenwerke merged with Auto Union in 1969 to form the company that became modern Audi.

The merger joined Auto Union GmbH, based in Ingolstadt, with NSU Motorenwerke AG of Neckarsulm. Volkswagen, which owned Auto Union, helped arrange the deal as NSU needed greater financial strength and production scale. The new company was named Audi NSU Auto Union AG.

The transaction took effect retroactively on 1 January 1969, although the merger agreement was signed in March and approved in April. NSU brought engineering expertise, including its work on the Wankel rotary engine, while Auto Union contributed the Audi brand and its postwar front-wheel-drive cars.

A common mix-up is answering Volkswagen: Volkswagen owned Auto Union and strongly influenced the merger, but NSU Motorenwerke was the company that combined with Auto Union. The business adopted the name Audi AG in 1985.