A car brand can belong to a parent company whose own voting rights are divided among several shareholders. When you ask who owns Audi, it helps to separate the familiar name on a car from the corporation behind it. Voting rights are the votes attached to shares that determine influence over a company’s decisions.
That distinction matters across the auto industry, where major car brands often sit inside larger groups. This guide sets out the ownership chain and the market facts that help explain it. Audi’s history and recent business results add useful context, too.
Key Takeaways
- Volkswagen Group owns Audi.
- Volkswagen AG voting rights belong to several holders.
- Audi is based in Germany.
- Audi’s 2025 business results were mixed.
- Brand ownership and shareholder control are different questions.
Who Owns Audi Company, and Who Controls Volkswagen Group?
Audi is a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Group, while Volkswagen AG’s voting rights are split among several holders. The distinction is important: Volkswagen AG’s voting rights do not belong to one single owner.
Volkswagen Group is headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany, and Volkswagen AG is its publicly traded parent corporation. Volkswagen Group owns Audi, but that does not mean Audi owns every brand in the group.
Audi’s place in the Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group owns Audi, one of its automotive brands. Its other automotive brands include Bentley, Cupra, Ducati, Lamborghini, Porsche, SEAT, Škoda, and Volkswagen. Volkswagen Group also includes other companies and activities beyond these car brands.
Volkswagen Group owned Audi in 2021, as it does today. Volkswagen comes from Germany, and the group’s headquarters are in Wolfsburg. A company can own several brands without those brands owning each other.
Who holds Volkswagen AG voting rights?
As of December 31, 2025, four named holders or categories held Volkswagen AG’s voting rights. Porsche Automobil Holding SE had the largest block. The table shows how the remaining votes were divided.
| Holder | Voting rights | Stake category |
|---|---|---|
| Porsche Automobil Holding SE | 53.3% | largest voting block |
| State of Lower Saxony | 20.0% | state holding |
| Qatar Holding | 17.0% | holding |
| free float | 9.7% | shares held outside those named blocks |
A parent company can own Audi while separate shareholders hold votes in Volkswagen AG.
These figures describe voting rights, not ownership of Audi’s cars, factories, or products by each shareholder. For a broader look at how shareholder votes can shape a corporate decision, read this shareholder voting example.
Check whether a claim refers to Volkswagen Group or to Volkswagen AG before treating the two names as interchangeable.
How Did Audi Become Part of Volkswagen Group?
Audi is a German automaker headquartered in Ingolstadt, and its current company name is AUDI AG. Its name and logo grew from a long history of German car companies. The Four Rings point to four companies that joined in 1932.
Around 40,000 employees worked at Audi’s Ingolstadt site as of December 31, 2025. That city remains the center of the brand’s German operations, while AUDI AG is the company name used today.
From Auto Union to AUDI AG
Volkswagen’s ownership of Audi developed through Auto Union and later company changes. The key dates are:
- Volkswagen acquired a 50.3% stake in Auto Union on January 1, 1965, then made it wholly owned in 1966.
- Auto Union GmbH and NSU merged in 1969 to form Audi NSU Auto Union AG.
- The company has been known as AUDI AG since 1985.
Auto Union GmbH was established in Bavaria in 1949 and carried on the Four Rings tradition. The 1969 merger joined that company with NSU, creating a new company name before AUDI AG became the familiar form.
The name and the Four Rings
August Horch chose the name Audi after leaving the company that carried his surname. “Horch” means “Listen!” in German, and Audi is its Latin translation. The name links a founder’s story with a lasting car brand.
Audi’s Four Rings represent Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer, the four companies that joined in 1932 to form Auto Union. Audi says the rings remain its identifying symbol. Its slogan, “Vorsprung durch Technik”, means “progress through technology.”
The 2026 Audi A3 S line plus package has black exterior trim and Anthracite Audi rings. Those black rings are a styling detail, not a new meaning for the logo.
Treat the Four Rings as a reference to the four founding companies, not four current Volkswagen Group brands.
What Do Audi’s 2025 Results Say About Its Business?
Audi’s 2025 results were mixed, with lower overall deliveries and operating profit but higher revenue and net cash flow than in 2024. Fully electric deliveries rose, even as total deliveries fell. Audi delivered 1,623,551 cars worldwide in 2025, down from 1,671,218 in 2024.
Audi Group revenue rose to €65,503 million from €64,532 million. Operating profit fell to €3,371 million from €3,903 million, and its margin dropped from 6.0% to 5.1%. Net cash flow increased to €3,422 million from €3,072 million.
Audi delivered 223,032 fully electric cars in 2025, up 36% from 164,480 in 2024. Audi’s 2025 business results show rising electric deliveries alongside lower total sales and profit.
BMW Group owns BMW, Mini, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, while Porsche is German. Neither fact makes either automaker Audi’s parent.
Read operating profit and margin alongside revenue, since revenue growth alone does not show whether profitability improved.
Conclusion
Audi belongs to Volkswagen Group, while Volkswagen AG’s shareholders hold the votes at the parent-company level. The brand and the publicly traded corporation are related, but they are not the same thing.
That distinction helps you sort clear ownership claims from broad references to the Volkswagen name. It also keeps the roles of the parent group, the corporation, and its shareholders separate.
When checking a current ownership claim, look at Volkswagen AG’s latest shareholder information. That record helps you see who holds voting rights at the corporation level.
For any ownership claim, verify whether it names the brand, the parent group, or the corporation whose voting rights are being counted.
FAQ
Does Audi own Lamborghini?
No, Audi does not own Lamborghini. Audi and Lamborghini are both within Volkswagen Group, so they are sister brands under the same group rather than parent and child companies. That shared corporate home does not make Audi the owner of every other Volkswagen Group brand. The group includes several distinct automotive brands with their own names and products.
Is Audi struggling right now?
Audi’s 2025 results were mixed, rather than pointing only in one direction. Total deliveries, operating profit, and operating margin fell from 2024, while revenue, net cash flow, and fully electric deliveries rose. Those measures describe different parts of the business, so one rising figure does not erase a drop in another. Profit and margin help show how well revenue turns into earnings.
Which is better, a Volkswagen or an Audi?
Neither Volkswagen nor Audi is universally better for every driver. Volkswagen generally suits buyers who put mainstream value first, while Audi suits buyers who want a premium-brand experience. Your budget, daily driving needs, and preferred model matter more than the badge alone. Compare the features and costs of the specific cars you are considering before choosing.
What do the four rings on Audi mean?
The four rings stand for Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer, the companies that joined to form Auto Union in 1932. The logo recalls that shared company history, not four current Volkswagen Group brands. Audi still uses the rings as its identifying symbol. They are among the most recognizable parts of the car brand’s identity.
Why do some Audis have black rings?
On the 2026 Audi A3 S line plus package, the exterior trim is black and the Audi rings are Anthracite. The darker rings are a styling choice for that package, not a change to what the logo represents. The Four Rings still refer to the companies behind Auto Union. Details can differ by model and package.
What is Audi’s full name?
Audi’s company name is AUDI AG, and it has used that name since 1985. The letters AG are part of the legal company name. The public-facing brand is commonly written as Audi, while AUDI AG identifies the operating company. This distinction helps separate the company from the Volkswagen Group that owns it.
What is Audi’s slogan?
Audi’s slogan is “Vorsprung durch Technik,” which means “progress through technology.” The German phrase connects the brand with its focus on engineering and technical design. Audi uses it as a brand line, while its Four Rings serve as its identifying symbol. The slogan does not describe the company’s ownership or corporate structure.
