Equipped with a host of innovations and services to delight customers, the Audi Centre Singapore was judged the most outstanding retail development in the city state at the International Property Awards (Asia Pacific) 2014. Located at 281 Alexandra Road, the Audi Centre serves as the showroom, sales centre and repair and spare parts facility for Audi’s Singapore dealer -- Premium Automobiles.

From afar, its full-height glass windows for the lower floors make the building appear to float off the ground. Inside, the Audi models are displayed prominently.

Two lifts transport cars to the servicing workshop that spans from the 5th to the 7th floor, while the offices take up the top level. With eight storeys, the Audi Centre is an impressive landmark commanding a prime location along the country’s prestigious ‘motor belt’ and is unique as car dealerships are normally low-rise with a large footprint.

The Audi Centre is also unusual as it incorporates three basement levels that feature the Audi Cafe, Audi shop, customer waiting lounge, reception areas as well as a carpark.

All in all, the Audi Centre’s stunning design is a feat of creativity that stays true to the Audi marque.

Audi stunned the motorsports world at the 1981 Monte Carlo rally when a competition version of its Audi quattro overtook a Lancia Stratos after just 10km despite starting a minute behind. It was an impressive achievement since the Stratos had won the World Rally Championship in 1974, 1975 and 1976. For it to be beaten so convincingly was a sign that Audi was to be a force to be reckoned with.

The Audi quattro then went on to dominate the World Rally Championships the following three years, with constructors’ victories in 1982 and 1984, and drivers’ titles in 1983 and 1984.

The fully-electric Audi e-tron took to the road in 2019 and Audi is charging ahead towards a more sustainable future with even more climate-friendly electric mobility innovations. Audi has set itself the goal of offering 30 electric vehicles by 2025 -- 20 of which are purely electric cars that do not produce any CO₂ emissions locally in electric mode.

Audi has four rings; the Olympic logo has five. The four interlocked rings of Audi’s famous badge represent each of the previously independent brands, namely Audi Automobilwerke GmbH, A. Horch & Co., DKW and Wanderer that merged to form Auto Union. The four-ring logo first appeared in 1934, and consequently, Auto Union was renamed Audi Automobilwerke GmbH.

The Olympic logo was created in 1913, with the five rings representing the five continents: Europe, Africa, Asia, America, and Oceania. The International Olympic Committee – somewhat belatedly – decided to sue Audi for trademark infringement in 1995, claiming the four-ring badge was too similar to its logo. In the end, both logos were allowed to co-exist.

While working as an engineer at NSU Motorenwerke AG, Felix Wankel invented the rotary engine in 1954. After testing and further development, the new engine technology was licensed to Mazda, the Japanese automaker in 1961. A number of other companies also followed suit and licensed the Wankel engine, including Daimler-Benz, Alfa Romeo, Rolls Royce, Porsche, General Motors, Suzuki and Toyota.

The Volkswagen Group acquired NSU in 1969 and merged it with Auto Union, creating Audi NSU Auto Union AG, which ultimately became Audi.

In 2010, Audi combined a rotary engine with an electric motor in the Audi e-tron concept car. The electric motor was to power the A1 e-tron for about 50km. Then the range extending rotary engine would start and engage the generator allowing the vehicle to continue for another 199km.

However, a rotary engine is not very fuel efficient and scores poorly in emissions tests. Despite these problems, rotary engines are often tipped for a comeback and there has been talk of a rotary engine being used as a range extender for electric vehicles by several manufacturers.