BMW Vs Audi

Comparing two of the reputed car brands is surely a difficult task, and when the brands are German-based BMW and Audi, it gets all the more challenging. Both BMW and Audi are German car brands who have made it big in the automobile industry around the world. They are well known for manufacturing sporty and luxurious sedans, with the top-notch features available in cars. These car companies have been rivals for quite a while now in terms of attracting customers, producing best cars, and even in the field of advertising. Since both car brands have their own set of standards and goodwill, most car buyers are confused whether they should choose a BMW or Audi car. In the following, we will discuss in general about BMW and Audi.

BMW and Audi

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW), which refers to Bavarian Motor Works in English is a German car and motorcycle manufacturing company, formed in 1916. It owns brands such as the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and Mini. On the other hand, Audi is also a German car manufacturer which is a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. It is a proud owner of Automobili Lamborghini Holding S.p.A. Both companies are considered to cater to the needs of all types of customers. Following is some information on a brief history of both brands.

History
The formation of BMW was a result of restructuring an aircraft engine production company. In 1918, the company was asked to stop aircraft engine production, due to a certain treaty. However, when the restrictions of the treaty started to be taken back in 1923, the company got into manufacturing motorcycles, and later automobiles in 1928. This is when BMW came up with its first car, the BMW 3/15.

With regards to the history of Audi, in 1899, August Horch started a company 'A. Horch & Cie.' from which he was forced to leave because of some conflicts with the management. He then founded another company known as 'Horch Automobil-Werke GmbH', from which he had to leave again in 1909. He started a third company, but with the same 'Horch' brand, for which the second company sued him. August Horch was banned by the court to use his own name as a brand. After an idea for a brand name from the son of his friend, he came up with the name 'Audi' as a corporate brand.

The Brand Logos
The blue and white logo of BMW is believed to be related to a running aircraft propeller cutting through the blue sky. This logo was made considering that of the Rapp Motorenwerke company, the firm from where the business of BMW took off. However, it is also believed that the BMW logo is associated with the white and blue colors found in the Bavaria state flag. The logo of Audi is four interlinked rings, which are somewhat like the Olympic games sign. It is concerned with the Auto Union which comprises four companies as members. It primarily has Audi, Dampf-Kraft-Wagen (DKW), Horch, and Wanderer.

Since advertising plays a very important role in business, both companies have taken it very seriously, which once resulted as a kind of cold war between the automobile giants. The comparison of BMW versus Audi can also be done using advertising wars between both brands.

The Advertising Wars
The competition started with an advertising billboard in the city of Los Angeles, when Audi was promoting its A4 sedan model. The advertise pictured the A4 with a phrase written 'Your move, BMW'. In response to this, BMW advertised on another nearby billboard a picture of its M3 model with the word 'Checkmate'. Audi in turn pictured on the billboard its R8 supercar, with the tagline 'Time to check your luxury badge. It may have expired.' This was when BMW's billboard was removed, which seemed to be the end of the cold war. Now let us move on to know more about cars of both these brands.

The Cars
The most apparent difference notable in BMW and Audi cars is the car grill. BMW cars have a set of grills, whereas Audi cars just have a big one. Both brands have their own range of medium- and high-end luxury cars. If we have a look at the 335i model of BMW vs Audi A4, the former one has a 3.0 liter 6-cylinder engine which produces a power of 300 hp, with the price starting at about $41,100. On the other hand, the Audi A4 has a starting price tag of $32,300. It has a 2.0 liter engine giving out 211 hp of power.

If we consider a comparison of BMW M3 vs Audi RS5, the BMW has a 4.0 liter V8 engine with an engine power of 414 hp. Its starting price is quoted to be from $55,400. The RS5 from Audi delivers a 4.2 liter V8 FSI engine which provides a power of 450 bhp. Its price is expected to be around $70,000. There are many cars and SUVs from both brands that can be compared such as BMW 750i and Audi A8, and BMW X3 and Audi Q5.

When it comes to BMW vs Audi; reliability, safety, performance, and other important ratings are much the same. It cannot be concluded that either of these brands are better than the other, since the purchase totally depends on personal preferences and car use of the buyer.