In 1899, engineer Augusto Horch planted the seed of AUDI by founding his first motor factory in Cologne, Germany. Since Horch was his first brand, he founded a second factory and named it Audi, the Latin version of German term Horch. AUDI, DKW, Wanderer and Horch merged in 1932 to create Auto Union. The success achieved by Auto Union in sports, technical and business terms is huge. World War II destroyed Germany and put an end to Auto Union. Audi Union GmbH was reborn in 1949 and Augusto Horch passed away in 1951. Nowadays, AUDI has kept on putting feathers in its cap in the fields of sports, technology and public approval.