Audi vs BMW: Founders, CEOs and History
Audi was founded in 1909 by August Horch and is led by Gernot Döllner. BMW was founded in 1916 by Karl Rapp, Gustav Otto and is led by Milan Nedeljković.
Company facts
Founders
Audi
August Horch
Audi does not begin with a single founding moment but with a corporate split and a forced rename. August Horch, one of Germany's automotive pioneers, founded A. Horch & Cie.
BMW
Karl Rapp
Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) traces its foundational roots not to automobiles, but to the skies above Germany during the First World War.
Gustav Otto
Gustav Otto's importance lies in the aviation world that made BMW possible. He founded an aircraft manufacturing company before BMW became associated with motorcycles or cars, and his operations formed part of the Bavarian industrial environment from which BMW…
CEOs and their tenures
Audi
- Ferdinand Piëch1988–1993
Chief Executive Officer
Piëch joined Audi in 1972, ran development from 1975 and chaired the Board of Management from 1988 until he left for Volkswagen at the start of 1993.
Source - Martin Winterkorn2002–2007
Chief Executive Officer
Winterkorn led Audi from 2002 to 2007 and pushed the brand's product and design offensive of that period, including the single-frame grille that became the Audi face, the R8 mid-engine sports car and the Q7, Audi's first large SUV.
Source - Rupert Stadler2007–2018
Chief Executive Officer
Stadler ran Audi for 11 years and oversaw its largest expansion, including the build-out of the Q series and rapid growth in China. Audi brand deliveries roughly doubled during his tenure, passing 1.9 million cars in 2017.
Source - Markus Duesmann2020–2023
Chief Executive Officer
Duesmann, previously a BMW development board member, became Audi CEO in April 2020 with a mandate covering electrification and software.
Source - Gernot Döllner2023–present
Chief Executive Officer
The Supervisory Board appointed Döllner chairman of the Board of Management effective 1 September 2023, succeeding Markus Duesmann, and confirmed him for a further five years in autumn 2025.
Source
BMW
- Eberhard von Kuenheim1970–1993
Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO)
BMW's longest-serving chief executive turned a mainly German carmaker into an international premium brand, launching the 3 Series (1975) and 7 Series (1977) and completing the 'Four Cylinder' headquarters tower in Munich.
Source - Norbert Reithofer2006–2015
Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO)
Reithofer led BMW through the 2008-2009 financial crisis with his 'Strategy Number ONE' and approved Project i, which produced the carbon-fibre i3 and i8. He later chaired the Supervisory Board.
Source - Harald Krüger2015–2019
Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO)
Krüger led BMW from May 2015 to August 2019, a period that included the launch of the X7 and the preparation of flexible vehicle architectures.
Source - Oliver Zipse2019–2026
Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO)
Zipse joined BMW in 1991 and led the group from 16 August 2019 to 13 May 2026, concluding 35 years with the company.
Source - Milan Nedeljković2026–present
Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO)
Took over from Oliver Zipse on 14 May 2026 after a career that began as a BMW trainee in 1993 and included senior roles at Plant Oxford, managing director of Plants Leipzig and Munich, senior vice president Corporate Quality and, from 2019, board member for Pr…
Source
Timeline: Audi and BMW side by side
1909Audi
Founding in Zwickau
August Horch registers a new car company in Zwickau after leaving the firm that carried his own name, laying the foundation of the business that becomes Audi.
1910Audi
The Audi name is registered
Barred by a court from trading under his surname, Horch registers Audi Automobilwerke GmbH Zwickau, using the Latin imperative that translates the German word Horch, meaning listen.
1916BMW
Official Foundation Date
BMW traces its official foundation date to 7 March 1916 through Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke AG. The origin matters because the business began in aircraft and engine manufacturing before it ever sold cars.
1923BMW
BMW R 32 Motorcycle Launch
The R 32 gave BMW its first branded motorcycle and a recognizable engineering signature around the boxer engine and shaft drive. It turned aircraft-engine know-how into a consumer product after aviation restrictions changed the company's market.
1928BMW
Entry Into Automobiles Through Eisenach
BMW became an automobile manufacturer by purchasing Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach. The deal gave the company an existing carmaking base and moved it beyond engines and motorcycles into the larger passenger-car market.
1932Audi
Auto Union AG is formed
On 29 June 1932, at the initiative of Saxony's state bank, Audi, DKW, Horch and the car division of Wanderer Werke merge into Auto Union AG, then the second largest motor manufacturer in Germany. The four interlocking rings stand for the four companies.
1949Audi
Auto Union is re-established in Ingolstadt
After the Saxon plants are expropriated by the Soviet occupation authorities and Auto Union AG is struck from the Chemnitz commercial register in 1948, managers who fled west establish Auto Union GmbH in Ingolstadt on 3 September 1949 and begin building DKW va…
1958Audi
Daimler-Benz takes control
Daimler-Benz AG acquires 88 percent of Auto Union GmbH in April 1958 and makes it a wholly owned subsidiary the following year.
1961BMW
New Class Breakthrough
The BMW 1500 New Class sedan filled a market gap and helped restore BMW as a successful modern carmaker. Its sporty sedan formula became a foundation for the later performance-premium identity.
1965Audi
Volkswagen takes over and the Audi name returns
Volkswagenwerk AG takes over Auto Union in 1965. The same year the company launches its first post-war model with a four-stroke engine, the F103 series, under the revived Audi name.
1968Audi
The Audi 100 is developed without approval
Development chief Ludwig Kraus designs a larger car in secret, against the wishes of Volkswagen management. Presented in Ingolstadt in November 1968 as the Audi 100, its success secures Auto Union's independence inside the Volkswagen Group.
1969Audi
Merger with NSU
Auto Union GmbH and NSU merge to form AUDI NSU AUTO UNION AG within the Volkswagen Group.
1980Audi
quattro all-wheel drive is unveiled
The Audi quattro, with permanent all-wheel drive and two manually lockable differentials, is shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1980. It goes on to win the World Rally Championship manufacturers' title in 1982 and both titles in 1984.
1985Audi
The company is renamed AUDI AG
AUDI NSU AUTO UNION AG becomes AUDI AG, with its head office in Ingolstadt, and sales responsibility moves from Volkswagen to Audi as part of the move upmarket.
1994Audi
A8 introduces the aluminium Space Frame
Audi enters the luxury segment with the A8, the first volume production car built on the aluminium Audi Space Frame.
1994BMW
Rover Group Acquisition
BMW bought Rover Group to broaden its model range, but the integration did not meet expectations and most of Rover was sold in 2000. The episode mattered because it pushed BMW back toward disciplined premium positioning while MINI remained inside the group.
1998Audi
Lamborghini is acquired
Audi acquires Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. on 10 July 1998 after learning through an engine enquiry that the brand was for sale. Press reports at the time put the price at about 110 million US dollars.
1998BMW
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Rights Acquired
BMW obtained the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars brand and naming rights in 1998 and took full responsibility for the marque from 2003. The deal expanded the group upward into ultra-luxury without forcing the BMW badge to carry that role.
2000Audi
The Le Mans run begins
Audi takes the first of 13 wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans between 2000 and 2014, including the first victory for a diesel car with the R10 TDI and later wins with the R18 e-tron quattro hybrid.
2011BMW
BMW i Sub-Brand Announced
BMW announced the BMW i sub-brand with the i3 and i8 planned as its first models. The program gave the group an early platform for electric mobility, lightweight materials, and sustainability-focused manufacturing ideas.
2015Audi
Diesel emissions scandal reaches Audi's V6 TDI
United States regulators find defeat-device software in the 3.0-litre V6 TDI engine family developed by Audi and fitted to Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche models.
2018Audi
An ~$904 million (800 million euro) order and a CEO resignation
Munich II prosecutors impose an ~$904 million (800 million euro) administrative order on AUDI AG over the diesel engines, and Audi accepts it. CEO Rupert Stadler resigns the same year after being arrested; he is convicted of fraud by negligence in 2023.
2019BMW
Oliver Zipse Became Chairman
Oliver Zipse became Chairman of the Board of Management on 16 August 2019 and served until 13 May 2026. His tenure was defined by the technology-open strategy, the Neue Klasse programme and flexible production across powertrains.
2020Audi
Volkswagen buys out the last Audi shareholders
Volkswagen AG, holding about 99.64 percent of the share capital, carries out a squeeze-out of the remaining 0.36 percent of AUDI AG shares, ending Audi's stock market listing.
2023Audi
Gernot Döllner becomes CEO
The Supervisory Board appoints Gernot Döllner chairman of the Board of Management effective 1 September 2023, succeeding Markus Duesmann. He is confirmed for a further five years in autumn 2025.
2023BMW
~$176B (EUR 155.498B) Revenue Year
BMW Group revenue reached ~$176B (EUR 155.498B) in 2023, the highest annual revenue in the recent report period shown here. That peak set a demanding comparison base for the weaker 2024 and 2025 revenue years.
2024Audi
First Premium Platform Electric model
The Audi Q6 e-tron, the first production model on the 800-volt Premium Platform Electric developed with Porsche, reaches the market and becomes the first fully electric Audi built in Ingolstadt.
2025Audi
Restructuring agreement and a China-only brand
Audi and its works council sign an agreement for the future that removes up to 6,000 German jobs by 2027 while ruling out operational layoffs to the end of 2033.
2025BMW
FY2025 Revenue and Deliveries
BMW Group reported ~$151B (EUR 133.453B) in revenue and 2,463,681 automotive deliveries in FY2025. The result showed stable unit scale but weaker revenue and margin conditions, especially as China, tariffs, currency, and EV costs affected the business.
2025BMW
Neue Klasse iX3 World Premiere
The fully electric BMW iX3, the first Neue Klasse model, premiered at the IAA in Munich in September 2025. It is built in Debrecen, Hungary, and European customer deliveries began in March 2026.
2026Audi
Formula 1 debut
Audi enters Formula 1 as the Audi Revolut F1 Team, racing from the season opener in Australia on 8 March 2026 with a power unit developed at its motorsport site in Neuburg.
2026BMW
Capital Market Day Reset Plan
On 30 September 2026 BMW set a 3-5% automotive EBIT margin target for 2028 and 8-10% by the start of the next decade, alongside fewer variants, a first BMW ALPINA model in 2027 and a compact Neue Klasse EV for Europe in 2028.
2026BMW
Profit Warning on China Downturn
On 16 June 2026 BMW cut its 2026 automotive EBIT margin guidance to 1-3% from 4-6%. Q2 automotive margin came in at 2.3% and China deliveries fell 30.2% in the quarter.
2026BMW
Milan Nedeljković Became CEO
Milan Nedeljković succeeded Oliver Zipse as Chairman of the Board of Management on 14 May 2026, the day after the 106th Annual General Meeting, which also approved converting all preferred shares into ordinary shares.
Acquisitions
Audi
- Sauber Group2024Undisclosed
- Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.2012$1.1B
- Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A.2010Undisclosed
- Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.1998$110M
BMW
- ALPINA brand2022Undisclosed
- Rolls-Royce Motor Cars1998$66M
- Rover Group1994$1.2B
- Mini brand1994Undisclosed
Questions about Audi vs BMW
Who is the CEO of Audi AG and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG?
Audi AG is led by Gernot Döllner and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is led by Milan Nedeljković. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Audi AG founded vs Bayerische Motoren Werke AG?
Audi AG was founded in 1909 — 7 years before Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, which was founded in 1916. Audi AG's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Bayerische Motoren Werke AG.
How many employees does Audi AG have compared to Bayerische Motoren Werke AG?
Audi AG employs approximately 88,000 people, while Bayerische Motoren Werke AG employs approximately 154,540. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG has the larger workforce at 154,540 employees, compared to Audi AG's 88,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Audi AG and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG headquartered?
Both Audi AG and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG are headquartered in Germany, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Audi AG and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG?
Audi AG was founded by August Horch. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG was founded by Karl Rapp, Gustav Otto.
Which company has a longer operating history — Audi AG or Bayerische Motoren Werke AG?
Audi AG has been operating for approximately 117 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG has been in operation for around 110 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Audi vs BMW overview