The division was established in October 1983, its original name a direct reference to the Audi Quattro, the all-wheel-drive rally car that had transformed Audi's image in the early 1980s. The establishment of quattro GmbH coincided with Audi's need to homologate specialist vehicles and manage high-performance product lines separately from the mainstream manufacturing operation.
The first major collaborative project was the RS2 Avant, produced between 1994 and 1996 in partnership with Porsche AG at Porsche's Zuffenhausen facility. The car introduced the RS designation — from RennSport, meaning racing sport — which would become Audi's most potent performance badge. Subsequent RS models developed entirely at Neckarsulm included the B5 RS4 Avant quattro from 2000, the C5 RS6 quattro in 2003, the B7 RS4 and B7 S4 25 Quattro in 2006, and the C6 RS6 in 2008. Professional DTM race drivers and engineers from Audi's Le Mans endurance programme participated in the tuning of these road cars, giving them a direct motorsport connection.
Audi Sport GmbH operates across four principal areas. RS car production represents the division's flagship activity, developing and manufacturing Audi's most powerful model variants in limited numbers. S line component production covers performance wheels, sport suspension systems, and body panels fitted across the broader Audi model range. The Audi Exclusive personalisation service, launched at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show, allows customers to specify unique paint colours, leather interiors, and accessories during manufacturing. A lifestyle products line, begun in 1985, encompasses branded consumer goods including mountain bikes and accessories, with approximately 1.2 million units sold annually.
Vehicles manufactured by the division carry VINs beginning with "WAUA" rather than the standard Audi AG prefix of "WAUZ", allowing identification of Neckarsulm-produced cars. Some models, such as the TT RS and RS3, were designed at Neckarsulm but assembled at other Audi facilities, including Audi Hungaria in Györ, Hungary.
The Audi R8 mid-engine sports car represents the most ambitious project Audi Sport GmbH has undertaken in road car production. The division invested €28 million in a dedicated R8 production line and dedicated approximately 250 employees to the programme. The V8 version produced 309 kW (420 PS) and 430 Nm from a 4.2-litre FSI engine, while the V10 variant generated 386 kW (525 PS) and 530 Nm from a 5.2-litre FSI unit shared with technology from Lamborghini's Gallardo LP560-4. A V12 TDI concept engine displacing 6.0 litres produced 368 kW (500 PS) and 1,000 Nm.
Audi Sport also developed the Q7 V12 TDI quattro, described at launch as the most powerful diesel-powered SUV in its class. Its 6.0-litre V12 TDI engine — technology derived from Audi's Le Mans racing programme, specifically the Audi R15 TDI — produced 368 kW (500 PS) at 4,000 rpm and 1,000 Nm of torque between 1,750 and 3,000 rpm. The vehicle accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h.
Audi Sport GmbH manages Audi's customer racing programmes. The flagship product is the R8 LMS GT3, which shares over 50 per cent of its components with the road-going R8, including a nearly identical V10 engine producing 580 horsepower in race trim, enabling customers to run competitive seasons at manageable service costs. The car achieved pole position at the 2025 Nürburgring 24-hour race. The entry-level RS3 LMS TCR racer uses a largely unmodified EA888 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 350 horsepower and weighing 1,245 kg, priced at approximately $110,000 at launch.
Until the 2016 rebranding, Audi Sport (as a separate factory racing entity) managed works Le Mans and DTM efforts, while quattro GmbH handled customer racing. The 2016 consolidation under the Audi Sport GmbH name brought these programmes under a unified identity.
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