Vorsprung Durch Technik

"Vorsprung durch Technik" is a phrase familiar to many as the slogan for the German car company, Audi. The origins of this phrase are a bit of a mystery, and through all my trawlings on the net have discovered that the phrase was probably not coined by some wise old German engineer, but rather by a marketing agency.

However, the phrase in synonymous with German engineering prowess, and it is written that many english people detest the phrase culturally, as they think it carries overtones of previous wartime jibes.

Words to live by.

My, what fun we used to have shouting "Vorsprung dürch technik, mate!" whenever we drove past a hapless Audi driver waiting for the RAC at the side of his broken down car. Happy Days.

BTW: I think you're right, ReiToei - the phrase was the invention of some faceless ad-man. One reason that the phrase wasn't particularly liked by Brits is that it's somewhat reminiscent of "Arbeit Macht Frei".