The first luxury car produced by Audi was the Typ R Imperator was the vehicle which drove the German brand to be bought by the largest motorcycle builder in the world, DKV. Without having a tradition, or being known, as a luxury carmaker, Audi dared to introduce the eight-cylinder Typ R in its lineup in 1928. It was a very expensive vehicle, and it was a technological step back when compared with the previous Audi Typ M model. The high price-tag and the world economic crisis between 1928 and 1932 led to poor sales. Like most of the vehicles from its time, the Typ R was available as a bare-chassis or as a complete vehicle from the factory. It was available as a coupe, a convertible, or as a Pullman limousine. All of them featured standard two spare wheels mounted either on the engine bay's sides or behind the car. Its metallic-wire wheels featured a central locking bolt for an easy replacement in case of a flat tire. Inside, for the four-door version, the Imperator offered a large interior thanks to its 3.6-meter (142 "5") wheelbase. Its rear-hinged rear doors allowed an easier ingress and egress from the car. At the front, the carmaker installed the dials and gauges in the middle of the dash panel. From the technical point of view, the Typ R slacked behind its predecessor, the Typ M. It featured a three-speed manual gearbox instead of four. Audi fitted the Imperator with mechanical brakes, while the model it replaced trusted on a hydraulic system.