"Vorsprung durch Technik" means "advancement through technology" roughly and uber ad-man Sir John Hegarty spotted it in an Audi factory in 1982.

After 7 years in the courts, Audi has secured the right to use the trade mark on clothingand games amongst else, having had massive difficulties in persuading that the slogan is sufficiently distinctive.  The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled it distinctive afetr a series of refusals and appeals. 

The mark has been registered for vehicles and parts since 2003, but met with the usual distinctiveness objections that commonly face slogans.

This ruling is said to indicate that the ECJ (and therefore national registering bodies) is starting to look more favourably on registrations of slogans, and that there should be no greater burden of proof on the brand owner to show their mark is distinctive than a typical word mark.