| Title, Format | Label | Cat# | Country | Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | Philips, Philips | 6305 231 D, 6305 231 | Germany | 1974 | |
| Autobahn (Cass, Album) | Vertigo | 7149 005 | UK | 1974 | |
| Autobahn (Cass, Album) | EMI Records | TC-EMC 203 | US | 1974 | |
| Autobahn (Cass, Album) | Philips | 7105 181 | Germany | 1974 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | Vertigo | VEL-2003 | US | 1974 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | Vertigo | 6360 620 | UK | 1974 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | Philips | 9294 806 | Netherlands | 1974 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | Philips | 6305 231 A | Italy | 1974 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | EMI Music (Australia) | EMC 203 | Australia & New Zealand | 1974 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | Philips | 6305 231 | France | 1974 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | EMI Records | EJ 2400701 | UK | 1974 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | Philips | 6305 231 | Canada | 1974 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | Kling Klang | NH 3161 | New Zealand | 1974 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | Parlophone | 31C 064 240070 | Brazil | 1974 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | Parlophone | 64 2400701 | Italy | 1974 | |
| Autobahn (8-Trk, Quad) | Vertigo | VQ8-2003 | US | 1975 | |
| Autobahn (Cass, Album) | Vertigo | VCR4 2003 | US | 1975 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | Vertigo | 6360 620 | Brazil | 1975 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | Mercury | SRM-1-3704 | US | 1977 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | Mercury | SRM-1-1154 | US | 1977 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | Vertigo | 63 60 620 | Spain | 1977 | |
| Autobahn (8-Trk, Album) | Mercury | MC8-1-3704 | US | 1978 | |
| Autobahn (CD, Album) | EMI Electrola | 1C DP 564 7 46153 2 | France | 1985 | |
| Autobahn (CD, Album) | Elektra | 9 25326-2 | US | 1985 | |
| Autobahn (Cass, Album) | Warner Bros. Records | 9 25326-4 | US | 1985 | |
| Autobahn (Cass, Album) | Parlophone, Parlophone | EJ 24 0070-4, TC-AUTO 1 | UK | 1985 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album) | Warner Bros. Records | 92 53261 | Canada | 1985 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album, RE) | Warner Bros. Records | 25326-1 | US | 1985 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album, RE) | Parlophone, Parlophone | EJ 24 0070 1, AUTO 1 | UK | 1985 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album, RE) | EMI Electrola | 1C 064-24 0070 1 | Germany | 1985 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album, RE) | EMI Music (Spain) | 066 2400701 | Spain | 1985 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album, RE) | EMI Music (Greece) | 062-2400701 | Greece | 1985 | |
| Autobahn (CD, Album, RE) | Kling Klang, EMI Electrola | CDP 564-7 46153 2 | Europe | 1986 | |
| Autobahn (CD, Album, RE) | Kling Klang, EMI Electrola | CDP 564-7 46153 2 | Netherlands | 1986 | |
| Autobahn (LP, Album, RE) | Shilla Records | SCL 1023 | 1991 | ||
| Autobahn (CD, Album, RE) | Toshiba EMI Ltd | TOCP-50578 | Japan | 1998 | |
| Autobahn (CD, Album, RE) | Capitol Records | CDP 564 7 46153 2 | Germany | 2002 | |
| Autobahn (CD, Album, RM) | Mute Records Ltd., Kling Klang | CDSTUMM 303, 50999 9 66014 2 6 | Europe | 2009 | |
| Autobahn (LP, RM, RE) | Kling Klang | 50999 6 99586 1 8 | Europe | 2009 | |
| Autobahn (CD, Album) | Kling Klang | CDP 7 46153 2 | UK |
referencing Autobahn, 8-Trk, Album, MC8-1-3704
referencing Autobahn, LP, Album, VEL-2003
The classic track title needs little to no introduction, with a sample of a car ignition, and then a vocoder voice repeats the word 'autobahn'; from there on we're on a 22 minute journey, loaded with awesome drum patterns and phenomenal segments played on keyboards, weird and electroish melodies and various far reaching sounds - to sum it all up: a fabulous voyage through the world of electronic music, which sounds incredibly amazing even today, one can only imagine what this must have sounded like to people who first heard it back in 1974...
The next four tracks, Kometenmelodie parts 1 and 2, Mitternacht and Morgenspaziergang are voiceless excursions through carefully crafted and carried out melody work and pure exploration of how far can electronic equipment go. Everything is mixed up here: piano, violin, guitar, synthesizers, and it all sounds so compact, so well put together. A special mention goes to the closing track, which has a gorgeous lead played on a flute, and it's a perfect outro to this otherwise perfect album. Maybe it's the lack of vocals, maybe it's the somewhat laid back feel of the music, but I just adore the way in which computer manipulation has been given an opportunity to collaborate with classical instruments, thus enabling the single tracks to fully express themselves, and touch more than any vocal in any language ever could.
When people speak about timeless music, I guess this is one of those albums they should be refering to. Too often does it happen today that I hear phrases like "a few years ago this was a hot and exquisite item, but it hasn't stoo up the test of time so well". Similar sounding reviews and opinions are too many to keep track of. But that shouldn't be a problem, especially if you're about to listen to "Autobahn", a fantastic trip down to the core roots of electronic music. Seriously though, if german highways were this pleasant to drive on, I would never want to get off them...