Audi's Triple Triumph at 2009 Australia's Best Cars Awards

MELBOURNE December 3, 2009; Audi has celebrated a triple treat at this year�s Australia�s Best Cars awards, announced in Melbourne.

The compact luxury Q5 SUV, along with the TTS Coupe and A6 sedan were proclaimed winners in their respective categories.

In its first ever appearance, the Q5 3.0 TDI quattro was named �Best Luxury 4WD�, beating 29 competitors during testing. In awarding the prize, the judges scored the Q5 strongly across all sections, with maximum points for fuel economy in the 3.0 TDI version. Named top-of-the class for its �best-in-class effort�, the Q5 cemented its win because of its design and inherent functionality and toppled the 2008 winner by a clear margin.

The Audi TTS 2.0 TFSI coupe quattro has followed up its 2008 award with a second win in the �Best Luxury Sports Car� category. With its 2.0-litre turbo direct fuel injection engine punching out 200 kW of power, the TTS coupe was named �a class performer that typifies the new breed of sports cars�. Achieving the best fuel consumption rating in its class, coupled with its lightweight aluminium body and all-wheel-drive system, the TTS coupe has �all the handling and performance you�re going to need in a sports car and yet still feel at home driving in the city� said the judges. The TTS coupe and its Roadster stable-mate were launched in Australia last year.

The Audi trifecta was complete with the A6 sedan 3.0 TFSI quattro claiming the title of �Best Luxury Car�. Also making its maiden appearance, the A6 upstaged the previous three-time consecutive winner �in a host of areas, including pricing, running and repair costs, security, comfort, space, practicality, ergonomics, performance, handling and braking� according to the judges. The 3.0-litre V6 supercharged engine powering the A6 sedan, which made its debut earlier this year, was praised for its �enthusiastic surge�.

Audi Australia managing director, Joerg Hofmann, was extremely pleased with the result.

�These awards really demonstrate the strength of the Audi product range in Australia.

�To have three of our vehicles awarded this top honour shows that Audi has the right product, for the right market, at the right time.�