Audi A4 wins Europe’s Auto1

The new Audi A4 is staying in the success lane. By a clear majority, readers of the 26 European editions of “Autobild” voted this new midsize model “Europe’s Auto1.” This marks yet another chapter in the success story of this multiple winner in all comparison tests.
Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, accepted the trophy in a ceremony at the Geneva Motor Show.

“I am very pleased that our most important model was able to win Europe’s largest reader poll,” said Stadler at the ceremony. The new Audi A4 Sedan was launched last autumn. And the new Audi A4 Avant has now made its world debut in Geneva; it will be in dealers’ showrooms this spring.

The annual competition for the “Auto1” is conducted by trade magazine “Autobild” and its sister publications in a total of 26 European countries with a readership of 40 million.

The voting was conducted in six vehicle categories. The 26 “Autobild” editors in chief, along with technicians and racing drivers, then went on to select the overall champion from among the category winners. And in the end, that was the Audi A4 by a clear majority. The new A4 convinced the editors in chief with both its driving dynamics and comfort as well as its fascinating design and first-class craftsmanship.

The “Auto1” marks the latest highlight in an impressive string of awards that the A4 has garnered since its market launch.

With this award, Audi is continuing its success story in what is Europe’s premier reader poll. The last Audi to win this trophy was the Audi A6 in 2005.

AUDI AG sold a total of 964,151 cars in 2007 and thus achieved its twelfth consecutive record year. Audi produces vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Györ (Hungary), Changchun (China) and Brussels (Belgium). At the end of 2007, production of the Audi A6 started in Aurangabad, India. The company is active in more than 100 markets worldwide. AUDI AG’s wholly owned subsidiaries include Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy, and quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm. Audi employs more than 54,000 people worldwide, including 45,000 in Germany. The brand with the four rings invests more than € 2 billion each year in order to sustain the company’s technological lead embodied in its “Vorsprung durch Technik” slogan. Audi plans to nearly double the number of models in its portfolio by 2015, from the 25 currently on offer to 40.

AUDI AG will present the complete results for the 2007 business year at its Annual Press Conference on March 11, 2008 in Ingolstadt.