©2009 Corey Beaman

Audi “factory” driver wins two important votings in Denmark
Awards by “TV2” and “Berlingske Tidende”
Also “Sports Car Driver of the Decade”

The year 2010 could hardly have started any better for Audi “factory” driver Tom Kristensen: The Dane was voted “Sportsman of the Decade” as many as two times in his native Denmark. The TV channel “TV2” as well as the major daily newspaper “Berlingske Tidende” awarded the prestigious title to the record Le Mans winner.

“I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me and helped me receive these two awards,” said the Audi driver. “Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have even dreamed of being so successful some day. But back then I had the great fortune of joining Audi. It’s a big privilege to have been a member of one of the world’s best race teams for as much as a decade now.”

The eight-time Le Mans winner clearly prevailed against such popular athletes as tennis pro Caroline Wozniacki, bicycle racer Michael Rasmussen and U.S. football star Morten Andersen in the votings.

Tom Kristensen was also recently recognized by the British racing magazine “Autosport,” which voted the Dane “Sports Car Driver of the Decade,” followed in second place by Allan McNish as another Audi “factory” driver.

Tom Kristensen has been competing for Audi since 2000 and has meanwhile won the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans (France) eight times, the 12 Hour Race at Sebring (USA) five times, the “Petit Le Mans” race at Road Atlanta (USA) and the LMP1 title in the American Le Mans Series in 2002. In addition, the Dane contested the DTM for Audi from 2004 to 2009, celebrating a total of four victories in the Audi A4.

In 2010, Tom Kristensen wants to fully concentrate on his greatest passion: on sports car races with Audi. Yet again, the highlight will be the 24 Hour Race at Le Mans on June 12/13.

- Audi AG

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• R8 V10 wins for 2010 in the general free-form category
• Winning criteria include excellence in speed, luxury, and commuting
• R8 V8 won in 2008 within the ‘instant classic’ category

The Audi R8 V10 captured the 2010 ‘Most Wanted’ award from the editors of Edmunds’ InsideLine.com. As one of six vehicles to win this accolade, it is also the second time in two years that Audi has won this prestigious award.

In August 2009, a newly introduced engine variant for the R8 went on sale with a 525 hp V10 FSI direct injection, making a rare sports car once again eligible for another round of ‘Most Wanted’ votes. The R8 once again raised the bar for performance and refinement in the supercar category and attracted the attention of enthusiasts of a new kind – the gaming industry. Featured prominently as the star of the Forza Motorsport 3® for XBOX 360®, its quattro® all-wheel drive propels the vehicle from 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds for both the manual and single-clutch R tronic transmissions.

Every car and truck for sale in the United States is eligible for the six ‘Most Wanted’ awards without a price cap or limitations on a new model or a redesigned nameplate.

‘Just as the name says, these are the six vehicles that the editors of InsideLine.com want in our driveways the most,’ said InsideLine.com Editor in Chief Scott Oldham. ‘They’re the ones we personally lust after. The ones we desire. Our personal favorites. These are the cars and trucks we like best.’

- Audi USA

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• Winner of the ‘Good Design’ competition of the German Designer Club
• Evolved appearance of the brand
• Aluminum Silver in the foreground, with exclusive Audi typeface
• ‘Pure and Clean’ as design theme

AUDI AG has won the renowned prize of the German Designer Club. In the competition for ‘Good Design’ the Ingolstadt car maker’s refined corporate design took the prize in the corporate communications category. The strengthening of the brand essence ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ and the manifestation of the brand values ‘sporty, progressive, sophisticated’ formed the basis of the makeover for the company’s 100-year anniversary.

‘The Audi brand’s 100-year anniversary was the ideal occasion for evolving our corporate identity. A lot of lifeblood was invested in this project – and all participants are therefore delighted about the award,’ says Jutta Carina Frisch, Head of Brand Development and Corporate Identity. The focus now lies on the four rings as the central element of the Audi identity  – now with a design that’s more contemporary, of higher quality and more precise, they combine with the brand essence ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ to make a clear statement.

In the foreground of the new corporate design, next to the rings, stands the color Aluminum Silver. It underscores like no other color the Audi brand’s core expertise in lightweight design – one of the most important technologies for the car of the future. ‘The theme of the design is ‘Pure and Clean’,’ explains Bruno Redelberger, Project Manager for the new corporate design. ‘Clear, minimalist and focused on what’s essential.’ The new look is synonymous with perfection, technological expertise and the Audi brand’s design standards.

The new Audi corporate design is also supported by a new, exclusive font, the ‘Audi Type.’ It was designed by the typographers Paul van der Laan and Pieter van Rosmalen following an international competition. The red Audi lettering is now the element joining together Audi products and services, without competing with the rings. The color red also symbolizes the sportiness of the brand.

The reorientation of the new corporate design with its focus on Vorsprung durch Technik and the four rings was defined internally at Audi. On the agency side, MetaDesign (basic elements: logo, colors) and Mutabor (corporate design for advertising, TV endings, literature, picture style) collaborated on the new look. Both agencies are currently engaged in current corporate design projects. The Audi corporate design was last modified in 1995.

The German Designer Club ‘Good Design’ competition has been held annually for the past ten years. This year AUDI AG won through with its refined corporate design against numerous projects of prominent companies from the widest variety of industries.”

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• First place in HORIZONT ranking
• Three gold medals at Cresta International Awards in New York
• Many more advertising awards for Audi

AUDI AG has taken first place in HORIZONT’s creativity ranking. The trade journal for marketing and advertising annually selects Germany’s most imaginative companies and brands. The Audi brand’s wealth of ideas already made an outstanding impression over the year in many national and international creative awards – and this was the factor that secured its victory in the HORIZONT ranking.

‘Creative, innovative communication is essential for Audi in order to differentiate itself from its competitors as the most progressive premium brand, and to systematically extend its market success,’ says Lothar Korn, Head of Marketing Communications at AUDI AG. ‘Our creative accomplishments for 2009 as a whole confirm that we are making good progress and that our excellent ideas generate customer enthusiasm for the Audi brand.’

The HORIZONT ranking is one of the most important creative indicators for the business divisions of marketing and advertising. Subject to evaluation are the top 45 national and international creativity contests concerning all sectors of commercial communications — such as print, TV, direct marketing, and interactive advertising.

The Cresta Awards also factored into the assessment. Audi won several of these awards this year. The promotional film ‘Robbery’ for the A4 Exclusive Line equipment package, the Audi quattro film ‘Urban Carving’, and the ‘Bulletproof’ ad impressed a high-caliber international jury at this creativity contest. The jury comprised 62 major creative professionals from 40 countries.

The Cresta Awards are one of the world’s most prestigious marketing and advertising competitions. Every year since 1993, they have recognized the brightest minds in international marketing communications and the advertising industry. Original concepts and quality of execution are the decisive criteria for the jury when judging the winners. This year, the jury had to evaluate candidates from 51 countries.

In addition to the Cresta Awards, Audi also won accolades in 2009 at the Clio Awards, the Golden Award of Montreux, ADC Europe, and the New York Festivals. Prizewinning entries included promotional films about the Audi Q5, the Audi Q7 Clean Diesel, TDI diesel technology, and the Audi brand’s motorsport triumphs.

The creative highlight in the area of spatial communications was quite clearly the Audi Coastline Marina installation at Design Miami, and this was suitably honored in the red dot award, the ADC and the ADAM.

- Audi AG

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Well deserved!

Great honour for TECHART Automobildesign – the Individualization Program for the Porsche 911 GT2 was awarded AutoBild Sportscar of the year 2009.

Thomas Behringer, Managing Director of TECHART, accepted the prestigious award with pleasure in the course of the AutoBild Race Night at the Essen Motor Show: “This award honours the complete team and it will be our motivation to confirm this success in 2010.”

10 high-performance sportscars in two categories OEM and Tuning were tested by the jury consisting of TUV inspectors, engineers, tire test operators and editors on a test track near Hannover/Germany. The Porsche 911 GT2, refined with the TECHART program and 580 horsepower, stood up to the high-speed opponents in the category Tuning.

TECHART demonstrated its unique performance abilities such as a max. torque of 800 Nm, distinctive acceleration and a top speed of 339 km/h respectively 211 mph. In terms of design values too, TECHART convinced the jury of AutoBild Sportscars with the exterior styling of the GT2 featuring the TECHART Aerokit I with Front Spoiler I, side skirts, mirror trims, roof spoiler, headlight trims and a rear wing with adjustable Gurney Flap as well as lightweight TECHART Formula III forged wheels.

- TECHART

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• Audi Q7 TDI clean diesel selected as ‘Most Environmentally Progressive Truck of the Year’
• TDI clean diesel engines deliver 30 percent better fuel economy and reduce carbon emissions by 20 percent over gasoline engines
• TDI technology has been proven by dominant Audi Le Mans racing teams

Audi’s Q7 TDI, its first clean diesel vehicle to hit U.S. streets this year is turning heads, most recently with a nod from the Earth, Wind & Power Awards, which selected it as ‘Most Environmentally Progressive Truck of the Year.’

The Earth, Wind & Power Awards recognize vehicles that contribute to the reduction of global warming, are conducive to promoting a cleaner environment, and that help reduce dependence on foreign oil through alternative energy sources. Finalists for the 2010 Earth, Wind & Power Car and Truck of the Year were selected by nationally renowned automotive editors and journalists. ‘Most Environmentally Progressive Car and Truck of the Year’ winners were announced on December 1, in Los Angeles.

‘Energy independence and fuel efficiency are serious issues that need to be addressed. We are thrilled that TDI clean diesel technology is getting the recognition it deserves for the significant impact it can have on building a cleaner planet and reducing dependence on foreign oil,’ said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. ‘We are heavily invested in clean diesel technology and have worked over the past 20 years to create technology that is unsurpassed in the delivering raw power while promoting efficiency.’

Introduced in June 2009, the Audi Q7 TDI clean diesel meets emissions standards in all 50 states, offers 600 miles of driving range and, with 12 percent more power in each drop of diesel fuel, doesn’t sacrifice performance for fuel efficiency. TDI clean diesel technology delivers 30 percent better fuel economy than a comparable gasoline-powered engine and produces 20 percent less greenhouse gas.

‘With climate change and dependence on foreign oil a major concern, more people than ever are turning to fuel-efficient or alternative fuel vehicles,’ said Courtney Caldwell, EWP’s creator and executive producer. ‘It’s become of vital interest to consumers, automakers to produce vehicles that are compatible with our planet.’

Audi introduced the Q7 TDI clean diesel this summer with a public awareness campaign about the positive effects that clean diesel can have on America’s dependency on foreign oil. A U.S. EPA analysis found that if one-third of Americans fueled their cars, pick-ups and SUVs with clean diesel instead of gasoline, the United States could send back 1.5 million barrels of foreign oil per day.

American consumers are responding positively to the performance and efficiency of Audi’s TDI clean diesel technology. Vastly exceeding the original expectations for TDI demand, sales in November increased to 49 percent of all Q7 models sold during the month.

Twenty years ago, Audi developed TDI clean diesel technology, signifying the brand’s commitment to trailblazing automotive performance executed in an environmentally responsible way. This winter, Audi’s groundbreaking TDI 2.0 engine is available in the popular A3 model achieving an unprecedented EPA-estimated 42 MPG highway.

- Audi USA

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• International jury – 59 members from 23 European countries
• International customers – 130,000 Polos already ordered worldwide

The new Polo is Car of the Year 2010: Today the Car of the Year jury chose the Volkswagen as number 1; this is the crowning achievement of an extraordinary year for the new Polo.

‘The new Polo stands for German engineering craftsmanship and superior cutting edge technology. At the same time it is a fresh, youthful and cosmopolitan car! The fifth generation Polo was designed for address customer expectations with even greater uncompromising alignment. That is why we are naturally very pleased to see our efforts validated in the form of this award,’ says Professor Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management, Volkswagen Group.

Selection as Car of the Year is one of the oldest and most esteemed awards in Europe. The best of all new car introductions have been awarded annually since 1964. The last time a Volkswagen won was in 1992: Back then the new third generation Golf emerged victoriously over the Opel Astra and Citroën ZX. In today’s competition, 59 jurors from 23 European countries cast their votes. The new Polo won with 347 points, outpacing the Toyota IQ.

Hakan Matson, president of the jury, had this to say at the award ceremony in Madrid: ‘It was the Polo’s comprehensive safety equipment and its advanced range of engines that impressed us the most. On the Polo BlueMotion Volkswagen was also able to add a very fuel-efficient yet affordable car to its car programme.’

The Polo’s selection as Car of the Year 2010 is the crowning achievement of an extraordinary year for the new Polo after already being named Best Car 2009 by ‘auto motor sport’ magazine and winning the Grüne (‘Green’) and the Goldene Lenkrad (‘Golden Steering Wheel’) awards by publisher Springer Verlag – as well as the Auto Trophy by ‘Autozeitung’ just a few days ago.

Not only was the award jury impressed by the new Polo. Since its market launch in May of this year, Volkswagen has received over 130,000 orders for the new benchmark car of the compact class. The Polo is available as a dynamic 3-door and comfortable 5-door in Germany. As the Polo BlueMotion, just 3.3 litre fuel consumption makes it the most fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly five-seater in the world.

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Porsche Models Again Win More National and International Awards

Two of the models built by Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, received the coveted ‘Auto Trophy’ award today from the leading German car magazine Auto Zeitung – the Porsche Panamera in the luxury segment and the Porsche 911 Carrera in the sports car segment.

Having only entered the market in September 2009, the Panamera has immediately moved up right to the top of the winners’ podium, just as the 911 Carrera is now defending its top position in the sports car segment for the 16th time.

In all, 104,442 readers of Auto Zeitung cast their vote in the 22nd Auto Trophy. Receiving 25.6 per cent of all votes in its category, the Panamera was the top scorer in the luxury class out of 14 contestants nominated. In the sports car category 22.1 per cent of all readers chose the 911 Carrera as their No 1 out of no less than 23 models.

The Panamera had already been awarded the ‘Das Goldene Lenkrad’ (The Golden Steering Wheel) in early November as the ‘Best New Car of the Year in the Luxury Class’. This prize is awarded by the German Sunday newspaper Bild am Sonntag together with the car magazine Auto Bild and its European issues.

The Panamera is however a great success not only in Europe, but also with international car journalists the world over, having won a number of international awards recently. In Canada, for example, 70 of the leading car journalists grouped within the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) have chosen the Panamera as the ‘Best New Prestige Car’. Conducting thorough test drives, the AJAC journalists were thrilled by the Panamera Turbo featuring, among other highlights, the best brakes and the best acceleration ever measured by the AJAC.

Again in Canada, the car journal Le Guide de l’Auto also ranks the Panamera as No 1 in the ‘Prestige Cars’ category.

In the USA the editors of the online magazine Inside Line have given the Panamera their ‘Most Wanted Award’. A leading automobile portal reaching more readers each month than subscribe to any car journal, Inside Line highlighted in particular the overall performance of Porsche’s Gran Turismo.

In Great Britain the Panamera has brought home no less than two significant titles, Vehicle Dynamics International lauding Porsche’s new luxury performance model not only as their ‘Car of the Year’, but also the ‘Dynamicist of the Year’, with its perfectly engineered chassis delivering an equal share of balance, grip, comfort and control all in one. At the same time the same magazine lauded the dynamic engine mounts exclusive to the Porsche 911 GT3 and the new 911 Turbo as their ‘Innovation of the Year’.

Yet another coveted title awarded to the Panamera is the ‘Interamerican Car of the Year 2010’ proclaimed by the Federación Interamericana de Periodistas del Automóvil (FIPA), an association of 81 Panamerican car journalists from 21 countries. Porsche’s Gran Turismo thrilled these experts in all disciplines such as progressive technology, performance, environmental care, and the significance of the car for each national market. Given these qualities, the Panamera was able to beat a significant line-up of no less than 37 leading automobiles.

- Porsche

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The Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder has been awarded German magazine Auto Bild’s Sports Car Of The Year 2009 title, in the Cabriolets/Roadster Series category.

The award was presented yesterday evening by the jury of the monthly magazine, at a special awards ceremony during the Essen Motor Show. With eight classes divided into tuned and series production cars, the Sports Car Of The Year title is one of the most desired in the German automotive business, with the awards voted for by 51,637 Auto Bild SportsCar readers.

The new Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder, with 560 hp and permanent four-wheel drive, offers an extraordinary driving experience: powerful and elegant design, extraordinary performance and extreme driving dynamics, alongside the emotional intensity of a convertible car. The Lamborghini Gallardo is the most successful Lamborghini model ever.

- Automobili Lamborghini

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Four 2010 Volkswagen models – the brand-leading Jetta sedan, the all-new Golf four-door, the stylish Passat sedan, and the nimble Tiguan – have each received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) TOP SAFETY PICK award for 2010: The highest rating possible from the non-profit research organization. The annual award recognizes those vehicles that perform best in protecting passengers in the Institute’s front, side, and rear crash test evaluations, and the newly required roof-strength test evaluations. The Institute only tests vehicles with electronic stability control (branded Electronic Stabilization Program® / ESP® on Volkswagen vehicles), and head protection airbags.
 
‘TOP SAFETY PICKS are the vehicles on the top rung for safety,’ said IIHS president, Adrian Lund. ‘These Volkswagen models are in an elite group that afford the best protection in the most common kinds of crashes, and have electronic stability control to keep drivers out of many crashes altogether.’
 
‘The safety of our cars is of the utmost concern, from the initial design stages, all the way through to the maintenance procedures at dealerships,’ said Mark Barnes, COO, Volkswagen Group of America. ‘To have such an important group as the IIHS recognize not one, but a total of four Volkswagen vehicles with this prestigious award is a true testament to the care, safety, and precision we strive for with every Volkswagen we build.’
 
Beyond their fun-to-drive dynamics and fuel-efficient engines, every 2010 model year Volkswagen vehicle includes, as standard, Volkswagen’s Prevent and Preserve Safety System. Composed of more than 40 different features, the Prevent and Preserve Safety System helps keep drivers and passengers safe during normal driving conditions, and reduces the severity and consequences of a possible crash. The Jetta, Golf, Passat, and Tiguan also come standard with an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), ESP, up to eight airbags (depending on model), and more.
 
In addition to the Prevent and Preserve Safety System, the entire 2010 Volkswagen lineup includes the no-charge Carefree Maintenance Program. With it, all of the scheduled maintenance for the vehicle, as described in its maintenance booklet, is covered for the length of the New Vehicle Warranty — three years or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first.
 
The 2010 Volkswagen Jetta sedan (starting at $17,605), Golf four-door (starting at $19,190), Passat sedan (starting at $26,995), and Tiguan (starting at $23,200) are available now at Volkswagen dealerships across the U.S.

- Volkswagen of America

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