AUBURN HILLS, MI – Four Audi models have taken first place in their classes in the “Auto Trophy 2007” awards, according to the Web site www.duemotori.com. This was the verdict of the readers of the motoring magazine Auto Zeitung.

They voted to give the Audi A3, A4, A6, and R8 four of the year's most prized awards. Another Auto Trophy went to the current A5 advertisement as Print Advertisement of the Year. The models Audi Q7, TT Roadster, A8, and S5 were runners-up in their classes.

350 vehicles in total were competing for votes in 31 categories this year, in addition to the year's best print advertisements. A total of 103,721 readers of the Auto Zeitung, published in Cologne, and of www.autozeitung.de voted for their favorites.

The Audi A3 was the preferred choice of 23.5 percent of voters in the compact class. The rest of the field of competitors finished a considerable way behind.

The A6 picked up even more votes, taking first place in the executive class for the fourth successive time. The A6 received 29.4 percent of the vote, leaving the runner-up trailing by almost 10 percentage points.

As the champion of the super sports car class, the R8 won a respectable 30.5 percent of the readers' votes to claim its second victory — another clear first place, some 12 percentage points ahead of its closest competitor.

The victory of the new Audi A4 in the mid-size class is also particular pleasing for Audi. Even before customers take receipt of the first cars, 35.7 percent of readers voted for the Ingolstadt-built saloon — the best result of all the winning Audi vehicles and one of the best results of this year's Auto Trophy awards as a whole.

For the second year running, Audi advertising won the award for the best print advertisement of the year. The Auto Zeitung readers' most popular choice for the Auto Trophy was the image "The new A5 meets its equal".

The Audi brand has already won 39 of the coveted awards in the 20-year history of the Auto Trophy.