HERNDON, VA - When it comes to lasting loyalty, Audi made greatest strides in 2009, earning recognition as the R.L. Polk & Co., "Most Improved Loyalty to Make" award winner during the 14th Annual Automotive Loyalty Awards in Detroit.

Introduced into the Automotive Loyalty Awards this year, the "Most Improved Loyalty to Make" award honors the automotive brand that garnered the greatest percentage point improvement in consumer loyalty over the course of 2009. With a 4.9-percent growth in this area, Audi surpassed all other brands in the market.

"Earning the long-term affinity of consumers is the ultimate benchmark of success," said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. "While attracting interest is always vital, maintaining that bond and translating it to repeat sales is an exceptional victory. The recognition by R.L. Polk validates the work of the Audi employees and dealers in creating this lasting bond."

The Polk Automotive Loyalty Award is based on actual model-year purchase/lease activity and recognizes manufacturers for superior performance in customer retention-a critical aspect of building and maintaining market share. Customers of these manufacturers had such a positive overall experience that they came back to buy another vehicle of the same model, make, or manufacturer.

For this year's "Most Improved Loyalty to Make" award, Audi received top honors after sales figures confirmed the highest industry wide percentage of this pattern occurring among Audi owners.

"After 14 years of honoring automakers for successes in customer loyalty, we added the "Most Improved Loyalty to Make" award for model year 2009 because we felt that brands able to make significant strides in this regard deserved recognition," said Stephen Polk, chairman, president and CEO of Polk.  "This is not an easy task to accomplish, which speaks volumes about the momentum that Audi has acquired in recent years."