Audi Is Most Improved Brand in Customer Loyalty

HERNDON, Va., Jan. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- More than ever, establishing a consumer relationship that endures beyond a single vehicle is crucial. When it comes to lasting loyalty, Audi made greatest strides in 2009, earning recognition Tuesday night 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% 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."

ABOUT AUDI

Audi of America Inc. and its 270 dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. The Audi lineup is one of the freshest in the industry with 23 models, including 12 models launched during model years 2008 and 2009. Audi is among the most successful luxury automotive brands globally. In selling one million vehicles worldwide in 2008, AUDI AG recorded its 13th consecutive record year for sales growth. Visit www.audiusa.com or www.audiusanews.com for more information regarding Audi vehicle and business issues.

ABOUT THE POLK AUTOMOTIVE LOYALTY AWARDS

The Polk Manufacturer Loyalty Excelerator Report is the basis for the Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards. This report was introduced to the automotive industry in 1995 and was created to provide the latest insights into household consumer loyalty to automotive manufacturers at many different levels. It is now used to provide loyalty percentages for the entire automotive industry and allows for cross-industry comparisons of loyalty behavior. The report measures loyalty throughout the entire model year so that manufacturers may keep abreast of loyalty trends as they occur in the industry.

SOURCE Audi of America Inc.