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TORONTO - Audi Canada today reported that a record-breaking total of 1,128 units were registered for the month of April. This all-time record April sales figure represents a gain of 329 units or a 41.2% increase compared to April 2007 while contributing to year to date growth of 26.8%. The leading models in terms of sales were the A4 and S4 sedans and Avants, the sporty A3 and the Audi Q7 performance SUV. April sales by model line were:

Model Line
Apr-08

A3
212

A4/S4/RS 4
531

A5/S5
30

TT
103

A6/S6
77

A8/S8
17

R8
18

Audi Q7
140

TOTAL
1128

“These results continue to demonstrate the momentum that the Audi brand is gaining in the market,” Diego Ramos, Audi Canada’s Executive Vice President said, ” 2008 started off with a fantastic bang for Audi by winning the Canadian Car of the Year for the Audi R8, followed by successive months of record sales and now hitting our best month in history. I am very proud of the tremendous performance by all the Canadian Audi dealers. They have done a fantastic job explaining the advantages of Audi product to a growing and more loyal than ever customer base.”

Audi’s history in Canada dates to 1971, when the brand was first introduced on the Canadian market. Today, a network of 37 Audi retailers nationwide sell and service a range of premium vehicles that include the Audi A3; the A4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models; the S4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models; the RS 4 sports sedan; The A5 and S5 Coupes; the A6 sedan and Avant; the Audi Q7 Sport Utility; the Audi A8; the V10-powered S6 and S8 performance sedans; the TT Coupe and Roadster models and new R8 mid-engined sports car.

Courtesy: Audi, Canada

On Audi tv, the excitement continues shortly after the finish: Every DTM race weekend, Audi’s internet-based television channel brings you exclusive background reports from the race circuit, presents the Audi team drivers in interviews, and questions engine and vehicle developers about their racing tourers’ secrets. A must-see for true DTM fans.

Triple honors at Hockenheim, a one-two victory at Oschersleben, now the hot favorites for Mugello: on the DTM 2008 circuits, the Audi motorsport team is once again demonstrating Audi’s legendary “Vorsprung durch Technik”. Television channels all around the world are reporting on the four-ring drivers’ successes – but no camera team gets in as close as the in-house station Audi tv. The channel, which was established one year ago, sends its well-versed film crew behind the scenes of the DTM circus: Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich and chief developer Wolfgang-Dieter Appel present the technological highlights of the Audi A4 DTM. Ekström, Kristensen, Tomczyk, Scheider and their colleagues give a rundown of the pitfalls of the current track. And sports presenter Wolfgang Rother takes us on a lap of the gruelling circuits from the passenger seat of an Audi A4 DTM racing taxi – accompanied by on-board and in-board cameras, this is footage to quicken the pulse of the viewer at home.

The editors and production crew from Audi tv are out at the circuit every race weekend, delivering exceptional and fascinating pictures with advanced camera technology. Efforts that have brought them an appreciative audience. “Our reports on Audi tv are of very high quality both in terms of content and production,” says Liane Scheinert, Head of Audi tv at AUDI AG. The station attracts some 130,000 viewers per month, who call up individual programs on the arts, sport, lifestyle or automotive technology via the subject-specific on-demand channels or follow the continuous around-the-clock broadcast.

The current motor racing success of the brand with the four rings has boosted interest: The special series on the DTM has been consistently among the five most watched Audi tv programs since broadcasting started in May 2007.

The 3.5-second pit stop: What do you need to carry out the quickest tyre change in motor racing? For those who missed the report from the last race weekend, this and all other features are available on demand 24 hours a day at Audi TV website. From 5 May, Audi TV will be again providing up-to-date coverage every Monday following a DTM weekend.Courtesy: Audi AG, Germany

The management consultancy of the international BBDO Group has named Audi the best market-oriented company in the automotive industry. The brand with the four rings took second place overall in a pool of 282 participating companies from all sectors. The marketing experts were most impressed by the brand’s high standard of innovation and closeness to its customers.

Audi has once again demonstrated its abilities as a successful maker of premium cars. “Audi sets itself apart through premium quality, outstanding information management and high innovative capability,” the jury said in explaining its selection. This is why marketing experts from both the theoretical and hands-on realms presented AUDI AG with the BBDO Consulting Best Marketing Company Award. The BBDO management consultancy conducted the study on market orientation in cooperation with the chair for innovative brand management at the University of Bremen. The study determined the level of success of the marketing strategies for a total of 282 German companies from all types of sectors.

Michael Renz, Head of Marketing at Audi, knows that market orientation is crucial to the success of a company. “Only a company that understands its customers can achieve lasting success with its brand and products,” Renz said. Along with the methods of classic market research such as extensive surveys, in-depth interviews and so-called product clinics, Audi also relies on complex analyses of behavior and buying. The brand studies the current demands and needs of relevant groups of customers as well as future trends that will change the lifestyles of target groups worldwide and thus what they expect from their cars.

The findings are substantiated by internal programs such as the “Audi Experience” program, in which managers from all divisions of AUDI AG visit families from Audi’s target groups. Renz has personally taken part in this program and is convinced of its effectiveness. “Such field studies are a leap towards transferral of theoretical findings into practice – and are an excellent complement to classic market research,” he said.

As premium carmaker, the success of Audi is based on the highest quality, down to the smallest detail. Product developments as well as customer service closely follow customer demand, making Audi a trendsetter among automotive companies. The strong market orientation, close cooperation between marketing, sales and research and development, and the densely woven sales and service network lead to high customer satisfaction and loyalty. This has made the brand one of the world’s most successful makers of premium cars today.

Courtesy: AUDI AG, Germany

Indianapolis - Adding to its string of industry awards since launching its mobile answers service in January 2008, ChaCha announced today that it has been named to the annual FierceWireless “Fierce 15” list, designating it as one of the top wireless companies of the year. FierceWireless editors evaluated hundreds of organizations, and found ChaCha to be among the “fiercest,” proven by their creativity and innovations in the marketplace.

FierceWireless, an internationally recognized daily email newsletter reaching more than 72,000 senior wireless industry executives, provides executives in over 100 countries with a quick, authoritative briefing on the day’s top wireless stories, including new trends and technologies.

“ChaCha’s human powered mobile answers service delivers impressive results in a timely manner. It’s easy and fun to use,” said Sue Marek, Editor-in-Chief of FierceWireless.

ChaCha’s free mobile answers service allows virtually anyone with a cell phone to call 1-800-2ChaCha or text 242-242 (Cha-Cha) and receive answers within minutes. ChaCha’s expert human guides — trained and skilled individuals — use ChaCha’s powerful patent-pending search tools to respond to almost any question with a succinct answer in a text message with a Web reference link. This human interface dramatically expands the types of questions users can ask well beyond simple phone numbers or addresses.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by FierceWireless as one of the top wireless companies of 2008,” said Scott A. Jones, ChaCha CEO. “Wireless industry executives turn to FierceWireless to provide up-to-date news along with analysis of major industry trends. It is an honor to be recognized by such an authoritative source on the wireless industry.”

“We’re on the forefront of an entirely new category in which ChaCha and its business partners can provide mobile users with a much more valuable and satisfying experience,” explained Jones. “By combining sophisticated technology with human intelligence, our mobile answers service goes way beyond typical web-based mobile search. Besides getting answers to just about any type of questions, you can easily reply with follow-up questions, as you might do in a conversation. It’s like having a smart friend available to answer your questions for you 24/7. The exponential week-over-week growth we are experiencing leads us to believe that ChaCha will fundamentally alter the way consumers view information access on their mobile phones.”

The Fierce 15 selection comes in the wake of ChaCha receiving a series of awards including the prestigious AT&T Fast-Pitch Award for “best consumer mobile application” at the CTIA Wireless Association Convention in Las Vegas in early April. In March, ChaCha took top prize in the “My Search Engine is better than Your Search Engine” competition at the Search Engine Strategies conference and was also ranked as the “No. 1 Alternative Search Engine” in February by Charles Knight of the blogging network, ReadWriteWeb.

The FierceWireless “Fierce 15” celebrates the spirit of being “fierce” – championing innovation and creativity, even in the face of intense competition. The complete list of winning companies is available today in a special issue of FierceWireless and on the FierceWireless Web site.

Courtesy: ChaCha, USA