Security award winners announced

The results of the 2009 British Insurance Vehicle Security Awards were announced today.

Audi picked up its fourth consecutive Manufacturer Award, with nine fully compliant models: the A3, A4, A5, R8, TT, Q5, Q7, A6 and A8.

The Manufacturer Award is given to the manufacturer with the most model ranges, over the 12 months to the end of April, where every variant satisfies the award's selection criteria.

The Innovation Award was won by the Volkswagen Group, for its 'Vehicle Secure Indicator' (VSI), which is standard on the Audi Q7, A6 & A8 and VW Touareg and Phaeton.

Electronics inside the key fob maintain a record of whether the car has been locked and alarmed. By pressing a button on the key fob an owner can check, even when they are not with the car, the 'locked' status of their vehicle.

The full results were as follows:

City car / supermini: Seat Ibiza SE & Sport

Small family car: Citroen C4 Exclusive

Family car: Citroen C5 Exclusive

Compact executive car: Audi A4

Compact MPV: Citroen C4 Picasso Exclusive

Large MPV: Ford S-Max

Open-top car: Audi A5 Cabriolet

Performance car (including hot hatch and coupe): Audi S8

Compact 4x4: Audi Q5

Large 4x4: Toyota Land Cruiser V8

Executive car: Citroen C6

Luxury car: Volkswagen Phaeton

Manufacturer : Audi UK

The British Insurance Vehicle Security Awards, hosted by Thatcham, the Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre, are supported by insurers, the Home Office, the Department for Transport and The AA Motoring Trust.

Alan Campbell, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Crime Reduction, said: 'Congratulations to all the winners of the 2009 BIVSA awards. I want to thank the whole industry for the efforts they have taken to make the cars and vans on British roads more secure and much harder for criminals to steal.

'Working together we have seen vehicle crime in the UK fall by 66% since 1995. This means many fewer victims of crime. That's a significant achievement and one that we can all be proud of.'