Audi Canada President Announces Increased Support For Canadians With
Intellectual Disabilities

TORONTO, July 15 /CNW/ - Audi Canada President and CEO, Martin Sander, announced today that Audi Canada will increase its support for Best Buddies Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing our communities by developing friendships between people with intellectual disabilities and students.

To show its support, Audi Canada and its Canadian dealers will take on the role of title sponsor for the Best Buddies Challenge, a premiere running and walking event scheduled to take place in Toronto on October 24, 2010.

"It's an honour and a privilege to be able to extend our support to Best Buddies Canada," said Martin Sander, President and CEO, Audi Canada. "Best Buddies is a unique and meaningful organization that exemplifies the powerful contributions that individuals can make in their communities if we just take the time to show our appreciation and understanding for each others' differences."

Best Buddies was first founded in the United States by Anthony Kennedy Shriver and brought to Canada in 1994 by co-founders Penny Shore and Daniel Greenglass.

"Currently there are more than a million Canadians with intellectual disabilities," commented Penny Shore, co-founder, Best Buddies Canada. "Without the generous support of corporations like Audi Canada, we would not be able to make the strides we have made over the last sixteen years."

The Best Buddies Challenge, Canada's premiere running and walking event will begin at Town Square at the Shops at Don Mills in Toronto on October 24th. The goal of this inaugural Audi Best Buddies Challenge, is to reach 1,200 participants in year one. To support this goal, both Audi Canada and Best Buddies Canada will be extending invitations over the coming days to a host of celebrities and athletes with the hope of them accepting the Challenge to raise awareness and funds for Best Buddies.

Since its inception, Best Buddies Canada has built more than 200 chapters and raised over 6 million dollars towards helping Canadians with intellectual disabilities. Best Buddies Canada is a national charitable organization dedicated to enhancing our communities through one-on-one friendships between individuals with intellectual disabilities and students. The charity is grounded in the belief that friendship is important to the development of all individuals. And through such friendships, individuals with intellectual disabilities can become part of their communities.

The history of Audi Canada dates to 1971, when the brand was first introduced on the Canadian market. Today, a network of 41 Audi retailers nationwide sell and service a range of premium vehicles that include the Audi A3; the A4 sedan, Avant; the A5 and S5 Coupes; the A6 sedan and Avant; the Audi Q5 and Q7 Sport Utility Vehicle; the Audi A8; the TT/S Coupe and Roadster models and R8 mid-engined sports car.

Audi Canada is headquartered in Ajax, Ontario and markets a line of luxury cars built in plants in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm, Germany, Bratislava, Slovakia, Brussels, Belgium and Gyor, Hungary. The parent company, AUDI AG, is headquartered in Ingolstadt, Germany.

Additional information on all Audi models and history can be found at www.audi.ca

For further information: Media Contact for Best Buddies/Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Susan Elliott, E.C. Communications, (P) +1.416.726.2403, (M) [email protected]; Media Contact Audi Canada: Cort Nielsen, Public Relations Manager, (P) 905.428.5820, (E) mailto:[email protected]; Official Event Website: audibestbuddieschallenge.com