Audi in Australia today announced it would continue sponsorship of the highly successful Audi Sport Australia Super Touring Car team in 1998.

Ms Gudrun Adam, marketing manager for Audi in Australia, said the company would continue its support of the Super Tourers as the race team represents an effective means of communicating with target audiences and maintaining a high profile for Audi.

"Audi has now been involved in motor racing for around 87 years and has always had a strong racing heritage due to its pioneering work with the quattro four-wheel-drive concept," Ms Adam said.

"Internationally, Audi's quattro four-wheel-drive system has been banned due to its technical superiority. However, TOCA has granted approval for the Audi quattro to be raced in the 1998 BOC Gases Australian Super Touring Championships.

"Audi cars represent high quality and high technology to customers and this is best displayed by the success of Audi in the Super Touring category. Audi's performance at race meets such as the AMP Bathurst 1000 this year highlights the strength and endurance of our vehicles," she added.

Audi will continue to race two vehicles in Australia against a tough field of privateer competitors and manufacturers, according to team manager, Mr Kim Jones.

"The Audi Sport team is continually moving ahead and finding new ways to become even more successful as a race team and we look forward to some challenging competition next year from the other teams in the series," Mr Jones said.

"It is gratifying to continue for the second year, what has been a strong business partnership with the high profile Astre Automotive Group, which distributes Audi cars in Australia.

"Audi sales are undoubtedly on the increase and the profile of the marque has grown during our business relationship, ensuring Audi is always regarded as a fierce competitor both on the race track and via its expanding retail sales," he said.

In 1996, the ORIX Audi Sport Australia team won both the Australian Super Touring Driver and Manufacturer Championships, and in 1997, the team outperformed competitors at Australia's great race, the AMP Bathurst 1000, taking out two of the top three positions.

Next year will be the team's fourth in two litre competition.