THE Audi A6 Avant 2.5 TDi scooped the 16th annual Caravan Club Towcar of the Year competition, only the third time that a diesel-engined car has taken the overall title.

On the test track, the Audi A6 Avant 2.5 TDi impressed the judges with its punchy engine, its handling and its six gears - the only car in the competition to have this feature.

This year's winner took the top award by a good margin, but not before being given a fine run for its money by its stablemate, the Volkswagen Passat V6 Syncro.

Volkswagen, Renault, Ford and Isuzu were also winners in the price and specialist classes. Two Volkswagen models gained price class wins, giving the Volkswagen Audi Group its strongest showing in this competition, as well as its first outright win.

Price class winners this year were the Volkswagen Polo CL TDi Estate (Under £14,000); the Volkswagen Golf GT TDi (£14,001 to £18,500); and the Renault Laguna RTi V6 (£18,501 to £24,000). The all-terrain category was captured by the powerful Isuzu Trooper Citation 3.5 LWB.

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