Ingolstadt, Germany - The Audi A5 Sportback has been awarded the top German prize for design.

The German Design Council said it would present the Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany at the opening ceremony of the International Ambiente Fair in Frankfurt on February 12, 2010.

In a written reaction, the Italian designer of the Audi A5, Walter de Silva said: "The Audi A5 Coupe is the most beautiful car I've ever designed and is well on its way to becoming a design icon. I'm therefore thrilled by this accolade, as it also validates my hard work."

De Silva said he felt that the "classic elegance and a harmony of proportions, lines and surfaces sets this Audi two-door model apart."

Other winners of the past have been the Mercedes S-Class, the Porsche 911, BMW's C1 motorcycle, the VW Lupo and the Lamborghini Murcielago. It is the fifth time an Audi has won the award after the A4, A2, A3 and A8 models. (dpa)