Security expert Thatcham has announced the most secure cars of the year in the annual British Insurance Vehicle Security Awards 2012.

Audi stole the show with six category wins in what was a very successful night for the Volkswagen Group. With Volkswagen itself recording three class wins, the Group topped nine of the 14 individual car classes, achieving second place in four of the other five.

Citroen won three classes with its C4 Picasso, C5 Exclusive and characterful C6, while the remaining gongs went to Toyota's Land Cruiser and the Vauxhall Ampera.

The overall Manufacturer Award was given to Volkswagen, partially by virtue of its expansive model range and partially due to its universal focus on insurance-friendly design.

The award, which is awarded to `the manufacturer with the most model ranges, and so the widest market coverage, over the 12 months to end April, where every variant in their respective model range satisfies the awards selection criteria,' recognises that Volkswagen has left no low-end models without adequate security features.

Speaking at the event on behalf of vehicle manufacturers, Paul Everitt, Chief Executive of the SMMT, said: "These awards demonstrate the commitment vehicle manufacturers have to ensuring customers' cars and vans remain protected. The industry strives to stay one step ahead of criminals and only by working closely with the police, insurers and the experts at Thatcham, can we maintain the downward trend in vehicle related crime."

Referring to the recent furore over BMW's security breach where thieves could extract information from the car itself to programme a blank key, Peter Shaw, Chief Executive at Thatcham said: "In late 2011 we identified a new theft trend involving criminals using sophisticated technology to access a vehicle's on-board diagnostics port and extract the information required to programme a new key.

"This new issue demonstrates that despite the achievements of manufacturers, whilst thieves continue to look for new ways to steal vehicles there will be no room for complacency in the fight against vehicle crime."