HERNDON, Va. -

When asked by Auto Remarketing about the dealership earning the top spot as Audi’s No. 1 store in 2011, Keyes Audi general manager Brian Gelt boiled it down to the “great team” at the Los Angeles dealership.

And on Wednesday, Keyes Audi received the praise of Audi of America, which touted the store for being the only one whose combined new and certified pre-owned sales exceeded 2,000 vehicles in 2011.

“We’ve been the No. 1 store for three years in a row, and it’s really all about our team. We’ve got a great team,” Gelt told Auto Remarketing on Wednesday.

“They’ve worked a very thorough process and we’re very focused on our customer base, selling a lot of new cars and bringing them those customers back in a few years off lease, putting them in new cars and selling their old ones," he added.

Keyes Audi was part of an overall record year for Audi in the U.S. The luxury brand moved 117,561 units last year, compared to the previous all-time high of 101,629 sales in 2010.

Audi lauded its Western Region and L.A.-area dealers for having “worked collectively to heighten local awareness of the Audi brand through improved dealer operations, facilities and key marketing activities,” the company said.

For example, thanks greatly to several strong new-vehicle launches, Audi’s market share in Los Angeles County came in at 9.5 percent, compared to only 5 percent in 2004.

Of course, helping Audi’s growth has been its top store, officials said.

“The Keyes organization is one of the most progressive, customer-focused and strategically-aligned dealer groups I have had the pleasure of working with,” stated Mike Cagle, director of the Western Region for Audi of America.

“As the No. 1 dealer in the nation, Keyes Audi contributed to Audi’s record growth in 2011, and we’re proud of their accomplishment,” Cagle added.