Car Blog

Volkswagen of America announced today that two of its models, the Volkswagen Jetta and GTI, have each received a 2008 AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Award (VSA). AutoPacific’s VSA is an industry benchmark for objectively measuring how satisfied an owner is with their new vehicle.

“We are thrilled that two of our models were recognized by AutoPacific and our consumers,” said Mark Barnes, Chief Operating Officer, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. “Owner-based awards such as the VSA help consumers make educated decisions in a tough economy. We believe in our cars and we’re glad to see that consumers believe in them as well.”

The Volkswagen Jetta ranked first overall in the Mid-Size Car category while the Volkswagen GTI secured the top ranking in the Image Compact Car category. The Volkswagen New Beetle also ranked in the top 10 of the Image Compact Car category. Three other Volkswagen models, the Passat, Rabbit, and Eos, all ranked in the top 10 of their respective vehicle categories.

The VSA is derived entirely from owner satisfaction which is measured across 46 specific areas related to a vehicle’s operation, comfort, safety, and overall purchase/lease experience. The 2008 ratings reflect input from buyers and lessees of new vehicles acquired between September and December 2007.

AutoPacific is a future-oriented automotive marketing and product-consulting firm. Every year AutoPacific publishes a wide variety of syndicated studies on the automotive industry. The firm also conducts extensive proprietary research and consulting for auto manufacturers, distributors, marketers and suppliers worldwide. Company headquarters and its state-of-the-art automotive research facility are in Tustin, California, with an affiliate office in the Detroit area. Additional information can be found on AutoPacific’s websites: http://www.autopacific.com/

Source: Volkswagen of America

Web site: http://www.vw.com/
http://www.autopacific.com/

Tomohiko Ikeda, president and CEO of Subaru of America, Inc. honored five dealers celebrating their 25th anniversary with the franchise at the Subaru National Business Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“On behalf of Subaru of America, I’d like to congratulate our dealers who have celebrated twenty-five years with Subaru,” said Tim Colbeck, vice president of sales for Subaru of America, Inc. “The commitment our dealers make to the core values of the Subaru brand has resulted in the Company having some of the highest owner loyalty rates in the business.”

The following dealers were recognized for 25 years with Subaru:

• Southern Oregon Subaru, Medford, Ore.
• South Shore Subaru, South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
• Dan Perkins Subaru, Milford, Conn.
• Bowser Subaru, Pittsburgh, Pa.
• The Car Store, Norwich, Vt.

Now featured at Subaru dealers nationwide is the completely redesigned, bolder, more SUV-like 2009 Subaru Forester. The 2009 Subaru Forester comes with standard All-Wheel Drive, is pre-wired for XM(R) or SIRIUS(R) Satellite Radio and now has a longer wheelbase which yields improved interior roominess and ride quality.

Source: Subaru of America, Inc.

Web site: http://www.subaru.com/

Expansion to second country in Europe for Peugeot Services Mobiles brand

Peugeot owners in Germany can now utilize ATX Telematics services following the recent launch of commercial service. The introduction marks the second country in Europe that ATX supports for Peugeot. Operating under the Peugeot Services Mobiles (PSM) brand, ATX introduced services commercially in France last year.

For Peugeot’s German customers, any vehicle equipped with an RT4 navigation system with color display can enroll for services. As in France, PSM is available on the 207, 307, 308, 407, 607, 807, 1007 and Expert model vehicles.

New customers who purchase their car receive an initial complimentary three months of service. After the trial period, the service costs euro 14.90 per month. After 12 consecutive months of paid service, the customer is eligible to receive a free update of French and German maps for the vehicle’s navigation system.

Most the same services provided to Peugeot owners in France will be available to vehicle owners in Germany, including routing services optimized with real-time traffic reports and alternative routes/deviation points, directions to various points of interest, the ability to download these points of interest into the vehicle’s navigation system, and the capability to access a personal phone and address directory from the car.

Speed trap alerts, available to French customers, will be available to German customers only when driving in France, this type of service being prohibited in Germany.

All Mobility Assistance services can be accessed by pressing an in-vehicle button or through a customized, Peugeot Services Mobiles Web site developed by ATX.

“Peugeot Services Mobiles gives Peugeot customers in Germany access to a comprehensive range of customised mobility assistance services designed to save them time, as well as continually updated routing information via ATX’s off-board servers,” said Francois Petit, Peugeot Services Marketing Senior Manager, PSA Peugeot Citroen. “The benefit to drivers is a safer and more relaxed drive, without the need to manually interface with their in-vehicle navigation system while driving.”

ABOUT ATX: Based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, and Dusseldorf, Germany, ATX Group is the world’s largest independent provider of customized telematics services to the automotive industry and is pioneering the introduction of connected services to manufacturers of personal navigation devices and other mobility platforms. ATX’s personalized, telematics and connected services are designed to provide enhanced safety, security, driving convenience to vehicle owners, and remote access/activation of vehicle functions. These services include location-specific emergency and roadside assistance, automatic collision notification/response, stolen vehicle recovery, remote diagnostics, real-time traffic/navigation assistance and internet information search/download. ATX also customizes telematics services to help automobile manufacturers and their affiliated dealerships to use telematics data to reduce costs, enhance vehicle servicing, and more closely manage customer relationships. ATX services are provided to vehicle owners through the brand names of its customers — Mercedes-Benz, BMW, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Maybach, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. For more information, visit www.atxg.com

Source: ATX Group

Web site: http://www.atxg.com/