Bommarito Volkswagen of Hazelwood Hosts Triple Car Giveaway for Winfrey Ultimate Favorite Things Recipients

Transcription

1 NEWS RELEASE For more information contact: Kevin Hall, Dir. of Corporate Partnerships Bommarito Honda/Nissan/VW/Ford of Hazelwood Office: (314) / Cell: (314) khall@bommarito.net For Immediate Release Bommarito Volkswagen of Hazelwood Hosts Triple Car Giveaway for Winfrey Ultimate Favorite Things Recipients (Oct. 13, 2011 HAZELWOOD, MO) Bommarito Volkswagen of Hazelwood, located at 400 Brookes Drive, today welcomes the all-new 2012 Beetle to its showroom floor, and hands over the keys to three local Oprah Winfrey Show fans who received FREE 2.5-liter 2012 Volkswagen Beetles during the final studio taping of a special Ultimate Favorite Things episode on November 17. Oprah s Favorite Things was an annual segment that appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show from 2002 to 2010, with a one-year hiatus in It became the most watched episode each year, which traditionally aired around Thanksgiving. Audience members of these episodes were usually selected based on a specific characteristic, which meant tickets were often difficult to obtain. After dominating the afternoon talk show circuit for 25 years and announcing her decision to end The Oprah Winfrey Show, Winfrey decided to go out in style by hosting an Ultimate Favorite Things episode. All 275 audience members were lavished with pricey surprise gifts of all descriptions, including a FREE, all-new 2.5-liter 2012 Volkswagen Beetle. It was Winfrey who reached out to the German automaker about the giveaway, since she was an owner of a current VW Beetle and considered it one of her Favorite Things. She told audience members she liked to tootle around town in it. However, at the time of the show, the completely redesigned 2012 VW model was not ready to be unveiled to the public. Audience members had to wait until production began at VW s plant in Puebla, Mexico, for the National Delivery of their vehicles. This is not the first time Winfrey has given away new cars as part of her Favorite Things show she made headline news in 2004 when she handed over the keys to 275 then-new Pontiac G6 sedans. She also worked with Volkswagen in 2009 by giving away a pair of VW Routan minivans. The vehicles were completely free. Oprah paid all fees and taxes. This was a lesson learned after the earlier Favorite Things giveaway of the Pontiac G6 Sedans when audience members were hit with tax bills of roughly $7,000 per vehicle. Three local people, who were in the audience and live in the St. Louis region, chose Bommarito Volkswagen of Hazelwood as the place where they wanted to pick-up -more-

2 Winfrey s Ultimate Favorite Things Recipients Receive Cars at Bommarito VW, Add One their brand new vehicles. They are identified as Gwen Ford of St. Louis, Mo., Jill Cigliana of Edwardsville, Ill., and Michael Hitt, Edwardsville, Ill. Bommarito Volkswagen of Hazelwood is thrilled to offer St. Louisans one of the most highly anticipated vehicles of the 21 st century. We know Beetle fans have been eagerly waiting for this day, said Jerry Eickel, President of Bommarito Volkswagen of Hazelwood. Yet, with its fierce and sporty design, extra cargo space and improved fuel economy, the 2012 Beetle is sure to gain a new generation of admirers as well. The 2012 Beetle was built for performance. It features a lower, more aggressive stance. The increases in width and length allow for better handling and increased interior space. These modifications complement Beetle s vintage characteristics, including its unique shape. The second skin program allows customers to design their 2012 Beetles with an array of accessories for interior and exterior personalization. The 2.5-liter Beetle has a starting MSRP of $18,995 plus destination fees, and comes standard with a split rear seat, aux-in for portable audio players, a leather steering wheel, unique and customizable 17- inch alloy wheels, and an eight-speaker audio system. Attractive options include a kaeferfach additional glovebox, Bluetooth technology, ipod connectivity, heated front seats, three-color interior ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof, 18-inch alloy wheels, the Fender Premium Audio System, and leatherette seating surfaces. The 2.0-liter Turbo Beetle, which has a starting MSRP of $23,395, comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission, with the option of Volkswagen s DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission. In addition to the standard equipment found on the Beetle, this model adds Bluetooth technology, ipod connectivity, three-color ambient lighting, larger brakes with red calipers, the kaeferfach additional glovebox, sport seating surfaces, 18-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, foglights, three additional gauges in the dashboard, and alloy pedals. The all-new Beetle is covered under the no-charge Carefree Maintenance Program. All scheduled maintenance is covered for the length of the New Vehicle Warranty three years or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first. For more information on the 2012 Beetle models, including additional trim options, vehicle specifications and images, visit About Volkswagen of America, Inc. Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc., is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe s largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Beetle, Eos, Golf, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Passat, CC, Tiguan, Touareg and Routan vehicles through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2012 Volkswagen models come standardequipped with Electronic Stability Control. This is important because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called ESC the most effective new vehicle safety technology since the safety belt. Visit Volkswagen of America online at or media.vw.com to learn more. -30-

3 PHOTO CAPTIONS Here are the keys to your all-new 2012 VW Beetle Three of Winfrey s Ultimate Favorite Things recipients, (from left to right) Michael Hitt of Edwardsville, Ill., Jill Cigliana of Edwardsville, Ill., and Gwen Ford of St. Louis, Mo., are presented with the keys to their FREE, 2.5-liter 2012 VW Beetle from Jerry Eickel, President of Bommarito Volkswagen of Hazelwood, and John Bommarito, President of Bommarito Automotive Group. Ready to hit the road in a brand new car Gwen Ford, of St. Louis, Mo., gets behind the wheel of Winfrey Show during the Ultimate Favorite Things episode on November 17. Ready to hit the road in a brand new car Jill Cigliana, of Edwardsville, Ill., sits in the driver s seat of Winfrey Show during the Ultimate Favorite Things episode on November 17. The other passengers include her mother, Stacy Cigliana, and her son, Miles Massey.

4 Ready to hit the road in a brand new car Michael Hitt, of Edwardsville, Ill., gets behind the wheel of Winfrey Show during the Ultimate Favorite Things episode on November 17.

5 NEWS RELEASE For more information contact: Kevin Hall, Dir. of Corporate Partnerships Bommarito Honda/Nissan/VW/Ford of Hazelwood Office: (314) / Cell: (314) khall@bommarito.net For Immediate Release Bommarito Volkswagen of Hazelwood Hosts Triple Car Giveaway for Winfrey Ultimate Favorite Things Recipients (Oct. 13, 2011 HAZELWOOD, MO) Bommarito Volkswagen of Hazelwood, located at 400 Brookes Drive, today welcomes the all-new 2012 Beetle to its showroom floor, and hands over the keys to three local Oprah Winfrey Show fans who received FREE 2.5-liter 2012 Volkswagen Beetles during the final studio taping of a special Ultimate Favorite Things episode on November 17. Oprah s Favorite Things was an annual segment that appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show from 2002 to 2010, with a one-year hiatus in It became the most watched episode each year, which traditionally aired around Thanksgiving. Audience members of these episodes were usually selected based on a specific characteristic, which meant tickets were often difficult to obtain. After dominating the afternoon talk show circuit for 25 years and announcing her decision to end The Oprah Winfrey Show, Winfrey decided to go out in style by hosting an Ultimate Favorite Things episode. All 275 audience members were lavished with pricey surprise gifts of all descriptions, including a FREE, all-new 2.5-liter 2012 Volkswagen Beetle. It was Winfrey who reached out to the German automaker about the giveaway, since she was an owner of a current VW Beetle and considered it one of her Favorite Things. She told audience members she liked to tootle around town in it. However, at the time of the show, the completely redesigned 2012 VW model was not ready to be unveiled to the public. Audience members had to wait until production began at VW s plant in Puebla, Mexico, for the National Delivery of their vehicles. This is not the first time Winfrey has given away new cars as part of her Favorite Things show she made headline news in 2004 when she handed over the keys to 275 then-new Pontiac G6 sedans. She also worked with Volkswagen in 2009 by giving away a pair of VW Routan minivans. The vehicles were completely free. Oprah paid all fees and taxes. This was a lesson learned after the earlier Favorite Things giveaway of the Pontiac G6 Sedans when audience members were hit with tax bills of roughly $7,000 per vehicle. Three local people, who were in the audience and live in the St. Louis region, chose Bommarito Volkswagen of Hazelwood as the place where they wanted to pick-up -more-

6 Winfrey s Ultimate Favorite Things Recipients Receive Cars at Bommarito VW, Add One their brand new vehicles. They are identified as Gwen Ford of St. Louis, Mo., Jill Cigliana of Edwardsville, Ill., and Michael Hitt, Edwardsville, Ill. Bommarito Volkswagen of Hazelwood is thrilled to offer St. Louisans one of the most highly anticipated vehicles of the 21 st century. We know Beetle fans have been eagerly waiting for this day, said Jerry Eickel, President of Bommarito Volkswagen of Hazelwood. Yet, with its fierce and sporty design, extra cargo space and improved fuel economy, the 2012 Beetle is sure to gain a new generation of admirers as well. The 2012 Beetle was built for performance. It features a lower, more aggressive stance. The increases in width and length allow for better handling and increased interior space. These modifications complement Beetle s vintage characteristics, including its unique shape. The second skin program allows customers to design their 2012 Beetles with an array of accessories for interior and exterior personalization. The 2.5-liter Beetle has a starting MSRP of $18,995 plus destination fees, and comes standard with a split rear seat, aux-in for portable audio players, a leather steering wheel, unique and customizable 17- inch alloy wheels, and an eight-speaker audio system. Attractive options include a kaeferfach additional glovebox, Bluetooth technology, ipod connectivity, heated front seats, three-color interior ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof, 18-inch alloy wheels, the Fender Premium Audio System, and leatherette seating surfaces. The 2.0-liter Turbo Beetle, which has a starting MSRP of $23,395, comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission, with the option of Volkswagen s DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission. In addition to the standard equipment found on the Beetle, this model adds Bluetooth technology, ipod connectivity, three-color ambient lighting, larger brakes with red calipers, the kaeferfach additional glovebox, sport seating surfaces, 18-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, foglights, three additional gauges in the dashboard, and alloy pedals. The all-new Beetle is covered under the no-charge Carefree Maintenance Program. All scheduled maintenance is covered for the length of the New Vehicle Warranty three years or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first. For more information on the 2012 Beetle models, including additional trim options, vehicle specifications and images, visit About Volkswagen of America, Inc. Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc., is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe s largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Beetle, Eos, Golf, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Passat, CC, Tiguan, Touareg and Routan vehicles through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2012 Volkswagen models come standardequipped with Electronic Stability Control. This is important because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called ESC the most effective new vehicle safety technology since the safety belt. Visit Volkswagen of America online at or media.vw.com to learn more. -30-

7 PHOTO CAPTIONS Here are the keys to your all-new 2012 VW Beetle Three of Winfrey s Ultimate Favorite Things recipients, (from left to right) Michael Hitt of Edwardsville, Ill., Jill Cigliana of Edwardsville, Ill., and Gwen Ford of St. Louis, Mo., are presented with the keys to their FREE, 2.5-liter 2012 VW Beetle from Jerry Eickel, President of Bommarito Volkswagen of Hazelwood, and John Bommarito, President of Bommarito Automotive Group. Ready to hit the road in a brand new car Gwen Ford, of St. Louis, Mo., gets behind the wheel of Winfrey Show during the Ultimate Favorite Things episode on November 17. Ready to hit the road in a brand new car Jill Cigliana, of Edwardsville, Ill., sits in the driver s seat of Winfrey Show during the Ultimate Favorite Things episode on November 17. The other passengers include her mother, Stacy Cigliana, and her son, Miles Massey.

8 Ready to hit the road in a brand new car Michael Hitt, of Edwardsville, Ill., gets behind the wheel of Winfrey Show during the Ultimate Favorite Things episode on November 17.