Volkswagen of America Top Stories
Contact
Mark Gillies
Manager, Product & Technology
703-364-7104 
Click to Enlarge
Corey Proffitt
Product Communications Specialist
703-364-7672
Click to Enlarge
Featured Image Galleries
2012 Passat
Featured Stories
09.09.2011
ALL-NEW PASSAT BECOMES THE EIGHTH VOLKSWAGEN TO RECEIVE A 2011 “TOP SAFETY PICK AWARD” FROM THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY
As well as providing best-in-class rear-seat legroom, fuel economy, and range, the made-in-America Passat is an IIHS 2011 TOP SAFETY PICK.
Herndon, VA -
The all-new Volkswagen Passat—made in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and repositioned to compete in the heart of the mid-size sedan market— has earned the coveted Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) TOP SAFETY PICK rating for 2011, the highest possible from the non-profit safety research organization.
The annual rating recognizes those vehicles that perform best in protecting passengers in the Institute's front, side, and rear crash test evaluations, and the newly required roof-strength test evaluations. The Institute only awards TOP SAFETY PICK ratings to vehicles that are fitted with electronic stability control and head protection airbags.
Volkswagen now has no fewer than eight 2011 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICKS. The other 2011 Volkswagen models to receive the rating are: CC 2.0L TSI®, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Tiguan, Touareg, and four-door Golf and GTI models.
“The performance of the Passat is another example of Volkswagen’s ongoing commitment to engineer vehicles that earn the highest safety ratings,” says Institute president Adrian Lund. “Top Safety Pick winners achieve that status by earning the top ratings in the Institute’s four demanding tests, and by having electronic stability control, the most important feature in helping drivers avoid many kinds of crashes in the first place.”
“The new Passat is an important vehicle for Volkswagen,” said Jonathan Browning, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. “It has been engineered in Germany specifically to compete in the heart of the U.S. mid-size sedan segment.
“To have IIHS recognize the Passat as a TOP SAFETY PICK is a great statement for this new car—and to have eight Volkswagen models with this significant award is an equally great statement for the brand. It’s a testament to our commitment to make safety such a high priority in vehicle development, using advanced techniques such as laser seam welding and the extensive use of high-strength steel to build exceptionally strong structures.”
The Passat goes on sale in the U.S. during the third week of September.
For more information, please visit www.vw.com, or media.vw.com.
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’s operations in the United States include research and development, parts and vehicle processing, parts distribution centers, sales, marketing and service offices, financial service centers, and its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 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 through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2012 Volkswagen models come standard-equipped 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 www.vw.com or media.vw.com to learn more.
Notes:
This press release is available at media.vw.com.
“TSI”, “VW”, “Volkswagen”, all model names and the Volkswagen logo are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG.
The annual rating recognizes those vehicles that perform best in protecting passengers in the Institute's front, side, and rear crash test evaluations, and the newly required roof-strength test evaluations. The Institute only awards TOP SAFETY PICK ratings to vehicles that are fitted with electronic stability control and head protection airbags.
Volkswagen now has no fewer than eight 2011 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICKS. The other 2011 Volkswagen models to receive the rating are: CC 2.0L TSI®, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Tiguan, Touareg, and four-door Golf and GTI models.
“The performance of the Passat is another example of Volkswagen’s ongoing commitment to engineer vehicles that earn the highest safety ratings,” says Institute president Adrian Lund. “Top Safety Pick winners achieve that status by earning the top ratings in the Institute’s four demanding tests, and by having electronic stability control, the most important feature in helping drivers avoid many kinds of crashes in the first place.”
“The new Passat is an important vehicle for Volkswagen,” said Jonathan Browning, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. “It has been engineered in Germany specifically to compete in the heart of the U.S. mid-size sedan segment.
“To have IIHS recognize the Passat as a TOP SAFETY PICK is a great statement for this new car—and to have eight Volkswagen models with this significant award is an equally great statement for the brand. It’s a testament to our commitment to make safety such a high priority in vehicle development, using advanced techniques such as laser seam welding and the extensive use of high-strength steel to build exceptionally strong structures.”
The Passat goes on sale in the U.S. during the third week of September.
For more information, please visit www.vw.com, or media.vw.com.
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’s operations in the United States include research and development, parts and vehicle processing, parts distribution centers, sales, marketing and service offices, financial service centers, and its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 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 through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2012 Volkswagen models come standard-equipped 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 www.vw.com or media.vw.com to learn more.
Notes:
This press release is available at media.vw.com.
“TSI”, “VW”, “Volkswagen”, all model names and the Volkswagen logo are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG.
