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November 12, 2009
Volkswagen Group of America Invests $125 Million for New Dealer Storefronts in New York City
Flagship Audi and Volkswagen dealerships reinforce commitment to U.S. market.
Photo: Volkswagen Group of America Invests $125 Million for New Dealer Storefronts in New York City.
• Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. announced today that it is investing in flagship Audi and Volkswagen dealerships in New York City, as part of its strategic plan to grow business in the U.S. market.
The $125 million deal is for the 265,000 square-foot building formerly housing Potamkin General Motors. The building is strategically sited in the highest traffic area of 11th Ave., making it a convenient location for Volkswagen and Audi customers.
• Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, the world's third largest automaker and the largest carmaker in Europe. It houses the U.S. operations of a worldwide family of distinguished brands including Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Volkswagen.
"As Volkswagen and Audi move forward on our aggressive plan to increase sales in the U.S., there is no better place to demonstrate our commitment than in Manhattan -- a town synonymous for bold actions and big thinking," said Stefan Jacoby, president and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. "New York has always been a leading market for the Volkswagen and Audi brands, and these new store fronts will serve to strengthen our business even more. We are proud to be investing in the New York economy, excited to showcase our brands and look forward to seeing more Volkswagens and Audis on the streets of New York."
The new dealerships will showcase Volkswagen and Audi's new showroom concepts, known respectively as "white frame" and "terminal." The dealerships will be part of one of the largest dealers in the area, the Open Road Auto Group. The Group will target to begin selling vehicles in early 2010.
Source: Volkswagen Group of America
|GlobalGiants.com|
AN AUTOMAKER SHOULD MAKE A POTENTIAL CAR BUYER POSITIVELY LOOK UPON ITS MARKETING.
Should an Automaker make a potential car buyer look upon its marketing as that from an Established, Confident Car Company that believes that its products are very much in demand and that trusts that when someone buys its new car, he or she is already in love with it?
Or, Should an Automaker make a potential car buyer look upon its marketing as that from a Struggling, Jittery Car Company that believes that its products are not in demand and that is why it is forcing the consumers to become artificially interested in them by saying, "If you buy a new car from us and you don't love it, you can bring it back within a specified time, and we we'll refund your money, though, of course, we would do it after a frightening refunding process you would never dare to undergo!"?
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:26 PM | View the original post
Marriott International Developing Green Hotels
Photo: Marriott International will expand its green hotel portfolio ten-fold in five years, with a new green hotel prototype for its Courtyard brand that will be pre-certified LEED(R) (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) by the U.S. Green Building Council. Shown here, the Courtyard Portland City Center, which is certified LEED-Gold. (© Marriott International, Inc., William James Photography)
• Marriott International, Inc. announced today that it will expand its green hotel portfolio ten-fold over the next five years by introducing a green hotel prototype that will be pre-certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), an internationally recognized green building certification system designed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
The green hotel prototype, which will be available in April 2010, will save owners approximately $100,000 and six months in design time, and reduce a hotel's energy and water consumption by up to 25 percent.
The green hotel prototype, referred to by the USGBC as "volume build certification," has been created for Marriott's Courtyard brand, which has a development pipeline of nearly 160 hotels worldwide. In 2010, the company expects to introduce similar green hotel prototypes for its Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites and TownePlace Suites brands, which represent more than 290 hotels in the pipeline worldwide.
"Marriott's' commitment makes it among the first in the world to commit to implementing green buildings on this scale," said Doug Gatlin, Vice President, USGBC. Marriott was the first hospitality member of the USGBC, and has more than 20 LEED accredited professionals on staff.
While many of the benefits of LEED certification, such as improved energy savings, better indoor air quality and reduced CO2 emissions, are transparent to guests, others are easier to identify such as easy access to public transportation, in-room recycling, and light sensors in the guest rooms.
|GlobalGiants.com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 9:09 AM | View the original post
