Volkswagen Passat TDI Announced as a Finalist for 2012 Green Car of the Year

Oct. 26, 2011 - PRLog -- October 27th, 2011, Orange County, California – The 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI has been nominated as one of the five finalists for the 2012 Green Car of the Year Award.  Now in its 7th year, the Green Car of the Year award is presented by Green Car Journal and honors vehicles that lead the industry for environmentally conscious design and performance.  

The 2012 Volkswagen Passat will also be included as one of the “Top 5 Green Cars For 2012” and featured in a special article in the upcoming issue of Green Car Journal.  The article will highlight the top five nominated green cars including the 2012 Ford Focus Electric, the 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas, the 2012 Mitsubishi i, the 2012 Toyota Prius V and the 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI.  

This year’s nominees include a variety of greener options now available in the U.S. automotive market.  Natural gas, clean diesel, hybrid, and electric motors are all represented.  The 2012 line-up reminds drivers that there is more than one solution to a greener automobile, and features a diverse range of fuel and energy alternatives.  

The 2012 Green Car of the Year will be selected based on its overall performance, innovation, and ability to set the bar above the rest as the best eco-friendly vehicle in the market.  Judging will be performed by environmental leaders including Carl Pope, chairman of the Sierra Club; Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council; Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of Ocean Futures Society, Matt Petersen, president of Global Green USA, Jay Leno, noted auto enthusiast and host of the "Tonight Show," and automotive icon Carroll Shelby along with notable Green Car Journal editors.

The Green Car of the Year Award winner will be announced Nov 17th at LA International Auto Show.  The partnership between the auto show and the award seem fitting since California has always been a leader in green design.  Orange County VW fans and local southern California VW dealerships are supportive of the announcement and looking forward to hearing the results.  “We are excited to have this award presented so close to home,” says Santa Ana Commonwealth VW General Manager Michael Westbrook.  “I believe the 2012 VW Passat will be a strong contender for this year’s award, thanks to its cleaner, more efficient design and performance.”  

Volkswagen has a rich history of developing clean diesel vehicles such as the award-winning line of TDI vehicles including the Jetta TDI, Jetta Sportwagen TDI, Golf TDI, and Passat TDI.  The VW Jetta TDI was named the Green Car of the Year in 2009, and Volkswagen has worked through the years to continue that heritage of environmentally conscious design.  

About Commonwealth Volkswagen

Located in Santa Ana, California, Commonwealth Volkswagen is the premier Volkswagen dealership in Orange County.  They are dedicated to providing the best service in Orange County and offer a full selection of new and pre-owned Volkswagen cars including the 2012 VW TDI models like the VW Jetta TDI and VW Golf TDI.  Santa Ana VW fans who would like to learn more about the Green Car of the Year finalist, the VW Passat TDI, can stop by the dealership for a test drive.  

Commonwealth Volkswagen
1450 Auto Mall Drive
Santa Ana, CA 92705
888-645-8562
http://www.commonwealthvw.com

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Located in Santa Ana, California, Commonwealth Volkswagen is the premier Volkswagen dealership in Orange County. They are dedicated to providing the best service in Orange County and offer a full selection of new and pre-owned Volkswagen cars including the 2012 VW TDI models like the VW Jetta TDI and VW Golf TDI. Santa Ana VW fans who would like to learn more about the Green Car of the Year finalist, the VW Passat TDI, can stop by the dealership for a test drive.

Commonwealth Volkswagen
1450 Auto Mall Drive
Santa Ana, CA 92705
888-645-8562
http://www.commonwealthvw.com