National Press Release

HERNDON, Va., June 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced today that the stylish CC, which was designed and engineered to blend sports car dynamics and dimensions with sedan comfort and functionality, has received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) TOP SAFETY PICK award for 2009. A TOP SAFETY PICK is the highest rating possible from the non-profit research organization. The annual award recognizes vehicles that perform best in protecting passengers in the Institute's front, side and rear crash test evaluations.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090608/DE29197 )

"The TOP SAFETY PICK award from the IIHS is a tremendous honor for our CC," said Mark Barnes, Chief Operating Officer, Volkswagen of America, Inc. "We are thrilled when organizations like the IIHS recognize the hard work of our engineers who are dedicated to the safety of our customers. This award further validates Volkswagen's Prevent and Preserve Safety System approach to vehicle safety."

The CC is designed to deliver outstanding safety performance and comes with an abundance of safety technologies. The Prevent and Preserve Safety System portfolio for MY2009 consists of 45 safety features, all of which contribute to protecting the driver and passengers as well as possible, helping avoid crashes and keeping the severity and consequences of possible crashes to a minimum.

The CC, like all 2009 model year Volkswagen's features standard electronic stability control, which Volkswagen brands Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP). Four-wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS), Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR), Brake Assist and Electronic Differential Locking (EDL) also come standard on the CC. All of these safety features contribute to exceptional stability and control on all kinds of roads and situations where even the best of drivers might struggle to keep their cars on the road. The addition of 4Motion all-wheel-drive on the CC VR6 takes vehicle dynamics to an even higher level.

In addition to ESP, the CC comes equipped with standard driver and front passenger advanced multistage front airbags; driver and front passenger side-thorax airbags; head curtain airbags (front and rear); three-point safety belts front and rear; emergency locking retractors for all seating positions; optimized front head restraints; safety belt power pretensioners at the driver and front passenger positions; safety belt load limiters for driver, front passenger and rear outboard seating positions; tire pressure monitoring system; and rear seat LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) anchorage and top tether child seat attachments. A rear passenger side-thorax airbag system with safety belt pretensioners is optional.

CC is based priced at $27,100, reflecting the Volkswagen brand commitment of providing both tremendous value and affordable German engineering. CC offers EPA SmartWay Certified fuel economy of 21 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.

CC, like all current 2009 model year Volkswagen vehicles, is included in the no-charge Carefree Maintenance Program. Under this program all of the CC scheduled maintenance, as described in its maintenance booklet, is covered for the length of the New Vehicle Warranty--three years or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first.

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 Rabbit, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Eos, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, CC, Tiguan, Touareg 2 and Routan through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2009 Volkswagens come standard-equipped with Electronic Stabilization Program. This is important because the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called ESC the most effective new vehicle safety technology since the safety belt. Visit Volkswagen of America online at vw.com or www.media.vw.com to learn more.

SOURCE Volkswagen of America, Inc.