Volkswagen to Expand U.S. Presence With New Regional Sales Office in Dallas

HERNDON, Va., Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Volkswagen of America (VWoA) today announced it will open a fifth regional sales office in the Dallas metropolitan area to further strengthen the company's relationships with customers and dealers.  As a vital part of Volkswagen's long-term commitment to the U.S. market, the expansion will help facilitate future growth and employment opportunities, while better serving the needs of its retail network in key markets.

Volkswagen's year-to-date sales are up 20.7 percent following seven straight months of double-digit sales growth, underscoring the need for an additional sales region. The Dallas office, to be designated as the "South Central Region," will support approximately 96 dealers in 16 states, including Texas.  Volkswagen expects the office to create more than 20 new jobs in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

"As Volkswagen's sales continue to climb following the official opening of our new U.S. plant in Chattanooga, and as our vehicle line-up expands with the launch of new products like the 2012 Passat and Beetle, it is imperative that we maintain a strong connection with our customers and dealer body," said Jonathan Browning, president and CEO, Volkswagen of America, Inc. "The investment in the new South Central Region will help ensure that we continue to equip our dealers with the necessary tools to provide the highest levels of quality and service to our growing customer base."

Volkswagen appointed industry veteran Joe Vignone as its new regional director to lead the company's South Central Region, reporting to Frank Trivieri, Volkswagen's vice president of Sales.  Vignone, 48, will be responsible for managing and enhancing sales operations, strengthening local dealer relations and promoting the brand on a regional level. In his previous role, Vignone was the general manager responsible for the brand's dealer network development activities.  Before joining Volkswagen, Vignone held positions in the construction equipment industry, serving as vice president of North American Sales for JCB.  Prior to that, Vignone spent 18 years with Ford Motor Company in Marketing and Sales Operations.

The South Central Regional office is scheduled to open in January, 2012.

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.

SOURCE Volkswagen of America, Inc.