Nation's First Retail-Driven Program to Promote Energy Efficiency
SAN FRANCISCO, May 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AutoWest Auto Group an
AutoNation Company, the Bay Area's and Sacramento's leading retailer of new
and used vehicles, has announced the launch of the company's E-Vehicle
program. The program is the first of its kind among automotive retailers,
an effort that's designed to promote greater consumer awareness of
fuel-efficient vehicles by identifying those cars and trucks available
online and in-store that have exceptional energy efficiency.
To qualify, vehicles must produce at least 28 miles-per-gallon or
deliver 10% better fuel efficiency than the average for their vehicle
class. The initiative is driven in part by AutoWest Auto Group's parent
company, AutoNation (NYSE: AN), America's largest automotive retailer, and
Edmunds.com, the online arm of one of the most well-respected names in
industry research and insight. The partnership ensures that all qualifying
vehicles are identified and that the fullest range of energy-smart choices
is presented to the public.
"We wanted to take the initiative when it comes to increasing the
consumer's awareness of just how many fuel efficient vehicles are actually
available," said Mike Jackson, chairman and CEO of AutoNation. "Gas prices
are so high and concerns over foreign oil are so acute that customers don't
just want this information - they need it. Our E-Vehicle program lets them
know which vehicles they can count on not only for greater savings, but
also for a cleaner conscience and a cleaner environment."
Under the program, every car and truck for sale at an AutoWest
dealership or listed on AutoWest.com that meets the E-Vehicle standards
will be marked with a green, leaf-shaped E-Vehicle logo. There will also be
an accompanying checklist displaying the particular efficiency criteria
that it satisfies.
"In today's time-pressed world, car-shoppers will appreciate that
AutoNation is making it easy to see which vehicles achieve the best fuel
economy," commented Edmunds.com president Jeremy Anwyl. "This program is
likely to generate a great deal of interest, especially as gas prices
continue their seasonal climb."
In addition to these green-labeled E-Vehicles, AutoWest Auto Group will
also be identifying what it calls "F-Vehicles" with a yellow leaf logo.
These are cars and trucks that make use of flex fuel or ethanol-based
technology. Both AutoWest and AutoNation agree that promoting the greater
consumption of renewable and alternative energy sources will motivate
energy companies to more aggressively pursue the production and
distribution of non-fossil-based fuels, a critical component of a more
responsible energy policy.
This is not AutoNation's first effort to promote more responsible
energy consumption. In August of 2006, AutoNation became the first
automotive retailer to join with Plug-In-Hybrids Partners to promote fuel
efficiency and advance technologies.
AutoWest Auto Group offers E-Vehicles in all classes and across all
price ranges. Among the most in-demand models are the Toyota Prius, the
Honda Civic Hybrid, the midsize Chevy Malibu and the Mercedes-Benz Diesel.
Best in class E-Vehicles include the Toyota Tacoma pick-up, the Ford Escape
Hybrid SUV and the Dodge Grand Caravan minivan. For a complete listing of
E-Vehicles available, customers are encouraged to visit AutoWest.com, which
currently displays over 80,000 vehicles online in an effort to appeal to
the 70% of customers who use the Internet as part of the purchase process.
AutoNation was recently named by FORTUNE magazine as America's most
admired automotive retailer in a poll of industry insiders, executives and
analysts -- the fifth time in six years that the company has been so
honored. AutoNation is also ranked #115 on FORTUNE magazine's list of
America's 500 largest corporations and is the only retailer to hold a
position in the S&P 500 index. More information is available online at
http://www.autonation.com.
ABOUT AUTONATION, INC.
AutoNation, Inc., headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is America's
largest automotive retailer and a component of the Standard and Poor's 500
Index. AutoNation has approximately 26,000 full-time employees and owns and
operates 327 new vehicle franchises in 16 states. For additional
information, please visit http://corp.AutoNation.com or
http://www.AutoNation.com, where more than 80,000 vehicles are available
for sale.
SOURCE AutoNation
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Related links:
http://corp.autonation.com
http://www.AutoNation.com http://www.AutoWest.com
http://www.Edmunds.com
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/750525.html/
CONTACT:
Marc Cannon of AutoNation, +1-954-769-3146,
cannonm@autonation.com
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