Contribution to Motoring Awards

Media Release: 9 March 2007

Embargoed until 9.40pm

AA Announces 2007 Motoring Excellence Environmental, Customer Satisfaction, Safety and Contribution to Motoring Awards

The category winners of the remaining four 2007 AA Motoring Excellence Awards have just been announced in Auckland tonight:

Vodafone Environmental Award
JD Power & Associates Customer Satisfaction Award
GE Money Safest Car Award
AA Contribution to Motoring Award
 
Stella Stocks, General Manager of AA Technical Services, says the AA Motoring Excellence Awards aim to identify and reward excellence amongst new vehicles and in areas of interest to motorists. The Awards are being announced at a prestigious black tie dinner in Auckland tonight.

The Vodafone Environmental Award went to Fiat Grande Punto 1.3 16V Dynamic.

The Fiat Grande Punto 1.3 16V Dynamic used the least amount of fuel during the 1,624 kilometre AA EnergyWise Rally, held in November last year.

Stella Stocks said this car is powered by a 1.3 litre multi-jet common rail diesel powerplant of an engine which is comprehensively designed with the aim of increasing overall engine efficiency.

“The engine is tucked into a stylish package and stacked with features. All in all it simply offers more, while somehow managing to remain frugal - but in an enviable way.”

The JD Power & Associates Customer Satisfaction Award went to BMW.

Ms Stocks said that almost 22,000 AA members completed the latest online survey by the AA and JD Powers, providing invaluable customer feedback on the different aspects of vehicle ownership.

“It is important to have independent and reliable feedback from consumers – be it information about vehicle appeal, service satisfaction, quality and reliability, or ownership costs.”

“Congratulations to BMW – they achieved the highest score for overall satisfaction in the latest survey,” she said.

The GE Money Safest Car Award went to the Citroën C4.

Ms Stocks said vehicle and pedestrian safety is becoming ever more important in the purchasing decisions of consumers. In deciding the format of testing for this Award, the AA looked at results from NCAP test programmes in Europe and Australia. The overriding factor in determining the winner of this highly prestigious Award was that the actual vehicle tested, and deemed to score the highest points rating, was available for sale to the public in New Zealand at the time of nominations.

“Citroën are ahead of the pack when it comes to safety. This is the second year in a row that Citroën has won the Safest Car Award.”

“The Citroën C4 represents both protection for occupants in the event of a collision and also reduced injury for pedestrians.”

 The AA Contribution to Motoring Award went to Mr Bob Field, Toyota CEO and chairman of Toyota New Zealand.

“This award is not presented every year. It recognises people in the New Zealand industry who have dedicated their lives to a wide area of motoring expertise. Bob is one such person. He has been at the helm of Toyota since 1979, and has chaired the company through some dramatic periods.”

“Bob was the first president of the Motor Industry Association, a past president of the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association and is also a current member of the Business Roundtable. With almost 40 years under his belt, Bob has not only witnessed but aided significant change in the motoring industry, especially through  the 1990s when he shepherded  New Zealand’s new import industry through restructuring and deregulation.”

The AA will announce the AA Supreme Award for Motoring Excellence at 10pm tonight. 
Further information is available from www.aa.co.nz/mea

Ends

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