Volkswagen's Dieselution Tour Debuts at AltWheels Festival

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 27 -- Volkswagen of America, Inc. and its Dieselution Tour will be visiting the AltWheels Alternative Transportation & Energy Festival, Sept. 28-29 in Boston Mass, to educate the media and the public on advances in clean diesel technology and alternative fuels.

Using interactive displays and exhibits, the Dieselution Tour will highlight current environmental issues and display advances in diesel engine technology, design and performance. The Dieselution Tour recently made a media debut outside of Detroit, AltWheels is the first public stop on a four- month tour, making stops at events and locations around the United States, including environmental and alternative fuel festivals, auto shows and the 2008 Super Bowl.

"Volkswagen of America considers the Dieselution Tour an important informational resource for everyone concerned about the environment and improved fuel economy standards," said Keith Price, public relations manager/product and technology, Volkswagen of America, Inc. "We want to show Americans that today's clean diesel technology is a quantum leap from the powerplants introduced nearly 30 years ago. This tour aims to change any outdated perceptions about diesel technology.

"As the diesel car sales leader in the United States, we have worked hard to make our diesels cleaner, quieter and more fuel efficient," Price added. "Once consumers realize that a clean diesel alternative can improve their fuel economy by nearly 35 percent over comparable gasoline engines, we're confident that many drivers will visit their local Volkswagen dealerships."

The Dieselution Tour is centered around a 53-foot-long, double-expandable semi-trailer. Elements include an "Alt Fuel/Alt Film" video area; a Dieselab with a series of interactive and video displays; a Diesel Heritage section, illustrating Volkswagen's diesel history and leadership; a Sustainability Station, involving an interactive quiz and a Carbon Footprint Calculator; a Beyond Diesel perspective, featuring SunFuel; and a Motorsports display, outlining Volkswagen's recent history and international success in racing diesel vehicles in events like the Baja 500, Pikes Peak and the Dakar rally.

The Dieselution Tour will also feature the 2009 Jetta TDI, Volkswagen's new, 50-state clean diesel offering. The vehicle is scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. in spring of 2008. Also on display, a 3.0-liter V6 TDI Touareg, the Polo Blue Motion and the oldest Volkswagen diesel in America, a 1977 Rabbit.

Partner/sponsor companies involved in this landmark exhibit are International Truck and Engine Company and CarbonFund.org, a non-profit carbon offset provider.

Signifying Volkswagen's environmental concern, the Dieselution Tour will be certified as CarbonFree by Carbonfund.org. Volkswagen and Carbonfund.org recently announced a partnership to offset one year of carbon emission from each new Volkswagen sold in the U.S. from September, 2007 through January 2, 2008. In return, Volkswagen is working with Carbonfund.org to reforest land in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) in northern Louisiana, a wetland ecosystem that had been largely converted to farmland. Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. 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, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, Eos, and Touareg through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. Visit Volkswagen of America online at vw.com.