Top Acura Dealers Mark End of Recession With Unprecedented Offer

NEW YORK, April 5 -- With the New York Auto Show underway, luxury car maker Acura is grabbing headlines for its highly praised new models, but it's also enjoying an industry spotlight for recent distinctions as one of the safest and best-valued luxury cars on the road. These highlights have driven three of the five biggest Acura dealers to create a rare partnership in the industry that is now allowing them to make a virtually unprecedented financing offer they're calling "Triple Zero."

Recent announcements placed Acura at the top of multiple safest-car lists, with the brand distinguishing itself in 2009 as the only automaker to receive the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) 5-star crash safety ratings for all of its models. This crucial safety accolade came on the heels of yet another safety benchmark, as, in 2009, Acura was the first car company to ever receive the Top Safety Picks from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for every one of its vehicles--car and SUV models included.

It is this spate of success which led top American Acura dealerships Rallye Acura of Roslyn, Paragon Acura of Woodside, Queens, NY, and Acura of Westchester in Larchmont, NY, to triangulate their efforts in order to offer customers a unique finance opportunity. Together, the dealerships announced their "Triple Zero" plan that lets customers pay $0 down payment, $0 security deposit, and $0 first month's payment on the 2010 Acura TL and 2010 Acura TSX 4 Cylinder models.

With a recent announcement by ALG, the auto industry analyst firm, that Acura topped its 2010 Residual Value Award list for the Luxury Brand category, along with the new announcement by the three leading U.S. dealerships, Acura is making an even bigger-than-expected splash at the New York Auto Show.

But in the wake of recent safety shakeups in the auto industry, the safety record of the two models included in Acura's Triple Zero deal might prove to be a greater motivator than even stellar value. It's this confident lead in safety and value that inspired the usually competitive three dealers, Acura of Westchester, Paragon Acura, and Rallye Acura, to break away from the rest of the auto industry pack in an unprecedented move and join together to drive the luxury market. Rallye Acura and Acura of Westchester have been the dominant Acura dealerships, in their respective markets, for years.

"Looking at the value, the safety, the luxury and the pure fun of driving an Acura," says Brian Benstock, General Manager of Paragon Auto Group, which holds the unique distinction of being the #1 Certified Pre-Owned Honda and Acura Retailer in the world, "it's clear that what for other car brands would seem like a huge risk is for us just a way of extending a hand to our customers. We want to welcome them to the world of Acura."

Brian Benstock and colleague Edith Singer were recognized as "Dealers of the Year" (www.AutoSuccessDealeroftheYear.com) by Auto Success Magazine for changing the way vehicles are bought and serviced through their online virtual dealership. (www.ParagonCars.com) This unique service let's consumers build and buy vehicles, parts and schedule online service appointments 24/7.

The critics agree, with Road & Track calling the 2010 Acura TL a "serious bear-your-teeth sports sedan," MSN Autos regaling it as a "great choice," and TheCarConnection.com calling it "Boldly styled and laden with high-tech features." The Acura TSX 4 Cylinder, also part of Acura's Triple Zero offering, was similarly praised by U.S. News and World Report as a "fun-to-drive vehicle at an affordable price."

With the recession over but the job situation still difficult, car buyers who have put off a purchase amid economic uncertainty are making their first forays into the nation's showrooms. But with the effects of the recession still lingering, and the shocking wave of auto safety issues in the news, it's likely that only a safety record as air-tight as Acura's and a deal as hard-to-refuse as Acura's Triple Zero offer will get them back in the swing of buying cars.