The Chase is on for the 1999 Volkswagen Passat
7 July 1999
The Chase is on for the 1999 Volkswagen Passat; Volkswagen Launches New Advertising Campaign for the High Performance Mid-Sized Sedan
AUBURN HILLS, Mich.--July 6, 1999--In a fun and fast-paced new television spot, the 1999 Volkswagen Passat shines in its audition for a starring role as a high-performance chase car in a big-budget action movie.Introduced all-new two years ago, the Volkswagen Passat redefined the mid-sized family car market by offering tons of functionality with dynamic styling and an invigorating German driving experience.
The ad, dubbed "Chase," focuses on the Passat with the V6 - a four-passenger, German-engineered car that offers the added performance of a 190 horsepower engine. The spot is a new twist on a familiar theme: The police chase. The police are in hot pursuit while a bad guy escapes down an alley on a motorcycle. The police scan the street for a viable pursuit vehicle. They see a sports car -- fast enough, but not enough room for all of them. They see a mini van -- enough room, but clearly not a performance vehicle. Then, they see the Passat.
The police commandeer the Passat and the driver (minding his own business), who realizes he has finally been given license to push his Passat to the limit. The chase begins. The Passat rocks. The driver, realizing that the Passat is responding to his every command, becomes more and more confident until finally, he is in control and the police wonder just what they have gotten themselves into.
"The V6 Passat is a powerful, German-engineered performance sedan with room for four," said Liz Vanzura, Volkswagen's director of marketing/advertising. "The spot brings that very rational message to life in an emotionally charged, Volkswagen way."
Since its introduction in the fall of 1997, the Volkswagen Passat has enjoyed record-breaking sales by single-handedly redefining the mid-sized family car. The 1999 Passat sedan and wagon lineup includes a well-equipped GLS trim level that can be equipped with Volkswagen's award-winning 20-valve, 1.8T, 150 horsepower four-cylinder or a refined 30-valve, 2.8 liter, 190 horsepower V6. Now, the GLX version has arrived, with leather, wood trim and V6 engine all available as standard features.
"The Passat is one of the few really affordable great handling sedans out there," commented Lance Jensen, Executive Vice President, Creative Director, Arnold Communications. "This spot lets us show how much room it has inside and how well it performs."
The spot will officially break during the week of July 5. It will run on high profile shows like Spin City, Just Shoot Me, 20/20, Homicide, NYPD Blue, Frasier and the Practice, as well as cable stations including ESPN, Fox Sports Net, MTV and Comedy Central.
The ad was created by Volkswagen's agency of record, Arnold Communications. In 1995, the agency helped launch Volkswagen's ground-breaking "Drivers wanted" marketing campaign -- a communication approach widely recognized as a new direction in automotive marketing with its focus on people who want to stay connected to life and fully experience the act of driving. Its credo reads: "On the road of life there are passengers and there are drivers. Drivers wanted."
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc., is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich., and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG. Volkswagen is among the largest automakers in the world and Europe's number one seller. The Volkswagen Group currently accounts for approximately 11 percent of the world car market. It markets a full line of Volkswagen vehicles through a network of about 600 Volkswagen dealers. In the United States, Volkswagen has sold more than 10.6 million cars and is the top-selling European importer. Volkswagen of America imports cars from company plants in Germany and Mexico through port operations in San Diego, Calif., Boston, Mass., Wilmington, Del., Brunswick, Ga., and Houston, Texas.