Volkswagen moves up in Fleet Environment - GoAuto

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Environmental credibility and economical models help VW secure lucrative fleet deals

By PHILIP LORD 4 June 2008

VOLKSWAGEN Group Australia (VGA) says it has won additional fleet contracts for its passenger cars from companies which have decided to do business with car companies that have a good environmental policy rather than a policy of simply offering cheap cars.

“(These are) corporate customers who want to be seen as more environmentally responsible,” VGA managing director Jutta Dierks told GoAuto last week.

Woolworths is the most recent addition to the list of fleet customers who have bought Volkswagens, joining Linfox, Pink Hygiene Solutions, Rentokil Pest Control, Kea mobile homes and German company Linde.

According to VGA, Woolworths and other fleet customers are ticking items on the Volkswagen passenger-car menu for field managers and the like. In the case of the supermarket giant, the fleet deal is for 3000 Passats and Jettas.

Ms Dierks said VGA had not been actively pursuing fleet business because the company did not see value in trying to compete in the cut-throat business for little or no margin.

“We are very reluctant to chase fleets,” she said. “We don’t give presents away because we don’t need to at the moment.”

Ms Dierks said the fleet contract business simply fell in Volkswagen’s lap. “They come and ask,” she said, adding that she believes the motivation had as much to do with Volkswagen’s environmental record as a company as the fuel efficiency of the cars themselves.

Ms Dierks said one company in particular had requested specific details about Volkswagen’s environmental position globally.

She expressed her surprise at winning the Woolworths deal and how easily fleets generally had adapted to small-medium European four-cylinder cars after a diet of large Australian six-cylinder cars.

“I was worried after they came from Falcons and Commodores into a smaller car that they wouldn’t like it,” she said. “But actually the opposite is true.”

VGA’s other most recent contract was for 40 New Beetles and 80 Transporter T5 Cab Chassis vehicles for Pink Hygiene Solutions.

Source http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...25745E0016B9AF