Volkswagen Creates VIP Atmosphere in Houston

Cars, Prizes, Refreshments, Gaming, Celebrity Sightings

AUBURN HILLS, MI, - Feb. 16: Volkswagen of America, Inc. is going all-out to treat the adults in Houston, TX like stars in their own right from Friday, February 17th through Sunday, February 19th. With the creation of the Volkswagen Important People (VWIP) Lounge, the car maker brings its fun and all-inclusive attitude to the city.

For the weekend, athlete & celebrity programs will be coupled with a consumer promotion that will include print and radio advertising, as well as promotional components including prize giveaways, street teams, and the creation of an 8500-square-foot branded lounge, called the VWIP Lounge.

In addition to the consumer promotion, VW will reach out to the celebrities in Houston, and will offer 6 personalities each a chauffer-driven Phaeton or Touareg for their use during the weekend. VW will also provide these vehicles as shuttle service for celebrities to events such as Zo and Magic's 8 Ball Challenge, a charity pool tournament, the Kenny Smith All-Star Party, and the VWIP Viewing & After Party, hosted by hip-hop legend Biz Markie.

VW will also showcase cars modified by Detroit Custom Concepts, a car customization shop owned by Detroit Piston Lindsey Hunter.

The concept behind the VWIP Lounge is to create a daytime destination where anyone can be treated like a star, as a way for Volkswagen to create a one-to-one connection with the African-American target audience.

The VWIP Lounge will be located at Cabo, the Original "Mix-Mex" Grill, a restaurant that has been on the scene in the heart of downtown Houston since 2000. The 8500-square-foot, two-story VWIP lounge will be open to the public from morning to evening, offering a full restaurant menu of food & drinks, games, guest DJs, prize giveaways and celebrity appearances; all at no cost.

The promotion will be supported by print ads in "Rolling Out" magazine, two wrapped shuttle buses in Houston, street teams, wild postings, and a partnership with KBXX-FM, Houston's Hip Hop and R&B radio station. KBXX (97.9, "The Box"), will provide the DJs for the lounge, run ads, offer on-air giveaways, and broadcast a live remote from the lounge on Friday, Feb. 17th. The radio promotion began January 30th and runs through the weekend.

Food and drink in the VWIP Lounge will be ordered directly from Cabo's "Mix-Mex" menu, a fusion of South American, Central American and Southwestern influences. Owned by two long-time Houstonians, Michael and Anthony Roberson, these African-American entrepreneurs started out as servers and bartenders and worked their way up to own one of the most successful restaurants in Houston. Hosting the VWIP lounge is the latest in their long string of accomplishments.

Throughout the day, the VWIPs will have the chance to win tickets to the hottest private parties & events happening around Houston. The VWIP Lounge will be a daily destination for the many stars of screen, sound, and sport that will be in town that weekend.

Entry into the VWIP lounge is reserved for those people over the age of 21 who test drive one of the 10-15 new VW vehicles on site. The new 2006 GTI, having just arrived in the US one week prior, will be ready to run through its paces on the city-block-big, custom-designed closed course, as will 2006 Jetta, Passat, and Touareg models. Any current VW owner merely has to show his or her car key to gain immediate entry to the VWIP lounge.

The VWIP lounge will be open from 11am to 6pm on Friday the 17th & Saturday the 18th and from 10am to 5pm on Sunday the 19th. The VWIP Lounge is located at 419 Travis Street, accessible from the Preston Street station on the light rail system.

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 of America and its affiliates employ approximately 3,000 people in the United States and are responsible for the sale and service of Audi, Bentley, and Volkswagen products through retail networks comprising in total more than 900 independent U.S. dealers.