With more room, a lower price tag, uncommon standard features, and a variety of engine options, the redesigned 2012 Volkswagen Passat beat out about 70 cars to be awarded Cars.com’s 2012 Best of the Year honor.

The Passat’s spacious interior provides comfort to both passengers and the driver. While the space in the car got bigger, its price got smaller, dropping more than $7,000 off the base price of the previous generation.  The lower price tag does not equate to lower standards. In fact, the 2012 Passat comes stocked with uncommon standard features, such as dual-zone automatic air conditioning.

By delivering value over flashiness, the 2012 Volkswagen Passat is a clear choice for Cars.com’s Best of 2012 Award.

 

 

BMW is supplying the official cars for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England. Kicking off the Games on July 27th, BMW’s Olympic Livery will consist of several 3-Series and 5-Series models which will transport athletes and officials to their respective competitions.

In efforts to keep the Olympic Games as green as possible, BMW had to meet the strict emissions threshold set forth by the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG). To achieve this, BMW’s Olympic fleet will include hybrids, electric vehicles, diesels, and even bicycles. Approximately 4,000 units will be used by BMW at the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games.

In addition to being environmentally friendly, the BMW fleet of vehicles is quite eye catching. The uniquely festive and colorful designs will adorn each BMW vehicle participating in their Olympic Livery.

 

Luxury has it rewards, and with Audi that means both now and in the future. Both the 2012 Audi A5 and 2012 Audi Q7 were awarded best in class honors for resale value by Kelley Blue Book.

The 2012 Audi A5 received the award for Best Luxury Car. The sleek sports car impresses with a uniquely refreshing exterior and brilliantly luxurious interior. The A5’s base 2.0 liter turbocharged engine performs well with 211-horsepower and 25 lb-ft of torque, while still providing excellent gas mileage: 21 city/31 highway MPG. The 2012 Audi A5 received a 9.1 out of 10 customer rating and an 8.5 out of 10 expert rating. The projected resale value for the 2012 A5 is 64.7% at 36 months and 41.0% at 60 months.

 

Not to be outdone by its sibling, the 2012 Audi Q7 took the honors of Best Resale Value for a Luxury SUV. The 7 passenger 2012 Q7 boasts a new base 3.0T gasoline engine, bringing a total of 280-horsepower to aesthetically pleasing SUV. Expert ratings give this vehicle 8.4 out of 10 while consumer ratings bestowed upon it 8.7 out of 10. The resale value of the 2012 Audi Q7 is 63.3% at 36 months and 44.3% at 60 months. Both 2012 Audi A5 and Q7 models are available in showrooms now.