Criswell Acura

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George Criswell
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george.criswell@criswell.biz
For Immediate Release

CRISWELL ACURA WINS ACURA'S HIGHEST HONOR

ANNAPOLIS, MD, March 1, 2010 - Criswell Acura of Annapolis has been awarded Acura's most prestigious honor - the Dealership of Distinction award - for its exceptional performance during 2009. This distinguished honor is reserved for only those select dealers that excel in providing an exceptional client experience.

The Acura Division established the Dealership of Distinction award in 1991 to recognize its Acura dealerships for exhibiting excellence across all areas of operation. Criswell Acura is one of 76 Acura automobile dealerships in the United States out of 263 to meet or exceed the award standards to qualify for the Dealership of Distinction award. This is the 9th time that Criswell Acura has received Acura's highest dealership honor.

"Winners of the Dealership of Distinction award are the very best Acura dealerships in the country," said John Mendel, executive vice president of automobile sales for Acura. "They achieved the lofty standards established to exceed the expectations of even our most discriminating clients. These standards guarantee that the client's ownership experience will be as exclusive as our high-performance Acura automobiles.

"Each award-winning dealership can be recognized by the Dealership of Distinction trophy and other recognition items displayed throughout the dealership," said Mendel, "and by the exceptional and personal experience that is delivered to every client who visits that dealership. I invite you to stop in and experience the benefits of working with an Acura award-winning dealership."

George Criswell, President of Criswell Acura added, "I am very proud of the entire Criswell Acura team for winning this award  for the 9th year and for working tirelessly to give our customers the best in customer service."

 Criswell Acura offers a full line of technologically advanced performance luxury vehicles. The 2010 Acura lineup features six distinctive models including the RL luxury performance sedan, the TL performance luxury sedan, the TSX sports sedan, the turbocharged RDX luxury crossover SUV, the award-winning MDX luxury sport utility vehicle and the all-new ZDX four-door sports coupe.  For further details regarding the full line of Acura vehicles, visit www.criswellacura.com.

For the first time in the history of automotive safety crash testing, an automobile nameplate has simultaneously earned top government and IIHS safety ratings for every vehicle in its line-up. On March 25, 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA*), as part of its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) testing, awarded the all-new 2009 Acura TL performance luxury sedan a 5-Star rating - its top rating - for side impact crash safety for both front and rear passenger seating positions. In earlier NHTSA testing, the 2009 TL achieved top safety ratings (a 5-Star rating for frontal crash performance for both driver and front passenger along with a 5-Star rating for Rollover resistance) meaning the 2009 TL now ranks as a top performer in all governmental safety ratings. In November 2008 the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the 2009 Acura TL performance luxury sedan its top safety rating of "GOOD" for Frontal Offset Crash Test, Side Impact Crashworthiness Evaluation (SICE) and Rear Crash Evaluation. Furthermore, all Acura vehicles employ Vehicle Stability Assist? (VSA®), an electronic stability control system that, when combined with GOOD ratings in Frontal, Side and Rear crash protection allow every 2009 Acura model to earn the IIHS' prestigious TOP SAFETY PICK rating. "Acura's achievement means that no matter which Acura model buyers choose, they're getting a high level protection for the most common types of real-world crashes," said IIHS president Adrian Lund. The 2009 TL's top safety ratings, combined with the rest of the Acura line-up's top safety ratings from NHTSA and IIHS, mark the first time in history that an automotive nameplate has achieved top honors for front, side and rear crash worthiness for all of the vehicles in its lineup. "No other automotive brand has accomplished what Acura has, nor can make the safety claims that Acura can," said John Mendel, executive vice president of automobile sales. "When consumers think safety, they really should think Acura." The NHTSA and IIHS safety ratings are a direct result of Acura's "Safety Through Innovation" initiative that is based on the brand's commitment to leadership in safety. The initiative's goal is for all Acura models to provide a high level of occupant protection along with injury mitigation to pedestrians, as well as increased crash compatibility with other passenger vehicles - regardless of vehicle size or price. To learn more, please visit: http://www.acura.com/PressReleaseArticle.aspx?year=2009&id=4976