We’re in a recession, the unemployment rate is increasing and property values are decreasing, but you shouldn’t be ashamed if you’re fortunate enough to still have a good thing going job. You’ve made some good choices…you didn’t buy a house you couldn’t afford and you didn’t invest any of your hard earned cash with Bernie Madoff. Should you feel guilty for being savvy? Should you digress from buying some of the finer things that you deserve?

According to Esquire Magazine, the answer is a resounding “NO”! You shouldn’t abstain from enjoying success or feel shame in said enjoyment. Celebrate and embrace your accomplishments, just do so discreetly….for now.

So when the time comes to buy a new car, in hard times, you need a car that says, I’m successful, but I’m not obnoxious and I empathize with my fellow man. According to Esquire Magazine, the car that fits the bill of understated luxury is an Acura, Audi or Infiniti.

Besides, with auto sales falling and manufacturers asking for bail outs, you can always position your new Acura purchase as a great savings rather than a splurge.

“Anybody making enough money to afford it should be driving an understated semi-luxury vehicle. To drive less shows a lack of appreciation for the finer things in life, a lack of sensual acuteness, a certain inner drabness.” Understated luxury is about the shine of a low-key watch; the fit of a well-cut suit; the memories from a vacation. It’s about enjoying life, if you can swing it, and not being a jerk about it. A nice mantra to live by. “

[Source: Esquire]

Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) February 25, 2009 — AutohausAZ.com (Autohaus Arizona, Inc.), a leading global auto parts E-Tailer that markets OEM auto parts for European and Japanese (Asian) cars, was announced as the international winner of the Online Sales Team of the Year Stevie® Award and one of the three finalists worldwide for the E-Commerce Customer Service Stevie® Award in the 3rd Annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, held in Las Vegas, February 9, 2009. The Stevie Awards, often referred to as “the business world’s Oscars”, were created to honor and generate worldwide recognition of the efforts, accomplishments and positive contributions of outstanding companies and their people.

AutohausAZ has built its 30-year reputation on professional integrity, personalized and friendly customer service and high-quality auto parts. A large part of the company’s success comes from treating customers with the utmost respect while also providing a unique personalized, caring touch. AutohausAZ.com strongly believes that customer service is a companywide commitment, not just a department. Therefore, everyone at AutohausAZ plays an important role in building long-term customer relationships.

“We’re thrilled to be recognized as the Online Sales Team of the Year and E-Commerce Customer Service Finalist. These awards, in addition to the Website of the Year Finalist Stevie Award bestowed upon us in November, demonstrate just how strongly committed AutohausAZ.com is to providing the highest quality customer service experience possible,” stated Carolyn Lefebvre, President/CEO of Autohaus Arizona, Inc.

“It’s extremely gratifying to receive worldwide recognition from the Stevie® Awards Committee. These awards, along with all the positive feedback we receive from our valued customers, motivate everyone at AutohausAZ.com to continue providing the very best service possible to each and every one of our customers.”

AutohausAZ.com stands out from the competition by internally performing all critical functions – designing and maintaining a user-friendly website, answering customer calls and emails, pulling, packing and shipping auto parts and designing in-house programs to continually improve accuracy & efficiency while decreasing training time. AutohausAZ feels it is not in the customer’s nor the company’s best interests to lose control over the performance of critical customer service functions and, unlike its competitors, does not “outsource” any of these areas. This has allowed AutohausAZ.com to consistently provide the personalized touch that its customers have come to expect.

‘This year’s Stevie Award honorees demonstrate that even in challenging economic times, it’s possible for organizations to continue to shine in sales and customer service, the two most important functions in business: acquiring and keeping customers,’ said Michael Gallagher, president of the Stevie Awards.

About AutohausAZ:
Autohaus Arizona, Inc. began in 1979 as Autohaus Phoenix, a local wholesale distributor of European auto parts in Phoenix. The Company launched its website in 1998 and today AutohausAZ.com distributes OEM European auto parts and Japanese auto parts to wholesale and retail customers worldwide. Specializing in German car parts (Audi, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Mini Cooper, Porsche, and Volkswagen), AutohausAZ.com also carries a wide selection of auto parts for Swedish (Saab, Volvo), British (LandRover, Jaguar) and Japanese/Asian cars (Acura, Honda, Infiniti, Lexus, Nissan and Toyota, to name just a few). For more information on AutohausAZ, please visit our website at http://www.AutohausAZ.com.

AutohausAZ.com is not a newbie to public recognition, with numerous prestigious awards having been bestowed upon the Company in the past two years including such honors as:
Diversity Business (2009) – Top 100 Women-Owned Businesses in Arizona; Top 50 Diversity-Owned Businesses in Arizona; Top 100 Privately-Held Businesses in Arizona
Diversity Business (2008) – Top 500 Women-Owned Businesses in the US; Top 100 Small Businesses in Arizona; Top 100 Diversity-Owned Businesses in Arizona; Top 100 Woman-Owned Businesses in Arizona
Inc. Magazine (2008) – named to the Inc 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in the US; Top 100 Businesses in the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale metro area; Top 100 Retail Companies in the US
Arizona Small Business Association – ASBA (2008) – Arizona Company to Watch
Stevie Awards (2008) – Website of the Year Finalist in Women in Business Stevie Awards
Arizona Woman Magazine (2008) – Million Dollar Club

[Source: PRWeb]

Acura’s two new ARX-02 LMP1s have finally shown their faces in public at Sebring International Raceway as American Le Mans Series cars.  Acura will release more information, hopefully including some powerplant details very shortly. Fortunately for Audi, the ARX-02 is entering the LMP1 class just as they exited the series.

[Source: American LeMans]

In writing about the current recession, Ryan Douthit of CarDomain mentions that the only people shopping for a luxury sports sedan right now are banker’s who benefited from the recent socialist bailout of banks by the feds. While the white collar paupers now have the means to shop for uber-expensive luxo sports sedans, rolling up to the office at Bank of America in a DB7 might rub a whistle blower the wrong way.

It’s time to get sensible and mainstream, to stay out of the spotlight. There are some good choices for the luxo sport sedan that will satisfy your needs without forcing you to testify in front of congress. The Audi A4 Quattro, Lexus GS 350 and BMW 335i all come to mind…but the problem is, they’ve worked so hard to build their brand cachet, even if you are being sensible, everyone will think you splurged.

Douthit goes on to say, “…I think one of the few cars that is genuinely perceived as being sensible, and has any measure of sporty pedigree would have to be the 2009 Acura TL we’re looking at this week.”

Check out the rest of Douthit’s article here.

[Source: CarDomain]