Germany’s ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club) has confirmed that its coveted Yellow Angel award for its car of the year has been hit by vote rigging. The award most recently went to the Volkswagen Golf, which apparently garnered 34,299 votes from ADAC’s 18 million members. However, it has subsequently emerged that ADAC’s communications chief was grossly exaggerating the votes for the car – only 3,409 votes had actually been cast for the Golf.
ADAC president Peter Meyer told Automotive News: “I cannot answer this with certainty. Whether or not this is true should be determined by an examination that we have asked external inspectors to lead and carry out.” Volkswagen has made no comment beyond that it wants to see a full and open investigation of the award before deciding what action to take.
ADAC is the largest motoring members’ club in the world, and, aside from being Germany’s leading roadside rescue organisation, also operates a fleet of 44 air ambulances and even has a long-range jet aircraft designed to evacuate members caught up in international disasters and accidents. It is also a founder-member of the EuroNCAP crash test.