Let's look back: First there was an allegation that made the press. "Manipulation in the election for the" Yellow Angel ". The ex-head of communications, Ramstetter, made fun of it - during the “yellow angel award ceremony”. The self-confidence of the ADAC was still unshakable. This is probably what the industry meant and celebrated cheers the “yellow angel”. 

ADAC - The scandal never ends

The first pawn sacrifice fell quickly. Michael Ramstetter, head of communications at the club and editor-in-chief of ADAC motorwelt, had to leave. But the doubts remained. Was Ramstetter guilty alone? Probably not. Usually the fish always stinks from the head. But ADAC President Meyer initially stubbornly stuck to his post. He promised improvement and complete clarification. In the meantime, however - the ADAC had engaged independent auditors to investigate the fraud - the scandals did not end. Then the president flew to the ambulance on helicopter, the children of executives went on vacation with ambulance aircraft. The club seemed and seems to have become a paradise of self-service and vain self-esteem. The impression that something is wrong here and that from above, manifested itself.

Embarrassing humility in Jauch

Someone had advised ADAC President Meyer to publicly humbly acknowledge the mistakes and pledge improvement. The Sunday evening a week ago with Günter Jauch seemed perfect. But what ADAC President Peter Meyer delivered was an embarrassing idea.

There sat an ADAC president who was used to making demands, admitting mistakes and showing humility, didn't seem to be one of Peter Meyer's talents. And whoever followed the conversation attentively, quickly realized that someone was just playing the scout. When Jauch wanted to know the first figures about the exit wave, the ADAC boss first turned. The numbers should be presented on Monday morning. He doesn't know this yet. Jauch was rightly surprised. A boss who doesn't know what is going to be presented on Monday morning on Sunday evening? Meyer gave in and called the number of 5.000. So many members have resigned since the scandal began. A few hours later, the ADAC announced the number of 15.000 layoffs. Now it was clear - Peter Meyer lied on TV, even the ADAC president suffers from a chronic desire to manipulate. But why? 5.000 or 15.000? With 19 million members that doesn't make a difference. Or do they?

Peter Meyer also talked about the head and collar when it came to breakdown statistics. ADAC would never have said that the breakdown statistics were representative. Well then. If that is the case, then you ask yourself - why the effort at all? Just for the love of the numbers? Or for the sake of the business model? Because who works as an automobile manufacturer with the ADAC, does not appear in the statistics with the real numbers.

In addition, there were the battery sales of the “Yellow Angels” which were reminiscent of columns of pushers. The electricity did not stop and Peter Meyer played the role of scout and cleaner only poorly.

Today ended the era of Peter Meyer

Peter Meyer announced his resignation from the post of ADAC President this Monday. Probably only so as not to be thrown out in a high arc by the rest of the presidium. Where the question must be asked? Was it only Ramstetter and Meyer? Previously, it was only Ramstetter. What do we know in four weeks? 

The auditing company Deloitte today published the investigation report on the election of the “Yellow Angel”.

And made it clear: not only the numbers were manipulated to participate, but also the result itself.

The manipulated result

Officially, the election went in January like this:

1. VW Golf 34.299 votes
2. Audi A3 27.765 votes
3. Mercedes A-Class 24.418 votes
4. Škoda Octavia 22.237 votes
5. BMW 5er series 17.235 voices

But the truth is different:

The VW Golf wins - not with 34.000 votes, but with 3.271 votes. This is followed by the 3 Series BMW with 1.703 votes. If one follows the results of the Deloitte auditors, then in the case of the BMW 3 Series there is no manipulation, but rather an inability. The Audi A3 followed in third place with 3 votes. The A-Class only comes in fourth place and not on the podium.

But despite the supposed power of opinion of the ADAC - after all, 19 million members are represented - only 45.202 members took part. Of these, even more “online” than “offline”. And that a car magazine sends millions of copies to its members. Every month. There were 28.200 votes online and 16.602 votes offline (postcard). It is even stated that the motor world has a circulation of 13.8 million copies. That would be a rate of 0,12% of motorwelt readers. Absurdly low. Absurd. 

Reactions of the automotive industry

Smiling winners were often seen. The automotive industry always played well with the game of the ADAC. You paid the ADAC. Man switched ads. You were a cooperation partner. And one advertised the successes in the elections of the ADAC and the breakdown statistics. Incidentally, in the current February issue of the Motorwelt no car manufacturer is represented with advertisements. Certainly no coincidence, but already result of the embarrassing situation in which one was led. But are the automobile manufacturers really innocent?

They knew from the agreements on breakdown statistics how to work at the ADAC. (There, manufacturers who commissioned ADAC as breakdown helpers were not led to the actual breakdowns - but as Peter Meyer said with Günter Jauch - the breakdown statistics would never have been representative .. (sic!)).

Mercedes-Benz has already given back its “Golden Angel”. You want to create a distance to the breakdown club and have distanced yourself with the return:

"Audience awards are in principle of great importance for Daimler, because they directly reflect the opinion of the public," it said in a statement by the Mercedes manufacturer Daimler. "An indispensable prerequisite for this is that the readers' elections be carried out correctly. This was not the case when the "Yellow Angel" was awarded. "

Manipulation and fraud seem to be part of the business at ADAC.  

The fraud was also at the draw of the winner no bar. Deloitte has stated:

The process for the draw of the winners was also neither fixed in writing nor adequately safeguarded against errors in the consistent 4-Augen principle. Due to the non-proportional draw, the participants were preferred to the coupon option

The ADAC system can confidently be described as “failed”. The first result of the Deloitte auditors shows the total loss of the ADAC only in extracts.

What else will follow? You can be curious.

But now the questions arise: what kind of consideration did ADAC receive from the automotive industry? 

The automotive industry: victims or accomplices?

The question that still needs to be clarified is: what - or who - is behind the manipulations? What motivation drove those responsible at ADAC. The fact that the number of participants has been massively glossed over can be explained by the embarrassingly low participation rate. But why does the A-Class slide from 4 to 3? Why does the five-seater BMW land on 5 instead of 7? Why did the three-seater BMW disappear from second place? And what happened in the previous elections?

All just stupidity? Just a mistake? Or the result of clinking? 

It's clear: The yellow angel is dead. And the ADAC has its yellow angel on its conscience.

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