Have you ever tried to maneuver a golf car along a tight and winding cart path, through a crowd or out of a tight parking space? If so, Tomberlin has just made your golf car driving experience easier and safer with the introduction of electric power steering on their new Emerge SS Coupe and SS Saloon golf cars. It’s point-and-go technology in a golf car, allowing you to drive and control your Tomberlin with finger-touch ease.
Power Steering is certainly not a new idea, having revolutionized the automotive industry decades ago. Yet Tomberlin, known for innovation and leading the market in safety, styling and performance is the first national manufacturer to do so as a standard feature on a golf car and low speed vehicle (LSV) model.
“Since 1963, we’ve delivered numerous industry firsts at Columbia Vehicle Group, led by the heritage of our parent company the Nordic Group. At Tomberlin, we simply go farther, driving both our product and people to deliver to the highest standards. We operate in a white hot competitive market with some big players, so our growth vision demands a consumer-focused perspective that drives our product development. Simply put, we are not held captive by charge barns or fleet golf cars, so our heads-up consumer-facing spirit allows us to immerse ourselves into the dealer consumer experience. With all pun intended, this is less about a power steering feature and more reflective of a culture that allows consumers sufficient power to steer our decisions” stated Mike Tomberlin, a member of the leadership team for the Columbia Vehicle Group.
To validate consumer demand and market acceptance, Tomberlin quietly provided prototype units into the most competitive markets in America. The Villages, FL, is widely known as the golf car capital of the world, with tens of thousands of golf cars being driven on a daily basis. In this golf car hotbed consumers are very demanding, competition is keen, and most dealers claim to have seen it all! According to Ken Rich, one of the local Tomberlin Dealers in The Villages, FL, “Tomberlin’s integration of power steering is brilliant. Smooth, in control and a blast to drive. Without a doubt the Emerge SS Coupe will be a hot seller.” One of the first customers to evaluate it over a two-week period was Bill Frishette who stated it this way – “You guys hit it out of the park with power steering. This is going to be big!“
On the west coast, the first day the SS Coupe hit their showroom Stephanie Finley responded with this quote – “The customer response to the SS Coupe is incredible!” After her first drive she summed it up in one word, “Yes!”
Within days of their announcement, Tomberlin’s first 2 production runs of the Coupe and Saloon were fully allocated to their authorized Dealers. “Our Nordic Group heritage of being first-to-market will continue to reflect our absolute commitment to keep our Dealers stocked with product that simply delivers a remarkable consumer experience. As our Dealers begin to demonstrate to consumers the ease of operation with Tomberlin’s EPS we’ll incorporate power steering into other models and continue to own the ride in the electric personal vehicle market,” stated Chris Plummer, vice president of the consumer group for the Columbia Vehicle Group.
Tomberlin’s focus on disruptive value expansion is quickly making the brand the most highly sought after EV dealership in America. Tomberlin’s electric power steering feature is currently available in their new 2018 Emerge SS Coupe and SS Saloon. These two new models are designed to carry 2, 4 or 6 passengers – all featuring electric power steering, low profile 14” radial tires, custom tooled wheels, super bright LED headlights, exclusive Tomberlin red color codes by PPG, layered upholstered seats, redesigned a-arms, longer shocks, lengthened sway bar and a customized steering wheel with a matching graphite dash package. All delivered to their dealers for the same price as the 2017 SS model. For more information, visit www.nordicgroup.com.
