Abstract: An automobile has a ventilation shaft extending lengthwise on the vehicle floor between the front seats, the shaft being connected to an air-conditioning system to ventilate the foot area of the rear seats. A console is displaceably mounted on the top of the ventilation shaft, with an air duct formed in the bottom area of the console. The duct communicates in an air-exchange relationship with the ventilation shaft. To use the console that can be displaced lengthwise for optimally providing the rear seat passengers with air that is either warmed or air-conditioned as desired, the opening of the air duct that is at the end of the console that faces the rear seats is configured to optionally close or open, and a plurality of air outlet openings is provided in the shaft wall of the ventilation shaft. The openings are arranged in series within the displacement range of the console and are each provided with a closing element. A control mechanism operates between the console and the closing elements.