Volkswagen Passat CC gets a bit Sexier with New R-Line Sports Package

Volkswagen is adding a sportier touch to its Passat CC model with the European market launch of an 'R-Line' equipment package that was previewed at the Frankfurt Motor Show last September. Sadly though, the R-Line model is simply about cosmetic and convenience features as the package does not include any sort of performance upgrades.

On the outside, the R-Line sports package adds 17-inch or optionaly, 18-inch "Mallory" alloy rims with 235/45 tires, special emblems, smoked tail lights and a subtle aero kit comprising of a front spoiler and side skirts.

Inside, the Passat CC R-Line gains four customized tread plates in aluminium and a three-spoke leather-trimmed steering wheel with multifunction buttons. The standard front fog lights and the Park Pilot system complete the package.

The Passat R-Line leaves few wishes unfulfilled; even the base version of the Passat CC includes comfort and convenience features like sport seats and a climate control system.

European buyers can order the R-Line package on all Passat CC engines, with prices starting at €2,200 or around US$2,700 for the Passat CC fitted with the 2.0 TDI 140HP diesel and a six-speed manual gearbox.

New Volkswagen Passat Highline Plus for the UK Market

A higher-spec trim-level has been added to the Volkswagen Passat and Passat Estate range in the UK. Building on the standard Highline model, the Highline Plus adds chrome grille surround and louvres, Bluetooth telephone connectivity with touchscreen adaptor, as well as Volkswagen's RNS 310 satellite navigation unit with integrated radio and MP3-compatible CD player.

This version also includes all the features of the standard Passat Highline including ABS and ESP, six airbags, 17-inch alloy wheels, semi-automatic climate control, cruise control and leather upholstery

The new Passat Highline Plus models carry a premium of £750 over the standard Highline with prices starting at £20,515 RRP 'on the road' for the 2.0-litre TDI 110 PS sedan and £21,715 for the Estate.

Volkswagen's 2011 U.S.-Made Passat Replacement More Realistically Rendered

Just last week, Volkswagen released a second teaser sketch of its new mid-size sedan that will go on sale in the fall of 2011 replacing the Passat in its North American lineup. However, if history has taught us anything, chances are that the actual production model will be even less exciting than the initial sketches suggest. With this in mind, Eduardo Oliveira from Brazil's 'Irmaododecio' used both drawings from VW to come up with a more realistic take on the new model.

Needless to say, it's anyone's guess if Oliveira's rendering comes close or not to Volkswagen's forthcoming proposal in the mid-size sedan segment.

The yet to be named sedan will be built at Volkswagen Group of America's new Chattanooga, Tennessee production facility.

Via: Imaododecio (Thanks to Eduardo for the tip)

Volkswagen Releases New Teaser of U.S.-Made Passat Replacement

A few months after publishing the first sketch of its forthcoming mid-size sedan that will be produced at a new factory currently being built in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Volkswagen's American division came out today with yet another sketch of its Honda Accord rival that's destined to go on sale in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2011. The picture of the still-to-be-named sedan suggests that the car's looks will more or less fall in line with the current Passat and Jetta.

The German automaker hasn't released many details on the sedan other than it will be similar in size to the Passat offering "spacious legroom", "a large trunk" and "numerous cupholders" (...) with power being provided by the firm's latest Fuel-Stratified Injection (FSI) gasoline and TDI diesel engine units, coupled to a dual-clutch transmission.

The new mid size sedan will essentially replace the Passat in North America (but not Europe) slotting between the smaller Jetta and the sportier looking and more premium, Passat CC "four-door coupe".

VW Adds new Sporty R-Line Trim to Passat Sedan and Estate Ranges

Volkswagen is enhancing it Passat sedan and Estate ranges in Britain with the addition of its sporty R-Line trim that is already offered on other models like the Tiguan SUV. Based on the entry-level S model and available with the same engine choices, the R-Line carries a premium of £600 over the S but comes with an additional £2,470 worth of equipment that includes 17-inch 'Monte Carlo' alloy wheels and an 'R' styling pack with front, side and rear skirts as well as chrome louvres and grille surround.

Key additions to the interior include cruise control, height adjustment and lumbar support on both front seats, a front centre armrest and leather multifunction steering wheel, as well as an electronic tire pressure monitoring system.

As with the S model, the R Line is offered with 1.4-litre TSI 122HP and 1.8-litre TSI 160HP petrol units and two 2.0-litre common rail TDI diesel engines producing 110 or 140HP. The higher powered diesel is available with the option of a six-speed DSG automatic gearbox while all other engines come with a standard six-speed manual gearbox.

With the presentation of the R-Line, VW decided to drop the Sport and SEL trims from the Passat's range.

2012 Volkswagen Passat Test Mules Hit the 'Ring

The first test mules of Volkswagen's next-generation Passat sedan are slowly starting to break cover on and around the Nurburgring race track, as the German automaker moves ahead with the development of the mid-size sedan that is expected to hit the market sometime in 2012. It's still too early for specific details but the photos reveal that the new Passat will most likely sit atop a longer and wider platform - notice the stretched B-pillar and the extended wheelarches on the test mule that uses the body of the current generation Passat.

Like most new vehicles today, it is almost certain that Volkswagen will equip the new Passat with a revised engine line up promising to offer better fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions.

Via: Worldcarfans

VW Testing Chinese Passat Lingyu fuel-cell vehicles in the States

Volkswagen of America announced today that it has 'imported' 16 Passat Lingyu fuel-cell vehicles from China to use in fleet demonstrations at the California Fuel Cell Partnership in Sacramento, California. These prototype fuel-cell vehicles that are based on the domestic version of the Passat were developed in China as part of a joint effort between VW Shanghai, Tongji University and Volkswagen Group Research. They were first revealed at last summer's 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

"These vehicles logged nearly 50,000 miles in Beijing - with zero harmful emissions. We can think of no better place to next exhibit this environmentally-friendly technology than at the California Fuel Cell Partnership," said John Tillman, program manager for Volkswagen's U.S. Advanced Powertrain Research Program.

The hydrogen fuel cells are located in the car floor of the Passat Lingyu. The fuel cell system develops a peak power of 55 kW. The energy obtained by converting hydrogen (H) into water (H2O) is fed into a lithium-ion battery which is located under the rear bench seat and has a capacity of eight Ampere-hours (Ah) at 376 Volt (V).

VW claims that the Passat Lingyu is capable of traveling at highway speeds up to 90 mph (145 km/h) and as far as 146 miles (235 km) on a single tank of fuel with the only byproduct released from the tailpipe being water and oxygen.

VW Releases Teaser Sketch of U.S Market 2011 Mid-Size Sedan - Larger than the Passat

On Thursday, Volkswagen's North American arm released the first-ever teaser sketch of its forthcoming mid-size sedan codenamed NMS that will be manufactured at the company's first U.S. production facility in more than 20 years, located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The sketch reveals that the yet to be named saloon will be more 'wedgy' and squared-off than Volkswagen's current proposals with the front-end design bringing to mind the fascia of the German automaker's latest concept car, the BlueSport Roadster.

It is said that the NMS will be slightly larger than the current-generation Passat with Volkswagen promising that it will feature "spacious legroom", a "large trunk volume" and numerous cupholders - we didn't say that, VW did.

During an official presentation in Berlin, Germany, last October, VW officials said that their North American market mid-size sedan will be offered with the firm's latest Fuel-Stratified Injection (FSI) gasoline and TDI diesel engine units, mated to a dual-clutch transmission. Production of the NMS is expected to begin in Chattanooga in early 2011.

Via: Autoweek

VW adds Seven-Speed DSG Option to Passat CC Range in the UK

Volkswagen's four-door, four-seat sport sedan, the Passat CC, is now available in the UK for order with the firm's seven-speed DSG gearbox. Offered exclusively with the 1.8-litre TSI 160 PS engine and in standard CC trim, the DSG improves the car's acceleration from a standstill to 62 mph to 8.5 seconds versus the manual's 8.6 seconds. Furthermore, it gives an improved fuel consumption figure on the combined cycle of 38.7 mpg UK (37.2 manual) while CO2 emissions are reduced to 172 g/km (178 manual).

Prices for the Passat CC 1.8 TSI start at £20,with the new DSG gearbox commanding a £1,243 premium. Prices for the rest of the Passat CC range rise to £30,492 for the GT 3.6-litre V6 which produces 300 PS.

Passat CC model line-up and pricing	Price, £ (OTR)
CC 1.8-litre TSI 160 PS 6 spd manual	20,622
CC 1.8-litre TSI 160 PS 7 spd DSG	21,865
CC 2.0-litre TDI 140 PS 6 spd manual	21,408
CC 2.0-litre TDI 140 PS 6 spd DSG	22,676
CC GT 2.0-litre TSI 200 PS 6 spd manual	22,717
CC GT 2.0-litre TSI 200 PS 6 spd auto tiptronic	23,960
CC GT 2.0-litre TDI 140 PS 6 spd manual	22,289
CC GT 2.0-litre TDI 140 PS 6 spd DSG	23,557
CC GT 2.0-litre TDI 170 PS 6 spd manual	23,170
CC GT 2.0-litre TDI 170 170 PS 6 spd DSG	24,438
CC GT 3.6-litre V6 4MOTION 300 PS 6 spd DSG	30,492

VW to Showcase Jetta, Passat CC and Tiguan SUV Concepts at SEMA

For the 2008 SEMA show Volkswagen will bring to Las Vegas a triplet of concept cars based on the Jetta TDI, Passat CC and the new Tiguan SUV respectively as well as an example of its 2009 Jetta TDI Cup race car (pictured above). The most interesting proposal appears to be the Tiguan Performance Concept. According to VW, the Tiguan study's appearance is upgraded with an exterior body kit while power comes from a 4-cylinder engine equipped with a three-stage turbo kit that helps it deliver an output of 312HP. The German automaker has yet to release any other details or pictures, but stay tuned on julino billym as we'll update this story as soon as we have more information.

Video: VW Reveals More Details on its U.S. Market Sedan

In spite of the industrywide crisis VW is pulling ahead with its plans to build its first U.S. production facility in more than 20 years in Chattanooga, Tennessee where it will produce a mid-size sedan designed specifically for North American consumers. Following the initial announcement in July, VW invited to Germany the Governor of the State of Tennessee, Phil Bredesen accompanied by a 50-strong delegation that included Chattanooga's Mayor, Ron Littlefield, and media representatives from the region. -Continued

During last week's presentation in Berlin, VW officials revealed the core values (see video below) of their forthcoming sedan codenamed NMS which stands for "New Midsize Sedan". The vehicle, that could possibly serve as a replacement for either the Passat or the Jetta in VW's North American range, will be offered with both FSI gasoline and TDI diesel engines. According to VW officials, among the requirements that must be met in order to satisfy U.S. consumers is the size and number of cupholders in the interior...

Work at the 2,000-employee, $1 billion manufacturing plant at Enterprise South industrial park in Chattanooga is scheduled to begin in November with the first vehicles expected to roll off the production lines in early 2011. Overall, VW plans to build around 150,000 vehicles a year at its new facility in Tennessee. As for when we'll get our first glimpse of the NMS, julino billym's sources report that VW most likely show off the car at the Detroit Auto Show in 2010.

(Video via: WRBCTV)

PRODUCT CONCEPT NMS

Market Requirements to Be Met:

• Spacious legroom
• Large trunk volume
• Number and size of cupholders
• ABS with front and rear disc brakes
• Airbags front/rear
• Child seat anchors
• High performance radio
• Interface for mobile devices

Volkswagen NMS Attributes:

• Superior driving dynamics
  
• Dynamic powetrain / acceleration
  
• Double clutch transmission (DSG)
  
• FSI engines
  
• TDI Engines
  
• Superior design transporting sustainable values
  

VW Passat BlueTDI: Cleanest Passat Ever to make Paris Debut

Volkswagen’s super-clean 2.0 BlueTDI engine is making its debut on the Passat Sedan and Variant at next week’s Paris motorshow. The revised 2.0-liter turbo diesel engine that develops an output of 143 HP is combined with VW’s SRC catalytic converter that reduces nitrogen dioxide (NOx) emissions by up to 90 percent. According to VW, the new Passat BlueTDI complies with the strict Euro-6 emission standards that won’t go into effect in Europe before 2014. -Continued

Despite the 3 horsepower increase in output, Volkswagen claims that the 2.0 BlueTDI consumes up to 0.4–liters of diesel per 100 km less than the equivalent Passat models equipped with the conventional 140HP 2.0 TDI. In the case of the Passat Variant BlueTDI that means an average fuel consumption of 5.5 lt/100 km or 42.8 mpg with a CO2 figure of 144 gr/km, and in the Passat sedan, 5.2 l/100 km or 45.2 mpg and 139 g / km of CO2.

The Passat BlueTDI Sedan and Variant will be offered with a standard 6-speed manual gearbox and optionally, with a 6-speed dual clutch semi-automatic transmission. Sales are expected to begin in Europe in early 2009 with other markets following later in the year.

VW Launches New Aero Kits for Scirocco and Passat CC

At the Automechanika Show in Frankfurt that opened its doors to the public today, Friday, September 16, Volkswagen released a series of aerodynamic accessories for the new Passat CC and Scirocco models. For the Passat CC, Volkswagen has developed a new front lip spoiler as well as a trunk lid spoiler while the Scirocco (see 55 high-res images here) gets a more complete kit that consists of a front bumper spoiler, side sills, a rear bumper fascia and a discreet roof spoiler. -Continued

Via: Le Blog Auto , Source: Volkswagen

VW Passat CC Gold Coast 3.6 V6 Debuts at Pebble Beach

Like many other automakers, VW also presented a special edition model at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance classic car show (August 15-17, 2008). Based on the Passat CC with the 280 HP 3.6-liter V6 matted to a 6-speed DSG double-clutch transmission, the Gold Coast edition boasts additional luxury and performance extras like the unique tri-coat paint featuring a mix of gold, brown and silver tones, a ground effects package with front and rear spoilers, new 19-inch alloy wheels and four leather sports seats with bronze piping and matching accents on the dash and door trim. The VW Passat CC is scheduled to arrive in the U.S. during the fourth quarter of 2008, with a starting price under $27,000. -Image gallery after the jump

ABT Tunes the VW Passat CC

VW Group tuning specialist ABT has launched the first wave of products for the new Volkswagen Passat CC. Though ABT’s visual package is still pending, the Kempten based tuner offers power upgrades for both the 1.8 TSI (from 160 to 200 Hp) and 2.0 TSI (from 200 to 240 Hp) petrol engines. In the forthcoming weeks, ABT will also offer a power kit for the 2.0 TDI diesel engines, upgrading the 140 Hp version to 170 Hp and the 170 Hp version to 190 Hp. Buyers can also add a sport suspension kit along with new 18 or 20-inch alloy wheels in two different designs. –Photos after the jump