Volkswagen reveals new eighth-gen Passat saloon and estate, coming early 2015
Volkswagen has taken the wraps off the next-gen Passat at a ceremony at the Volkswagen Design Centre in Potsdam, Germany.
The new car, which will debut at the Paris Motor Show later this year, is the eighth incarnation of the Passat, a model which has sold more than 23 million examples over the past 41 years.
The Wolfsburg-based company claims that the new Passat has been redesigned from the ground up, complete with new technology and new engines.
The empty weight has been reduced by as much as 85kg and fuel economy has been improved by up to 20%. This eighth-generation Passat will also be the first to be offered with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain.
With a total length of 4,767mm, the new model is very marginally shorter than the car it replaces, but it has a 79mm longer wheelbase, meaning the cabin is roomier and more comfortable.
The Passat is also lower than its forebear, as the roofline has been dropped by 14mm.
The engine orientation has been changed, so the bonnet can be lowered and the cabin moved towards the rear to create an impression of a premium vehicle and all models get LED rear lights and either halogen or LED headlights, further increasing the impression of quality.
New technologies feature prominently in the Passat’s interior, such as the Active Info Display, which replaces the instrument cluster with a configurable 12.3in TFT display.
There is also a heads-up display, the latest version of VW’s infotainment system, a 360-degree Area View function and, in a world first, the Trailer Assist system, which assists with reversing with a trailer attached.
Aside from the plug-in hybrid, the highlight of the new engines is set to be a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, bi-turbo diesel with 240hp and 500Nm of torque. This high-performance engine will be available with a new seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox and 4MOTION all-wheel drive.
The new Passat will go on sale in Britain before the end of the year, with the first deliveries expected in early 2015.