Volkswagen Passat CC unveiled at Detroit
Volkswagen has unveiled the latest addition to its passenger car line-up at the North American International Auto Show – the elegant new Passat CC.Drawing on the virtues of the Passat model the new four-seat CC model debuts not only a new look but also pioneering new comfort, safety and dynamic technologies.
Featuring the profile and subtly aggressive stance of a coupé yet benefiting from four doors and four individual seats with plentiful headroom the new Passat CC combines the virtues of desirability with practicality. The nose features elegantly contoured light units framing a set of sculpted airdams that mix aesthetic appeal with functionality. Integrated into the front of the vehicle are a set of sensors for Volkswagen’s Lane Assist and Park Assist systems.
Lane Assist is a safety system designed to guide the vehicle automatically should it sense that the car is inadvertently drifting out of the desired lane on a motorway. The system is switched off as soon as the indicators are engaged – the driver can override the system at any time. Park Assist, available on both the Tiguan and Touran models, allows the vehicle to guide itself into a parallel parking space with the help of sensors placed around the vehicle. Although the vehicle is responsible for steering inputs the driver retains control of the throttle and braking systems at all times. Both systems will be offered as an option on the new Passat CC.
The Passat CC’s contoured glasshouse incorporates a large, panoramic roof section measuring 750 mm in length and 1,120 mm in width, lending the interior a bright, airy feel. At the rear the bootlid blends into the rear window to allow a wide, practical opening. Intersecting the boot is a subtle aerodynamic wing framed by a pair of twin lens rear light units.
The new Passat CC measures 4,796 mm long and 1,856 mm wide – a gain of 31 mm in length over the standard Passat and 36 mm in width. Accordingly the rear track grows by 16 mm while the front track is widened by 11 mm. The sleek new profile accounts for a 50 mm reduction in the overall height of the vehicle.
The new look continues inside the vehicle. A new steering wheel featuring controls for the phone and entertainment systems sits behind new dials in the cowelled instrument pack. New finishes including the option of wood or aluminium are complemented by a subtle new ambient lighting system. Beneath the optional touchscreen satellite navigation system are revised controls for the climate control. The front seats can be specified with integrated heating systems for the winter and cooling systems for the summer – technology previously only available on the Phaeton. In the rear a set of sculpted individual seats are joined by a storage cubby between the two passengers.
Sharpened styling is joined by sharper dynamics. The new Passat CC features the option of Dynamic Drive Control or DDC. Offering three settings – comfort, normal and sport – the system acts not only on the damper units to firm up or soften the ride but also changes the characteristics of the electro-mechanical steering system to suit a more comfort- or sport-orientated driving style. Models without optional DDC adopt conventional damper units tuned to provide a sporty yet refined ride.
At the heart of the new Passat CC is a choice of three petrol and two diesel engines. The entry level petrol engine is a 1.8-litre TSI unit developing 160 PS and 184 lbs ft of torque linked to a choice of six-speed manual or the advanced new seven-speed DSG gearbox. The 1.8-litre TSI engine allows the Passat CC to sprint to 62 mph in 8.6 seconds before achieving a top speed of 137 mph.
The second petrol engine, the 2.0-litre TSI, raises power to 200 PS while torque peaks at 206 lbs ft. Despite its modest displacement the 2.0-litre engine in the Passat CC allows it to reach a maximum of 147 mph, the sprint to 62 mph from standstill takes just 7.9 seconds. The 2.0-litre TSI engine is available with a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox.
Topping the range is the potent 3.6-litre V6 FSI engine developing 300 PS and 223 lbs ft of torque channelled via 4MOTION four-wheel drive and a six-speed DSG gearbox. A top speed of 155 mph can be achieved while the Passat CC equipped with the 3.6-litre engine has the ability to sprint to 62 mph in 5.6 seconds.
Two new common rail diesel engines will also be offered in 140 PS and 170 PS guises linked to either six-speed manual or DSG gearboxes. The 140 PS model develops 236 lbs ft of torque and can achieve 62 mph in 9.8 seconds before reaching a top speed of 132 mph. The 170 PS diesel, which develops 258 lbs ft, cuts the 0 to 62 mph time to 8.6 seconds and raises the top speed to 140 mph.
The new Passat CC benefits from a comprehensive range of safety features including up to eight airbags and an advanced Electronic Stabilisation Programme (ESP).
Production of the new Passat CC commences at the Volkswagen Emden factory in the spring before UK sales start in late summer. Prices and specifications will be announced closer to launch.
