We reported earlier that Volkswagen is expected to unveil the new generation Passat Saloon and Estate in July. Now, the company has officially announced that the new models will be unveiled in July ahead of their public premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October. Adding to it, the German manufacturer has revealed the technical details of the new Passat.
The 8th generation VW Passat is up to 85kg lighter than its predecessor which improves its fuel economy by up to 20 per cent. The company has used advanced material including high strength, hot formed steel and aluminium in certain areas to achieve this low weight. The exterior dimensions of the vehicle are slightly smaller than the previous Passat; however, the interior space is improved, with more leg-and head-room, as well as increased luggage space.
The new generation Volkswagen Passat gets new range of engines out of which the highlight is a high performance, 4-cylinder, 2.0-litre, bi-turbo diesel engine producing 240PS and a peak torque of 500Nm at 1,750rpm. The engine will be available only with a new seven-speed DSG gearbox and 4MOTION all-wheel drive. A plug-in hybrid model will also be offered, with potential to travel 31 miles (50km) on battery power alone, and with a potential maximum range of around 600 miles (965km).
The new VW Passat also gets several new technologies including the Active info Display, which replaces the instrument system, including the Car-New remote app; a further developed 360-degree Area View function; and the latest generation of Park Assist. Other safety technology include side assist with rear traffic alert; traffic jam assist, emergency assist, and the latest front assist system with City emergency braking, which optionally combines both radar and camera sensors to add pedestrian detection.
All new Passats will feature LED tail lights, while headlights will be halogen or LED. In conjunction with Dynamic Light Assist, one of the two LED headlight options automatically adjusts the beam for maximum illumination of the road without dazzling other traffic.
The UK sales for the new Volkswagen Passats will start before the end of this year, while the deliveries are expected to commence front early 2015. The vehicle will also make its way to the Indian market by the mid-2015.
