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Volkswagen Passat revealed : First plug-in hybrid drivetrain for nameplate

The new-generation Volkswagen Passat has been revealed in both sedan and wagon guises at an official event in Germany.


Codenamed B8, the new Volkswagen Passat sedan is 2mm shorter at 4767mm than the current B7 model, although the wheelbase has grown by 79mm to 2790mm. This, according to Volkswagen, has increased the length of the passenger compartment by 33mm.

Measuring 1832mm wide, the new Passat is 12mm broader than the outgoing model, but the roof of the new car sits 14mm lower to the ground, reducing overall height to 1456mm.

The B8 Passat is an all-new model based on Volkswagen's flexible MQB architecture. The new car weighs up to 85kg less than its forebear and is said to be around 20 per cent more fuel efficient.

Boot space in both sedan and wagon body styles has been increased. A total of 586L worth of stuff can be crammed into the new Passat sedan's trunk, 21L more than possible in the B7.

The wagon's rear cargo bay can accommodate 650L worth of gear when the seats are up, 47L more than the outgoing version. A total of 1780L of luggage space is available when the seats folded down.

When the new Passat goes on sale across Europe there will be a selection of 10 different engines to choose from. On the petrol-powered side of the ledger, power outputs will range from 89kW to 209kW. For diesel buyers the most powerful engine has 179kW of power at its beck and call.

In Europe at least, the new Passat will be available in front- and all-wheel drive forms.

The new B8 Passat will feature the nameplate's first plug-in hybrid drivetrain. Volkswagen says that the plug-in hybrid is capable of up to 50km of electric-only motoring on a fully charged battery. The drivetrain is capable of delivering 157kW of power from its 115kW turbocharged petrol engine and 80kW electric motor.

High-grade models in the new range will be equipped with LED headlights, as well LED tail-lights. Inside, the new Passat features air vents which are stylistically integrated into the dividing line between the upper and lower sections of the dashboard.

As part of Volkswagen's desire to push the Euro Passat upmarket, the new car will available with a wide selection of tech kit. Top models can be had with a fully configurable LCD display, dubbed Active Information Display, in place of the regular instrument cluster.

Parking assistance is bolstered by a bird's-eye camera view, and object detection not just at the front and back, but also along the car's sides. Other electronic helpers include autonomous emergency braking, trailer assistance, and traffic jam assistance, which combines lane keeping assistance and automatic distance control.

The new Volkswagen Passat will go on display at the Paris motor show at the beginning of October. Volkswagen Australia has confirmed the new Passat will reach our market in late 2015.

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