After teasing with sketches and posters for months, Volkswagen has released the first official images of the next generation 2015 Passat that is scheduled to debut at the 2014 Paris Motor Show in October this year. As expected, the eighth generation Volkswagen Passat has evolved from its existing design language and is more dynamic-looking with the styling borrowed from concepts like the T-ROC and the NMC that were showcased earlier this year.
On the outset, the overall design gets more angular, sharper on the next generation Volkswagen Passat with clean lines followed throughout the car. The grille gets wider than the outgoing model and sports 3 horizontal slats lending a more upmarket and mature look to the sedan. The headlights are also more angular and feature the fun looking LED daytime running lights that come from the T-ROC concept. The bumper has been comprehensively changed that gets wider air intakes and new fog lamp enclosure, while the front hood gets bulbous and looks brawny.
The side profile remains quite similar to the outgoing Passat, but gets stronger lines running across, giving a leaner appearance to the sedan. The rear profile features the very sharp looking LED tail lights that are now a norm on the new generation Volkswagen models (also seen on the new Audi’s and the Skoda Superb). The rear bumper however is more rounded and gets trapezoidal shaped chrome-tipped exhausts. On the whole, the rear looks very clean and clutter free and is certainly pleasing to the eye.
While Volkswagen hasn’t revealed the technical details of the 2015 Passat yet, there is great deal that we already know about the sedan. On the outset, the next generation Passat is based on the MQB platform and is 85 kgs lighter over its predecessor, thanks to the use of high-tensile strength steel and aluminium in parts. The 2015 Volkswagen Passat is also 20 percent more fuel efficient over the outgoing model.
The 2015 Volkswagen Passat is 2 mm shorter than the older model but boasts of a 79 mm longer wheelbase, resulting in a bigger cabin than the outgoing model. This has been possible by moving the front wheels forward by 29 mm and pushing the rear wheels backwards by 17 mm. The Passat is now 12 mm wider, 14 mm lower and provides additional headroom and legroom. The boot capacity has also increased by 21-litres to a total of 586-litres. The automaker has made the cabin more upmarket with better quality plastics and upholstery that is visible.
Volkswagen has made the new Passat more tech friendly by plonking in a plethora of equipment and gadgetry on board. You get the new 12.3-inch TFT digital instrument cluster that is also seen on the Lamborghini Huracan, while the top-end variants will feature a heads-up display as well as Volkswagen’s new age touchscreen infotainment system, 360-degree Area View function and the latest generation Park Assist. In terms of safety tech, the 2015 Volkswagen Passat is loaded with features like Side Assist with Rear Traffic Alert; Traffic Jam Assist, Trailer Assist and the latest Front Assist system with City Emergency Braking, just to name a few.
Mechanically, the Passat will be offered with an array of petrol and diesel engine options, while a plug-in hybrid is also in play. The most important engine though has been the all-new 2.0-litre 4-cylinder bi-turbo diesel mill that produces 240 PS of power and 500 Nm of torque at 1750 RPM and will come with a very exclusive new 7-speed DSG automatic transmission and 4Motion four-wheel drive technology. The other very important model is the new plug-in hybrid variant making 211 PS of power and will come with a combined range of 966 kms, and a range of 49.6 kms on electric power alone. Apart from the bi-turbo diesel variant, all other models will feature a 6-speed manual transmission sending power to the front wheels.
The European version of the next generation Volkswagen Passat is expected to go on sale shortly after its Paris debut. However, deliveries for the sedan will commence in 2015 itself. The 2015 Passat will be available in sedan and estate versions, while the North American market is most likely to also get a coupe variant in the future.
