VW banks on safety and space to attract fleet drivers

摘要

Just as Ford has raised the bar with its new Mondeo, Volkswagen is refusing to be left behind and has been delivering the first units of its eighth-generation Passat to showrooms. It is an important car for Volkswagen's success in the company car sector, which accounted for almost 14,000 of the 19,658 previous model Passat saloons and estates registered last year. Only the Golf and Polo perform better for Volkswagen UK in the fleet market, according to SMMT data. With the new Passat range, Volkswagen is making the unusual move of launching with only diesel engines. All are Euro6-compliant, ranging from a 1.6-litre through a 2.0-litre in low- and high-power formats and on to a range-topping high-performance twin-turbodiesel with four-wheel drive. The decision is driven by the fleet sector's preference for diesels, despite the recent decline in petrol prices and negative headlines concerning diesel emissions.