Super Saloon

摘要

The new model looks set to take re-establish the Passat as the most desirable family or fleet car, the mid-range SEIDI expected to be the best-seller. IT'S A TOUGH act to follow. The B5 Passat, introduced in 1997 and facelifted in 2001, is one of Volkswagen's biggest successes. It turned around the image of the Passat from dull to desirable, the Audi A4-based chassis offering a combination of technical prowess, performance and handling, along with an upmarket image. It soon became the class leader, setting a new benchmark which rival manufacturers, most notably Ford with the Mondeo, could only follow. Now Volkswagen has taken things a step further upmarket, but - rather ironically - by basing its prestige saloon on the same platform as the volume-selling hatchback. Indeed, the new Passat, which went on sale in the UK in mid June, is a complete departure both in terms of mechanical basis and styling, Using basically the same platform and drivetrain as the new Golf, with transverse engine and multilink rear suspension, it is also endowed with much more glamorous styling. Designed to appear much more expensive than it is, the new Passat borrows many elements from the flagship Phaeton, with its V-shaped bonnet lines and chrome trimmed grille, plus distinctive circular LED rear lights. It's now a very impressive looking vehicle, more like an executive saloon than a company car.