 In
the
past 32 years, Volkswagen sold more than 13 million Passats
worldwide, a remarkable figure for European mid-size sedans. However,
what made the Passat so impressive to me is not the first 3
generations – they looked really ugly – but the outgoing Mk 4
Passat. This car was easily the most memorable Passat in history. So
beautiful and elegantly styled. So impeccably built, like a premium
car twice the price. Oh yes, it actually shared the same platform
with Audi A4. Having successfully climbed up in social status, the 5th generation Passat is going to enjoy an easier life. It no longer needs to climb up anymore. Instead, Volkswagen boss Bernd Pischetsrieder wants to leave the Passat at its existing market position – more premium than Ford Mondeo / Renault Laguna, more affordable than Audi A4 / BMW 3-Series. To deliver a premium image, the new Passat takes advantage of the elegant styling theme established by the flagship Phaeton. From outside, it looks really like a small Phaeton, just younger, slimmer and more dynamic.  Interestingly,
in terms of mechanicals, it is more like a big Golf. The new Passat
is built on the Golf's PQ35 platform, with wheelbase extended to a
class-matching 2710 mm (from 2578mm) and body width increased
to
1820mm (from 1759mm). Sharing platform with Golf not only conforms to
Pischetsrieder's cost cutting policy but also gives the new Passat a
lot of advantages compare with the outgoing car. You might remember,
the previous Passat shared a fundamentally wrong chassis layout with
Audi A4 – the engine was mounted longitudinally in front of the
front axle and drove the front wheels. This layout was driven by the
need of using Audi's Quattro system (which was badged as 4motion in
the Passat). It made the car nose-heavy and it wasted a lot of space
up front. Instead, the Golf platform has its engine and gearbox
mounted transversely between the front wheels. This save a lot of
space, benefiting front passenger legroom, as well as improving
chassis balance. Another quantum leap of PQ35 platform is the use of 4-link rear suspensions instead of the old Passat's torsion-beam axle. As you know, multi-link suspensions keep the wheels better contact with the ground regardless of bumps and cornering force. This gives the new Passat superior grip and handling precision. It also allows softer suspension setting without ruining handling, hence superior ride suppleness. So, don't bother with the description “small Phaeton” or “big Golf”. The most important is that it works better in all respect.  The new
chassis is very strong. With a torsional rigidity of 32400Nm/degree,
it is 57% stiffer than the old Passat and exceeds all class rivals,
including the forthcoming Alfa Romeo 159 (back in February I still
thought it would be unpassable !). This must thanks to the use of
laser welding and 74% high-strength steel used throughout the
bodywork. You might think it must be heavy. No, Volkswagen took a lot of attention to weight reduction. For example, the high-strength steel are made by “warm-formed” process, which result in 20 kg less weight than conventional “cold-formed” process. Besides, the front MacPherson strut suspensions employ forged aluminum control arms and aluminum pivot knuckles etc. to save another 13 kg. That's why the new Passat is no heavier than the old car.  Like Golf,
the Passat is initially offered with the familiar 115hp 1.6 FSI,
150hp 2.0 FSI, 105hp 1.9 TDI and 140hp 2.0 TDI engine, all completed
with direct injection no matter petrol or diesel. While these engines
seemed not premium enough, in late 2005 Volkswagen will offer a
couple of more powerful and more refined engines: the superb 200hp
2.0 TFSI turbo engine (see Golf GTI and Audi A3 Sportback) and 250hp
3.2-litre FSI VR6. Both engines are wonderfully smooth and eager.
Expect the 2.0 turbo engine can push the Passat from 0 to 60 mph in
only 7.3 seconds, while the VR6 should be around 6 and a half
seconds. Benefited by a low Cd (0.28-0.29), they can top 147 mph and
155 mph respectively. What about the previous W8 engine? that state-of-the-art engine was the brain child of former Volkswagen boss Ferdinand Piech. Its mission was to bring Passat upmarket to compete with the like of Mercedes C-class, but it was proved too costly to build and was never a popular seller. Eventually, after just 11,000 units sold, Volkswagen terminated the W8 production in late 2004. The new Passat's engine bay cannot fit Audi's V8 either, so the best it can dream of is the company's forthcoming 3.6-litre VR6, which is said to be good for 280 horsepower - actually 5 more than the 4.0-litre W8. Rumour said it will be offered only to the Passat destined to the North America.  However,
before the arrival of these world-class premium engines, the 140 hp
TDI is the best of the bunch, because its superior torque provides
remarkable real-world acceleration that the other engines don't. What
a pity its pump injection is more gruffy than most other common-rail
diesel engines. A 170hp version of the engine is on the pipeline.
Instead of pump injection, it employs the third generation
common-rail technology with piezo injectors to deliver even higher
efficiency and, hopefully, real quietness. Volkswagen's direct injection 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrol engines are deemed to be competitive. They pump out remarkable horsepower and drink less fuel than most other rivals which still rely on indirect injection. However, like the diesel engines, they sound somewhat coarse at high rev. Like BMW and Mercedes, the Passat's basic engines fulfill the basic needs. If you want to enjoy true refinement and excitement, pay more for the 2.0 TFSI or VR6. In terms of transmission, Volkswagen is leading the industry. It is the only car maker capable to invest into 3 kinds of transmissions: the standard 6-speed manual, the optional 6-speed Tiptronic automatic and the 6-speed DSG gearbox (which is reserved for only VR6 and the top diesels). We have talked too much about technical specifications. Now let's relax and go to the human interface. The new Passat has a very roomy cabin, thanks to its highly efficient packaging. Both front and rear passengers have abundance of head and legroom. The 565 litres luggage space is also the biggest in the class.  The cabin
styling has strong German techno feel - neat, solid and ice-cool,
very different to the Japanese techno theme I recently mentioned in
the Toyota Mark X report. Unsurprisingly, the Volkswagen employs high
quality materials throughout the cabin - soft-touch plastics, chromed
dials, comfortable seats, fine textile and many controls with damped
feel. However, it does not set any new standard compare with the old
car, and many rivals have closed the gap recently. Anyway, this cabin feels remarkably quiet and refined. On the road, very little noise and shocks can enter the cabin, thanks to the immensely solid chassis, well-damped suspensions and remarkable decoupling via rubber bushings and subframes. In terms of noise level, it is even lower than Mercedes C-class. Only the gruffy noise from the pump-injection diesel engine upsets, but you can avoid this by choosing the 2.0 TFSI. The previous Passat handled and rode badly on uneven surfaces. The new car is another story. While its handling is not as sharp as BMW 3-series (it's still a front-drive machine with the majority of weight over the front axle), it corners fluently and predictably. Some keen drivers would prefer Ford Mondeo's firmer suspensions and more communicative steering, but undeniably the Passat delivers a better compromise between ride comfort and driving fun. That means Volkswagen Passat has finally beat Ford Mondeo to be the best of the class. It performs very well in almost all areas - styling, space, quality, performance, comfort and driving fun. Best of all, it looks and feels like a premium car without asking for too much money. In this respect, it is a big Golf and a small Phaeton simultaneously. |
| The above report was last updated on 18 May 2005. All Rights Reserved. |
In
1991, Volkswagen introduced a 174hp narrow-angle 2.8 VR6 in the Golf
Mk3 and, later, the contemporary Passat. However, as the next
generation Passat switched to longitudinal engine (because it shared
platform with Audi A4), VR6 was dropped from the Passat, replaced by
Audi's conventional V6. Now, the new Passat returns to transverse
engine layout, thus the unique VR6 also make its return to the Passat.
Transmitting
so much power through the front wheels won't be easy, so the
Haldex-clutch 4motion all-wheel-drive system is again called to serve
the car. The European Passat VR6 can sprint from rest to 60 mph in 6.6
seconds and top 153 mph. The American VR6 is barely faster, because it
carries 80 kg more and it uses a Tiptronic automatic gearbox instead of
the European car's dual-clutch DSG automated manual gearbox.
