The three-day trip began in Maidstone, England, where the Passat's tank was drained and filled with 77.25 liters (20.41 US gallons) of diesel. The journey finally ended close to Calais after 1,526.63 miles (2,456.87 km), the equivalent of driving halfway from New York to Los Angeles.
Now, we all know you can't and you shouldn't buy a car based upon looks or preliminary specs alone. It's the whole package that counts. However, in this case, we simply want to find out which one of these new family sedans captured your attention for the right reasons.
Place your vote in the poll after the jump and be sure to have your say in the comments section.
Said new panels extend the car by 4 millimeters (4,769 mm for sedan, 4,771 mm Estate), while the width and height remain the same at 1,820 mm and 1,474 mm, respectively.
Up front, the nose gets a more attractive grille / headlight treatment and is more in-line with VW's current styling. On the outer edges of the new, chromey grille reside LED running lights. At the rear, the tail lights get chrome accents and blend nicely with the sharper lines of VW's family saloon.
In an effort to stem the outpouring of criticism aimed directly at the recently-revealed B7 Passat, VW has released some more pics of the upcoming American NMS (New Midsize Sedan). Thankfully, we here in the States won't have to deal with the reskinned Passat and its - according to our readers - "boring" looks. Instead, we'll be getting a production version of the car seen here, Teutonic and built in Tennessee.
In a statement to the press, the German automaker said it plans to introduce four all-new or refreshed models in 2011 including the NMS mid-size sedan, Beetle, Tiguan and Eos.
Caught here in both four-door sedan and estate body styles while trailer testing, the new Passat is expected to receive a new front- and rear-end design that will bring it more in line with the automaker's latest products such as the Scirocco and more recently, the 2011 Jetta.
We'll agree with most members from the forum that the car's styling cues including the pronounced lower side lines and the shape of the fascia, as well as its relatively compact dimensions point towards the next generation of the Volkswagen Jetta (see a spy video of the 2011 model here).
According to Volkswagen, in 2013, the production Golf Blue-e-Motion that's powered by a 115HP electric motor will be joined by the new Up blue-e-motion city car (previewed by the Up! concept series) and the technically closely-related Jetta blue-e-motion.
In the same timeframe, the Lavida blue-e-motion sedan, which was shown in concept form at last week's Beijing Motor Show, will also launch in China.
This is Mk3 Passat Variant jacked up on a fancy new chassis (somehow I don't think it's as high-tech as Aston's One-77), and the rest...well, watch the videos for yourself. Looks like oodles of rollover-bound fun.
Hit the jump to check out the rear passenger area of both the four- and five-seat versions of the Passat CC.
On the outside, the R-Line sports package adds 17-inch or optionaly, 18-inch "Mallory" alloy rims with 235/45 tires, special emblems, smoked tail lights and a subtle aero kit comprising of a front spoiler and side skirts.
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nside, the Passat CC R-Line gains four customized tread plates in aluminium and a three-spoke leather-trimmed steering wheel with multifunction buttons. The standard front fog lights and the Park Pilot system complete the package.
The Passat R-Line leaves few wishes unfulfilled; even the base version of the Passat CC includes comfort and convenience features like sport seats and a climate control system.
European buyers can order the R-Line package on all Passat CC engines, with prices starting at €2,200 or around US$2,700 for the Passat CC fitted with the 2.0 TDI 140HP diesel and a six-speed manual gearbox.
A higher-spec trim-level has been added to the Volkswagen Passat and Passat Estate range in the UK. Building on the standard Highline model, the Highline Plus adds chrome grille surround and louvres, Bluetooth telephone connectivity with touchscreen adaptor, as well as Volkswagen's RNS 310 satellite navigation unit with integrated radio and MP3-compatible CD player.This version also includes all the features of the standard Passat Highline including ABS and ESP, six airbags, 17-inch alloy wheels, semi-automatic climate control, cruise control and leather upholstery
The new Passat Highline Plus models carry a premium of £750 over the standard Highline with prices starting at £20,515 RRP 'on the road' for the 2.0-litre TDI 110 PS sedan and £21,715 for the Estate.
Just last week, Volkswagen released a second teaser sketch of its new mid-size sedan that will go on sale in the fall of 2011 replacing the Passat in its North American lineup. However, if history has taught us anything, chances are that the actual production model will be even less exciting than the initial sketches suggest. With this in mind, Eduardo Oliveira from Brazil's 'Irmaododecio' used both drawings from VW to come up with a more realistic take on the new model.Needless to say, it's anyone's guess if Oliveira's rendering comes close or not to Volkswagen's forthcoming proposal in the mid-size sedan segment.
The yet to be named sedan will be built at Volkswagen Group of America's new Chattanooga, Tennessee production facility.
Via: Imaododecio (Thanks to Eduardo for the tip)
