Manufacturer Volkswagen Model years 2015-present | Production 2014-present Class Mid-size car (D) | |
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Also called VW Passat GT (South Korea) Assembly Germany: Emden, Lower Saxony
Germany: Mosel/Zwickau, Saxony | ||
The Volkswagen Passat (B8) is a Mid-size car manufactured by Volkswagen that is available in a 4-door saloon and 5-door estate body style sold as "Variant." It was first introduced at the Volkswagen Design Center Potsdam on 3 July 2014. The B8 is the eighth-generation model in the Volkswagen Passat series and the first passenger vehicle of Volkswagen Group to be based on a stretched version of the MQB platform. With this generation, Volkswagen intends to move the Passat nameplate upmarket by introducing improved driving quality, better interior materials and newly developed driving assists, placing it against similar European offerings such as the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, as well as its in-house stablemate the Audi A4.
Contents
The B8 is assembled in the Emden and Zwickau Volkswagen production plants in Germany. Initial sales of European domestic market models began in November 2014.
The GTE, a plug-in hybrid version, was introduced at the 2014 Paris Motor Show. It will be available for sale during the second half of 2015 in Europe.
Development
Being based on the MQB platform, the B8 Passat has more interior space than the last generation model despite being minimally shorter and 18 mm (0.7 in) lower than the last generation model. As the front wheels have been moved forward, its wheelbase has been extended by 79 mm (3.1 in), resulting in a shorter front overhang and a bigger cabin. The B8 Passat also weighs 73 kg (160.9 lb) less, due to the usage of lightweight vacuum-formed steel, and is only offered with turbocharger-equipped engines ranging from 1.4 to 2.0 litre to keep weight and fuel consumption as low as possible.
Driving assists
The B8 Passat is available with several optional driver assistance systems that are aimed to improve driving comfort and safety, the most notable being "Emergency Assist", "Traffic Jam Assist" and "Trailer Assist." Emergency Assist will attempt to reactivate the driver after steering feedback hasn't been detected for a period of time and will also transmit warning signals to its nearby surroundings. If the reactivation has failed, the vehicle will be stopped at a safe location. Traffic Jam Assist is capable of moving the vehicle in a traffic jam as long as the average speed does not exceed 60 km/h (37.3 mph). Trailer Assist allows automatic parking with an attached tow trailer.
Powertrains
The B8 Passat was initially available with two TSI petrol and four TDI diesel powertrains that produce more power than their equivalents from the B7 without changing displacement. The 2.0 TDI engine is available in three configurations, with two being equipped with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysators to reduce the emission of nitrogen oxide.
Every engine with the exception of the SCR-equipped 2.0 TDI engines is mated to a six-speed transmission but may be also ordered with a six-speed or seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. A 4Motion all-wheel drive drivetrain is available as standard for the strongest SCR TDI engine and optional for the weaker variant.
In 2015, four additional petrol and two diesel engines will become available. As of February 2015, the German model received two more powerful petrol engines.
Passat GTE
The plug-in hybrid powertrain of the Passat GTE was previously utilised by the Volkswagen Golf GTE and Audi A3 Sportback e-tron but is featured with a larger battery pack in this model. The GTE has an 85 kW three-phase permanent magnet synchronous electric motor, coupled with a 9.9 kWh lithium-ion battery capable of an all-electric range of 50 km (31 mi) and a total range of 965 km (600 mi). When paired with the 1.4 liter ACT-equipped TSI petrol engine, it will deliver a fuel economy of 2.0 l/100 km (140 mpg‑imp; 120 mpg‑US) equivalent on the New European Driving Cycle, corresponding to CO2 emissions lower than 45g/km. Top speed is 219 km/h (136 mph). The Passat GTE is set to go on sale in the UK in mid-2015, with deliveries expected in October 2015. In the Netherlands, pre-orders were opened on February 6, 2015. Pricing will be announced in May 2015, with deliveries expected to start in September 2015.
Passat Alltrack
The Passat Alltrack was introduced late 2015 for European markets and early 2016 for Australian and New Zealand markets. The main differences for the Alltrack compared to a normal Passat Estate 25mm of added ground clearance compared to a normal Passat Estate for a total of 174mm, body cladding, and 4MOTION standard across the range. There are more smaller changes, for example matte chrome wing mirrors, underbody protection, and Alltrack badging in the front, side, and rear. There are also interior changes, mainly adding Alltrack branding. Exclusive to the Alltrack is an off-road mode in the driving mode selector. There is 639 litres of boot space, 11 down from a normal Passat Estate.
Powertrains consist of one TSI and three TDI engines, carried over from the regular Passat. Only the 150 PS TDI engine is offered with a manual 6-speed gearbox, while all other models come with VW's dual-clutch DSG gearbox. The 4MOTION system used in the Alltrack is a normally front-biased Haldex system.