Volkswagen Limousine to Rival Mercedes
In what is seen as an audacious move by one of Europe's largest automakers, Volkswagen has stunned show goers at the Detroit 2008 Motor Show with the launch of the Passat CC.
Beating BMW to the punch by releasing a 4-door coupe along the lines of the alluring Mercedes-Benz CLS limousine, Volkswagen has already given the new model the green light - it will be coming to a highway near you.
Based on the medium-sized Volkswagen Passat platform, the Passat CC has a passing resemblance to the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, with a curvaceous roof line and elegant body contours. It's got a glass roof so passengers can look at the clouds, and will offer the kind of high-tech luxury features you'd expect from BMW and Lexus, including a number of world-firsts claims VW.
The car's new Dynamic Drive Control (DDC) chassis control system combines the sportiness of a coupé and the comfort of a top sedan in one car. Climate control is nothing new, but the VW Passat CC will feature active climate seats, cooling occupants via tiny vents in the leather seats. Until now this feature was reserved for the Phaeton luxury sedan.
This will be one of Volkswagen's most luxurious cars. The new Volkswagen embraces differences. It is a coupé, yet has four doors; it offers supreme limousine like comfort whilst at the same time oozing pure dynamism. Its sporty interior is uncompromising yet spacious, according to VW.
Volkswagen has also paid an inordinate amount of attention to the execution of the exterior design, which suggests this will be one of the company's more expensive products. The car maker says these include "small details that have tremendous impact" such as new guide system for the side windows and the frameless coupé doors. Simply put, they produce a flush surface so the wind doesn't swirl as the car cuts through the air while driving, increasing the visual aesthetic while lowering wind noise.
Power will come from Volkswagen's current range of class-leading engines, which are also used by Audi in some instances. The range will comprise of both diesel and petrol 4- and 6-cylinder engines, with outputs ranging from 103kW (140hp) to 220kW (300hp).
Destined to compete with the likes of Mercedes’ CLS, the VW Passat CC should prove to be a big hit if priced well. Essentially the car is a Passat sedan with the long, curved roofline of a coupe.
