The Germans are the kings of luxury saloons. Known as, “German’s Big Three”, Audi, BMW and Mercedes will be the first to enter your mind. But what about British marques, such as Bentley or Rolls-Royce I hear you say. Well, once the hallmark of British aristocratic motoring, these too are now under German rule, having been acquired by Volkswagen and BMW after the British management worked themselves into a bit of financial Black Pudding. And now, with the global financial crisis far from over and being fueled by America’s myopia, Volkswagen have introduced a very sensible and luxurious new Passat.

Now in its seventh generation, the Volkswagen Passat has always been a solid and dependable sedan, with no shortage of performance either – there was even a 220 kW range-topping R36 version available in select markets. With the latest iteration, however, Volkswagen have added dash of style, a sprinkle of performance and a dollop of technology to serve up a luxury saloon that is worthy of a double-take, even from fans of more popular German stables.

With sharper lines than its predecessor, the Passat’s redesign echoes its aspirations to hit the sharp-end of the D-segment sales charts. Sporting the familiar Volkswagen grille, optional bi-xenon headlights with daytime running lights and a front air-intake with chrome plated fins, the Passat draws more attention than one might expect. The Passat’s profile does nothing to hide its 4 769 mm length, but a strong character line, chrome side strip and 17-inch wheels, manage to keep things in proportion, while the tail-end features a set of wrap-around lights, underlined by more chrome.

Although available with plenty of optional extras – which can add R50 000 to the price of this, the entry-level Passat, without any effort – VW’s premium sedan is well equipped as standard. Inside you’ll find creature comforts and conveniences such as a multi-function leather steering wheel with aluminium inserts; a leather gearshift knob; iridium-look dashboard inserts; cruise control; 2-zone climatronic air conditioning system; 8-speaker radio/cd-player with MP3/WMA compatibility and auxilliary input. Other features that one may expect to find on the options list, but which are standard on the new Passat, are heated side mirrors, auto-dimming interior mirror, rain-sensing wipers and air-conditioned front seats with ‘Active Climate control’.

In typical Volkswagen fashion, the cabin’s ergonomics are well thought out, the fit and finish is class leading and, in a nod to luxury and traditional craftsmanship, there’s even an analog clock in the centre of the dashboard. All passengers have ample head, leg and shoulder room, while the boot is a cavernous 565-litres and has remote release levers for the 60:40 split folding rear seats.

The Passat is also one of the most refined sedans in its class, most notably in the low NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) levels. Volkswagen has added a thin plastic film to the windscreen, sandwiched between two layers of the glass, to help reduce noise transmission. Engine noise has also been reduced through the use of new sound deadening material mounted on the front bulkhead, wheelarches and in the dashboard. A newly designed engine mounting system ensures the engine is better isolated from the body and also contributes to the lack of wind and road noise.

Refinement is evident in the driving experience too, with a compliant suspension that soaks up all but the worst of bumps, while still remaining taught enough through most corners to offer a reassuring sense of grip on the road. Perhaps VW’s engineers could have added a bit more rebound damping to the four-link suspension at the rear, as the car does have a slight pogo stick effect, but otherwise the Passat remains true to steering inputs and offers good mid-corner composure for its size.

The 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine has been carried over from the previous generation Passat. With 250 N.m of torque from 1 500 r/min and maximum power of 118 kW at 5 000 r/min, the engine propels the Passat with vigor, although the tacho needs to be above the 3 000 r/min mark to achieve the swiftest progress. Although the engine remains unchanged for the new Passat, Volkswagen engineers have managed to reduce fuel consumption from 7.6 L/100km to 6.9 L/100km with corresponding CO2 emissions of 160 g/km. The slick-shifting 6-speed manual gearbox adds a welcome element of involvement to the Passat, which could be considered a little too ‘soft-pedaled’ by some, when equipped with the optional 7-speed DSG.

The Passat is fitted with all the safety equipment on might well expect in a car of this class. BAS (Brake Assist System) and EDL (Electronic Differential Lock) help to maintain traction and stability under testing or emergency conditions. ‘Rest Assist’ is an automatic fatigue detection system that monitors the driver’s inputs and emits an audible and visual warning when fatigue is detected. The system monitors driver behaviour for the first 15 minutes of every journey to establish a benchmark driving style in terms of acceleration, braking and steering action. If the driver begins to deviate from the calculated benchmark, the car will alert the driver with audible and visual warnings. Together with whiplash optimised head restraints, driver and passenger front airbags, frontside airbags, as well as front and rear curtain airbags, it comes as no surprise to know that the new Passat has earned a 5-star Euro NCAP rating.

To reiterate our first impressions of the Passat: With a well equipped interior, comprehensive list of standard equipment, adequate and smooth power delivery with composed handling, all wrapped up in fresh contemporary styling, the 2011 VW Passat stands out as a sensible choice in the upper D-segment.

What we like…

• Class-leading feel.
• Solid build quality.
• Good fuel economy combined with enough punch when needed.
• Generous interior and cargo space.

What we would like…

• A light on the driver’s instrument cluster to indicate when the handbrake’s auto-hold function is active.
• A faster response time from optional touchscreen Sat-Nav system.

Volkswagen won an amazing 34 ‘Lions’ in the 58th International Festival of Creativity in Cannes – a festival for creative professionals in the communications industry. The German automaker, which came away with more awards than ever before (8 Gold, 14 silver and 11 Bronze), also won a ‘Titanium Lion’ for its ‘Think Blue’ BlueMotion campaign.

However, the star of the show was, of course, ‘The Force’, Volkswagen’s extremely successful TV ad that features a Lilliputian-sized Darth Vader and the new Passat. This ad alone, which has been watched by over 40 million viewers on Youtube, won three awards, two Gold and one Bronze.

“This is an incredible success and we are very proud of it because the awards acknowledge our work. These 34 ‘Lions’ are the direct result of our commitment to innovation and creativity in all fields,” said Luca de Meo, Head of Group Marketing and Head of Marketing at Volkswagen Passenger Cars.

The 2011 Volkswagen Passat is the latest incarnation of VW’s luxury sedan, which has seen its original design morph from a two-door hatchback in the 70’s, to the four-door sedan we see today in the 21st century. Yes, the Passat has been around for decades and, while not quite as popular on South African roads as its Golf and Jetta stablemates, the Passat has managed to rack up a sizeable sales figure of 15 million units around the world. Locally, Volkswagen South Africa (VWSA) are determined to move their new Passat up the sales charts with the latest rendition, which offers a number of clever features and innovations.

The Volkswagen Passat holds a market position just below the premium luxury saloon segment and as such, goes head-to-head against rivals like the Mazda6 and Hyundai Sonata, with VW confident of gaining a few would-be Lexus IS250, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class owners too.

At 4 769 mm, the new Passat is marginally longer, by 4 mm, than the generation it supercedes. The saloon’s width and height remain unchanged. Inside, passengers have ample room in both the front and rear, with a 60:40 split rear seat able to increase luggage capacity from the already cavernous 565-litres.

The new exterior styling brings the Passat in-line with the rest of the VW family, most notably in the front, with a new radiator grille that features four horizontal crossmembers. In addition, the front air intake is framed by chrome-plated fins, as are the front splitter and the window surrounds. Optional bi-xenon headlights with daytime LED running lights add to the Passat’s character, while the tail-end is less wedge-shaped than before and features wrap-around tail-lights, underlined by a chrome highlight strip.

Volkswagen has paid close attention to detail in their latest Passat, beginning with the car’s insulation. The windscreen features a thin plastic film, sandwiched between two layers of the glass to help reduce noise transmission. Engine noise has also been reduced through the use of new sound deadening material mounted on the front bulkhead, wheelarches and in the dashboard. Together with a newly designed engine mounting system to ensure that the engine is better isolated from the body, the Passat offers an impressive lack of wind and road noise.

The new interior look and feel is reassuring in its build and perceived quality. A revised soft-touch dashboard boasts new dials, trim finishes and an analogue clock joined by subtle chrome highlights. The area surrounding the gear lever has also been redesigned and now hosts the switch for the electronic parking brake and buttons for the auto hold function, ESP and – in versions with Keyless Access – the start button for the engine.

New front seats feature climate control as standard and have one of the most effective cooling systems I’ve sampled, including those of BMW and Aston Martin. Well bolstered, the seats offer enough support through corners and proved comfortable over the 250-plus kilometre launch route. In addition, the front head restraints are adjustable for height and reach to further counter the chances of whiplash in an accident.

What’s more, an automatic fatigue detection system monitors the driver’s inputs and emits an audible and visual warning when fatigue is detected. The system monitors driver behaviour for the first 15 minutes of every journey to establish a benchmark driving style in terms of acceleration, braking and steering action. If the driver begins to deviate from the calculated benchmark, the car will alert the driver with audible and visual warnings.

Technology extends to the engine bay too, with a choice of 1.8-litre TSI and 2.0-litre TDI engines. The 1.8 TSI was a popular choice in the previous generation Passat and has therefore been carried over to the new model. The engine offers 250 N.m of torque from 1 500 r/min and maximum power of 118 kW at 5 000 r/min. At the same time, Volkswagen engineers have managed to reduce fuel consumption from 7.6 L/100km to 6.9 L/100km with corresponding CO2 emissions of 160 g/km. The turbocharged petrol engine is available with either a slick-shifting 6-speed manual, or 7-speed DSG gearbox.

The 2.0-litre TDI common rail diesel engine produces 103 kW and 320 N.m of torque between 1 750 and to 2 500 r/min. It is available with a 6-speed manual or 6-speed DSG gearbox and VW claims it’ll sip 5.6 L/100km (6.4 L/100km when equipped with DSG) and CO2 emissions of 147 g/km (168g/km for DSG).

In terms of ride and handling, the 2011 Volkswagen Passat relies on a revised setup of that of the previous generation. This means a lightweight strut-type suspension, with low-mounted wishbones and control arms at the front, together with four-link suspension at the rear. The ride is comfortable, composed and capable of dealing with speeds far quicker than most Passat’s will be driven.

Safety is taken care of with an alphabet soup of electronic aids, including BAS (Brake Assist System) and EDL (Electronic Differential Lock). Another innovation is that of the emergency brake function, which uses the ABS and ESP systems to brake all four wheels when the parking brake lever is held continuously. Emergency braking stops as soon as the button is released. It therefore comes as no surprise to hear that the new Passat retains the 5-star Euro NCAP rating of its predecessor.

Optional equipment includes an electrically operated swiveling tow bar; electric rear sunblind; sunroof; electronic 12-way driver seat with memory function; as well as Park Assist, which provides automatic steering assistance to aid reverse parking.

With a well equipped interior, comprehensive list of standard equipment, adequate and smooth power delivery with composed handling, all wrapped up in fresh contemporary styling, the 2011 VW Passat stands out as a sensible choice in the upper D-segment.

Pricing includes a 3-year/120 000 km warranty and 5-year/100 000 km Volkswagen Automotion Plan.

The new Volkswagen Passat will soldier on in its career from the month of November when the restyling of the classic sedan, now in its seventh generation, will be available for sale. The new Passat is simply a change in look as the essential engine line-up and technical features remain unchanged. It’s 4.77 metres long, 1.82 metres wide and 1.47 metres tall, and has new LED lights and interior changes.

Most modifications are to remain on the optionals list and include some interesting accessories: Dynamic Light Assist, XDS electronic differential, Lane Assist, Side Assist and active cruise control and emergency braking are also available, which work in tandem at speeds less than 30 km/h. Seven engines are available in the line-up with four petrol models and three diesels.

The petrols range from the 1.4 TSI, to the 1.8 TSI, 2.0 TSI and the range-topping 3.6-litre V6 with 220 kW. The diesels are: 1.6 TDI and the 2.0 TDI available with either 103 kW or 125 kW.

Bluemotion technology is available on the 1.6 TDI, reducing fuel consumption to 4.2 l/100 km and emissions to 109 g/km of CO2.

The first examples of the new Passat are expected be go on sale in Europe in January 2011.

Adapted from EuroCarBlog

The production version of the Suzuki Kizashi sedan was officially revealed yesterday in a special launch event in Detroit. Built at Suzuki’s new manufacturing plant in Sagara, Japan, the Kizashi will serve as the company’s flagship model when it arrives in US showrooms later this year. Available in both front- and all-wheel drive versions, Suzuki’s Mazda6 and VW Passat rival will initially be offered with a 2,4-litre four-cylinder engine linked to either a 6-speed manual transmission or optionally, a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

While the Japanese automaker did not disclose any output figures for the base four-cylinder engine, Suzuki did reveal that other powertrain options are also under development for the Kizashi including a fuel efficient hybrid version that will be added to the lineup in the very near future.

Built on a brand-new platform, the Kizashi features MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link setup in the back, with Suzuki supporting that the sedan will offer drivers “a dynamic and exhilarating driving experience”.

An Electronic Stability Program and anti-lock braking system with electronic brake-force distribution as well as the Suzuki-developed synergetic vehicle dynamic control system that assists drivers control will be offered as standard on the Kizashi.

Measuring in at 4 650 mm long, 1 820 mm wide and 1 480 mm high with a wheelbase of 2 700 mm, the Kizashi is roughly the same size as the latest generation Audi A4 Sedan.

Despite the fact that the Kizashi originated from the Concept Kizashi series introduced over the last two years, the production model’s styling is far less dramatic, which is a shame as the concept study featured an extremely well executed design that received positive reactions from European and US consumers alike.

As for the mid-size sedan’s interior, Suzuki’s designers crafted an elegant looking dashboard that features an Alfa-esque instrument panel with two deeply set gauges and an uncluttered center console.

More details as well as US prices are expected to be released closer to the sedan’s sales launch in December. Suzuki has yet to announce when the Kizashi will arrive in other international markets.

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Adapted from CarScoop