Volkswagen Middle East launches brand-new Passat

Volkswagen Middle East has launched the brand-new Passat, bringing peerless German engineering and new levels of affordable luxury and innovation to the region.

With more than 19 million Passat cars sold worldwide since 1973, the 2012 model is larger, more comfortable and sets benchmarks in safety, technology, space and luxury.

“A revolution in its category, the new Passat brings luxurious but affordable German-engineered motoring to the Middle East,” says Stefan Mecha, Managing Director, Volkswagen Middle East. “Competitively priced, the introduction to the model range starts at SAR 93,900, bringing with it high-end innovation and improvements in space, economy and efficiency.

“Volkswagen sedans have proved to be very popular in the region, and we are confident of similar success with the new Passat,” he added. “It’s an important car for us – it’s been perfectly matched to the needs of the Middle Eastern market, and we’re looking forward to offering sedan car drivers something new, fresh and exciting.”

Available with a 2.5 litre 170hp five-cylinder engine and a six-speed automatic gearbox, the new Passat range includes 16, 17 and 18-inch alloy wheels, electric seat adjustment, leather seats, a Fender sound system, radio-navigation system, front fog lights with static cornering lights, automatic climate control, ambiance lighting and keyless access engine starting and locking system.

Exterior styling – clear, minimal forms:

Refreshed exterior styling belies the fact that the new Passat is the largest ever, measuring 4.868m in length. Timeless, dominant styling is created with clear, minimal forms and lines with a predominance of horizontal body elements, reflecting Volkswagen’s unique design DNA.

Horizontal elements dominate the front with the headlights and grille forming a single unit, the latter sculpted into a three-dimensional shape, standing upright and making a more distinctive and elegant impression with stricter geometry.

A further air intake below the painted bumper is laterally bordered by chrome-plated winglets, and the front fog lights are integrated above the Passat’s front spoiler and racing-style front splitters.

From the side the Passat has a muscular appearance, with powerfully sculpted wheel arches emphasising the car’s dynamic properties. Neatly balanced, the roof lines flow towards the rear forming almost a coupe-like cut to the rear window, and together the three side windows create a long, extended glass surface that characterises the car’s side appearance.

The car’s rear section is also dominated by horizontal lines; the large two-piece taillights, with lines that rise towards the sides, are neatly integrated into both the bumper and boot lid, underscoring the dynamics of the elegant rear styling.

With a longer body, wider stance and extended wheelbase the new Passat offers occupants an impressive amount of interior room. Rear occupants in particular will enjoy an increase in seating space, and the car’s boot offers a 529-litre cargo capacity.

Interior – clean, formal and intuitive:

Like the exterior, the interior is also marked by a clean and geometric formal structure. The interior styling of the Passat consistently follows the maxims of functionality, and without exception the controls are designed to allow every driver to operate the car intuitively.

The instruments of the new Passat are similar to those of the Touareg; with smart chrome bezels, the tachometer and speedometer are split by a digital multifunction display.

A high-end chrome look is also applied to the air vents in the cockpit, and to the surrounds of the radio, navigation and climate control panels on the centre console. The rotary light switch and handbrake grip are also treated in chrome, and the upper and lower instrument areas are visually distinguished by various decorative accents, depending on the equipment version.

The exceptionally comfortable seats are height adjustable and equipped with an adjustable lumbar support, even in the base version. All controls are easy to reach, following Volkswagen’s definition of its own completely new ergonomic standard.

A Passat for every need:

Offered in four trim levels – S, SE, SEL and SPORT – there’s a Passat for every need. The entry level model – the S - is designed specifically for corporate customers, and features ABS and ESP safety systems, driver and passenger head curtain and side thorax airbags, a Bluetooth system with voice command, multifunction steering wheel with audio and phone controls, cruise control, radio with MP3 and CD player, a 60/40 folding rear seat, armrests in the front and rear and electronic vehicle immobilization.

The distinguishing features of the SE model include a six-CD changer with MP3 player, a leather multifunction steering wheel, rear air vents and 16-inch San Jose alloy wheels.

In addition to the features seen on the S and SE models, the SEL brings 17-inch Sonoma alloy wheels, leatherette seat covering and a high-end sound system from Fender with a subwoofer in the boot. A mobile device media input with iPod and iPhone cable is also standard on the SEL, as is a powered driver’s seat, front fog and cornering lamps, keyless entry, pushbutton start, a sunroof and dual-zone climatronic air conditioning with air quality sensors.

Finally, the flagship SPORT model adds part leather seats, 18-inch Bristol alloy wheels, a touch-screen navigation system with a 30GB hard disc, SD card reader and DVD drive, memory function for the driver’s seat and a powered front passenger seat.

Loaded with technology, the new Passat also features tyre pressure sensors, insulating glass and a special acoustic film integrated into the laminated safety glass of the windscreen to help keep out external noise.

The use of Volkswagen’s 2.5 litre MPI five-cylinder engine in the Passat is also a first. Developing 170hp at 5,700rpm and paired with a six-speed automatic tiptronic gearbox, the innovative German-developed engine strikes a sporting balance between power and efficiency, using just 7.4 litres of fuel per 100km in the extra urban cycle, and is capable of reaching 100km/hr from rest in nine seconds.

The new Passat follows the launch of the all-new Jetta in 2011 as part of Volkswagen Middle East’s sedan strategy, which will also see the Polo sedan announced in the region later this year. Built at the company’s Think Blue plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the new Passat is perfectly tailored to the region. With high levels of standard equipment, more space than any other car in its class and a competitive price, the Passat is an important addition to the Volkswagen range in the Middle East.