The stunning Volkswagen Passat was revealed to Australian audiences today at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney. The Passat CC (Comfort Coupé) will be launched in Australia early next year. It will be initially available with a 125kW 2.0 TDI and a 220kW V6 petrol engine (as seen in the Passat R36). Volkswagen’s media release from today is shown below, along with more images, but something AUSmotive can reveal, which is not shown in the media statement, is the list pricing for the two models. The front-wheel drive 2.0 TDI will start at $54,990 and the V6 4MOTION will be priced from $64,990. (Note: The V6 pricing may be affected now that the Luxury Car Tax has been passed.) Both models will come equipped with 6 speed DSG transmissions. There will be no manual option available.
The 4.8m long Passat CC will hit the market with an impressive list of standard features, such as heated leather seats (front and back), ESP, eight airbags, front and rear parking distance sensors and Adaptive Chassis Control.
With those looks, that pricing and a well appointed standard specification, expect the Passat CC to establish a niche for itself very quickly.
Well, before December actually. Porsche will hold present their annual results to the media on 26 November, and if they have their way between now and then they will have increased their stake in Volkswagen to an “absolute majority”.
According to a report at Bloomberg.com Toyota’s market value has fallen, while Volkswagen’s has risen, on the back of strong market growth, due, in part, to Porsche’s increasing financial interests in the German auto giant. The Bloomberg article states, “Toyota declined 4.9 percent to 3,710 yen, the lowest since March 2004, at the 3 p.m. close on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, giving it a giving it a market capitalization of $124.3 billion.”
