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2008 Detroit Auto Show: SURPRISE SURPRISE Volkswagen Unveils The New Passat CC to the World Here at NAIAS - VIDEO


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  • SEE ALSO: Complete 2008 Detroit Auto Show Coverage
  • But First Snide's Remarks: Usually my remarks have a snide edge but not this time. I just got back to my computer a few minutes ago after oogling the new surprising Volkswagen Passat CC at the Volkswagen Exhibit here at the Detroit Auto Show.

    Firstly...this new offering from the people who brought you the $78k Phaeton, VW's attempt to move into the luxury space will be named just "CC" here in the U.S. so as not to confuse the North American car buyers...and one look at this car could surely confuse them.

    The CC looks like no VW ever...its sleek sexy look is more like a Mercedes-Benz or Jaguar. The interior is big time and could be compared to any other luxury car in the world

    The CC is the first production car with "Lane Assist"...a Dynamic Drive Control electronic chassis system is standard on higher powered models.

    The CC will offered with both Gas and Diesel engines that are rated from 135 to 295 horsepower. The CC is a 4 seater, a real sports sedan, although there was enough room in the back seat for my 6 foot overweight body.

    This new model is a winner...and a buzz causer here at the show… and that ain't easy.

    Oh yeah, after seeing this VW that will probably sell for an entry price of around $40k, I understand the wisdom of bringing the $78k Phaeton here...it took the shock out of a $40k plus Volkswagen. More specs and details when they come available.
    Let me know what you think.
    msnide@theautochannel.com

    Detroit - January 13, 2008: Just a few days into the New Year Volkswagen is setting off its latest firework with today’s world-exclusive launch of the new four-door Passat CC at the North American International Auto Show. A car that is anything but mainstream.

    The new Volkswagen embraces differences. It is a coupé, yet has four doors; it offers supreme comfort whilst at the same time oozing pure dynamism. Its sporty interior is uncompromising yet spacious.


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    The completely redesigned bodywork captivates with its silhouette of fluid lines. The roof stretches powerfully in a flat radius from the windscreen to the rear. A characteristic element of the design is the sharp tornado line drawn below the lower edge of the windows. Another new development is the panoramic glass roof which offers an overhead view.

    The Passat, a proven success for more than three decades, forms the technical basis for the first four-door coupé by Volkswagen. The Passat CC comes exclusively with state-of-the-art direct injection engines (118 kW / 160 PS to 220 kW / 300 PS). A globally unique feature is the new lane hold assist system. If the vehicle appears to be inadvertently leaving the lane, the assistance system provides corrective steer control. The sportiness of a coupé is married to the comfort of a top-of-the-range saloon through the common denominator of automatic running gear adjustment, Dynamic Drive Control (DDC).

    The core markets are North America, Western Europe and Japan. The Passat CC, built in the German Volkswagen plant in Emden, will initially be launched in the second quarter of the year in Europe and then from the fourth quarter in the USA and Canada and later Japan.