World Cup 2010: the new VW Passat Norwegian
So far, we were not sure what would be the new VW on the stand. The first of them came close to bursting onto the canvas, the new Passat announced by the Norwegian media is probably not good.
Since the advent of the new horizontal grille VW Scirocco opened by the actuality of Wolfsburg is mainly composed of restyling on the adaptation of this element for different models of the range. Here, however, it would not be a restyling but a new car, aesthetically just about as new as was the Golf VI. The current Passat was born in 2005 and commercializing the new site being given by the Norwegian November, surprising the very short lifespan of the model that may just be temporary, as the Golf VI. To be assessed.
For the moment, so we have to offer that image as announced from the Norwegian importer of VW but no doubt that official announcements will soon fall if this information is confirmed.
The restyling of the Passat CC is it expected for 2012.
Bulimic, Volkswagen occupies more and more small and medium-sized niche market. After the Tiguan and Passat CC , the coupe Scirocco here. One small step for the group that targets 10 million cars produced annually in the short term. Although not the mouth of the Iroc concept , the final version of the Scirocco was turning heads at the Geneva show in February 2008. We could not wait to see if the song refers to the plumage. Despite a market that will not start before autumn 2008, it was done after a brief essay on the roads of southern Portugal, the homeland of the new Coupe. It is indeed manufactured at the plant from which spring a few minivans Sharan , between Lisbon and Setubal. With quality workmanship in German, at least on the handful of copies we auscultated.
The dynamic or compact segment includes more sports sedan 3 doors – sometimes called cut-derivatives 5-door sedans that real cut. lI are a few roadsters that could complement the choice, but apart from the M azda MX-5 CCthat offers only two seats, none can claim to sporting purposes, or at least offer a real pleasure conduct. So with the exception of the Hyundai Coupe already aging, the new Mercedes CLC more cumbersome and far below that stores written off, the heavy Alfa Brera and Volvo C30 not a gambler, even T5 version, the track is almost free to the Scirocco. Remains whether there is still a customer for such cars, which during the previous decade were qualifée car-boy haircut by some aesthetes (which I assume were bitter for not having the means to ride in Aston or in a Porsche). Volkswagen is primarily the target of 25-30 years. In our opinion, the Scirocco may also attract those who drove a first-generation (March 1974-February 1981) or second (spring 1981 to summer 1992) whose children have now left the fold.
Scirocco coupe is a compact coupe (4256 mm long exactly), only slightly longer than the Golf (+5 cm). It is not as high and nearly 8 inches wide by 5 inches as the latter. If any between the two body panel are common, the wheelbase is the same below and very close.
Volvo C30
Its dimensions are close to those of a Volvo C30, contribute to the dynamism and balance the silhouette. We’ll let you judge the success of the design (as you are reading these lines, it is without doubt that the aggressive style without excess Scirocco already attracted to you). Note that in any case the front, especially the thin shell in black polished boots the style of future Volkswagen, beginning with the sixth generation Golf ahead.
Inside, it’s written all over the VW, serious and well organized, with a dashboard that comes straight from the Eos. The atmosphere is a little less austere than aboard a Golf GTi with a few details like handles stylized triangle-cons in the doors but still restrained, perhaps too much for certain tastes.
It’s perfect at the front in livability, just like the driving position thanks to the amplitude of different settings and not bad for the maintenance of sports seats come from the basic version.
Things are a bit spoiled when it attempts a foray to the two-seat rear headroom is sufficient for the occupants of more than 1.80 m and is little better about the legroom. That said, it is much less restricted than in the Audi TT 2 +2 is strict, and given the size of the car, in particular the limited height of 1404 mm, hard to complain . The Volvo C30 offers a few millimeters wider, but does not offer easier access to the rear seats.
At nearly 300 liters, the trunk volume exceeds fifty liters of the Swedish Cup. It is still far from reaching the three-door sedans, particularly that of the Civic Type S or R (485 liters). He is also behind a Renault Megane Coupe (330 liters) or a Volkswagen Golf GTI (350 liters). The sill top and cutting close the tailgate does not facilitate loading.The opening of the tailgate is made only with the remote control or by the pull-cons situated in the driver’s door. A tailgate lock had been more practical. As for modularity, we can blame the rear seats do fold down power in the records, hence not really a floor plate in two places.
The effectiveness of behavior grew slightly compared to the Golf GTi , which is true remains an icon among current compact. Certainly, the center of gravity, the position of sports amortization (optional DCC adaptive chassis control to) allow to pass a bit faster in some corners. The wider track (by 35 mm front and 59 mm rear) provide also a plus, especially a better roll control. About the tracks, the Scirocco exception to the golden rule which means that traction must have a way forward than the rear track. According to VW, not about style, this choice serves to accentuate the natural understeer of the car. We have not so far noted a balance of fundamentally different than the Golf GTi.
However, it seemed more difficult here to determine the limits behind the wheel of the Golf once the PSE in the off position (where it remains only partially active in our opinion), the Scirocco hesitant example when surbraquages -induced-attitudes between understeer and oversteer, or from one to another with little warning. These first impressions gathered on open roads would have deserved to be repeated many times to provide a reliable analysis, they remain to be checked during a full test on our test tracks favorites.
The two copies that we had driven the DCC option can be described as electronically controlled damping. It has three modes comfort, normal and sport well differentiated, unlike other manufacturers that offer similar systems. The sports function, self remains slightly under-damped. Note that in this mode, the power steering hardens slightly. Even on the other, support will show enjoyable. The main advantage of DCC is able to modulate the comfort of suspensions, reasonably close to almost smooth. A recommended option.
