Performance meets style on Volkswagen stand

Volkswagen unveiled the Passat CC at the Australian International Motor Show today -- and announced at the same time that the low-roof sedan will go on sale here early next year.

The importer hasn't formulated pricing for the new model, but anticipates it will compete in the VFACTS segment for medium cars priced above $60,000. Two different drivetrain variants will be available, a turbodiesel front-wheel drive and a petrol V6 all-wheel drive, with both engines driving through six-speed DSG transmissions. The two engines develop the same torque -- 350Nm -- but the power figures are 125kW for the diesel and 220kW for the petrol V6.

To complement the Passat CC's distinctively different 'coupe' styling, the car rides on suspension lowered 15mm, but Volkswagen claims there's no detriment to the ride quality as a consequence.

Although the importer is yet to release full details of the four-seat Passat CC's specification, Volkswagen has revealed that Australian-spec cars will be delivered with Napa leather trim and seat heating front and rear, 12-way adjustable front seats, a three-spoke leather-bound multi-function steering wheel, gearshift paddles, climate control and brushed aluminium interior highlights. In addition, parking will be easier, thanks to Park Assist and parking distance sensors at front and rear.

Safety features fitted as standard will include: stability control, eight airbags, adaptive cruise control and adaptive chassis control. Can't wait for the R36 version!

On the stand also, Volkswagen exhibited the Golf GTi Pirelli, the last special iteration of the Type 5 model sporting Golf. The new car effectively pays tribute to a previous 'Pirelli' edition of the Golf GTi, sold from May 1983.

It goes without saying that the special Golf rides on 18-inch Pirelli tyres and wheels; specifically 225/40 P-Zero tyres. Also supplied by Pirelli, the 7.5x18-inch wheels are a five-spoke design finished in a Titanium-coloured paint.

Powered by a 169kW version of the -- normally 147kW -- TFSI engine, the Pirelli GTi will reach a top speed of 245km/h and sprint past 100km/h from a standing start in 6.6 seconds. Volkswagen advises that this engine is currently the most powerful four-cylinder engine in the company's arsenal. The 2.0-litre engine channels its prodigious torque (300Nm) through a six-speed DSG box across a range of engine speeds from 2200 to 5200rpm.

Adding to the look of the Pirelli GTi, Volkswagen has specified body-colour bumpers and side skirts, a Pirelli badge on the right side of the tailgate and on the C-pillars.

Inside, the special Golf features Vienna leather upholstery with yellow stitching, complemented by an anthracite microfibre for the seat centre panels. Volkswagen has replaced every instance of the 'GTi' legend with a corresponding 'Pirelli' legend, although 'GTi' also appears on the vertical spoke of the steering wheel.

Additional features include: heated seats, electrically adjustable lumbar supports in front, and leather centre armrest in the rear. Both the sports steering wheel and the hand grip for the parking brake are leather-bound with contrasting yellow stitching as for the seats. Volkswagen has priced the three-door version at $47,490 and the five-door is selling for $48,990.

In the current climate, to present stylish and dynamically adept cars on a motor show stand isn't enough in itself, so Volkswagen also presented 'BlueMotion' Polo and Passat models at AIMS.

'BlueMotion' is Volkswagen's green brand strategy, so called for both the manufacturer's corporate colour and the colour of water and air -- two elements to be protected and conserved, where possible.

Volkswagen rejigs the engine internals, engine management software, gear ratios, aerodynamics, wheels, tyres and suspension to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The gear ratios are higher, for lower engine speeds at any given road speed, the suspension is lowered to aid aerodynamics and the tyres are of the low-rolling-resistance type.

In the case of the BlueMotion Passat, the 2.0-litre common-rail diesel and five-speed manual transmission combine to use just 4.9L/100km of fuel and produce 128g/km of CO2 emissions in a combined-cycle test. The engine develops 250Nm of torque between 1500 and 2500rpm, making it ideal for the higher (3rd, 4th and 5th) gear ratios in the transmission.

Some of the underlying changes wrought upon the BlueMotion Passat include closed brake-cooling ducts and the installation of underbody skirts ahead of the rear axle-line. These changes combine with the lower ride height for the improved aerodynamics -- an enhancement that serves to reduce fuel consumption.

A 1.4-litre three-cylinder turbodiesel powers the BlueMotion Polo, via a five-speed manual transmission. With peak torque of 195Nm occurring between 1800 and 2200rpm, the engine consumes just 3.8L/100km of fuel in the combined-cycle test and emits 99g/km of CO2.

As for the BlueMotion Passat, the frugal Polo is also aerodynamically enhanced. Volkswagen Australia is considering offering both cars in the local market and the cars would make a good fit for the local product range. Indeed the mix between Volkswagen's range of petrol and diesel models is already virtually balanced, according to the company's local MD, Jutta Dierks.

"Every second Volkswagen car delivered in Australia is a diesel," she announced at the motor show today.

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