VW adds 206kW Passat R-Line

Volkswagen Group Australia has confirmed its new Passat flagship, the 206TSI R-Line will arrive Down Under in November priced at $57,990 plus on-road costs in sedan form and $59,990 plus ORCs as a wagon.

That means the belated successor for the German car-maker's previous-generation Passat R36 commands an $18,000 premium over the Passat 132TSI Comfortline (from $39,990) and a $12,000 premium over the previous range-topper, the Passat 140TDI Highline (from $45,990).

Available exclusively in fully-loaded R-Line specification, the 206TSI R-Line also comes standard with 4MOTION all-wheel drive, a six-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission, adaptive chassis control and customisable digital instrumentation.

Of course, it will also bring the R-Line package that's optional for Highline versions of the latest Passat, which is made in Europe and arrived in Australia last year, comprising a sports body kit, 19-inch alloy wheels, dynamic LED headlights and unique badging.

Inside, there are leather-trimmed R-Line seats, a flat-bottom multi-function sports steering wheel with paddle shifters, alloy pedals and – like all MY17 Passat R-Line models – Volkswagen's New Active Info Display, which debuts locally later this month in the new Tiguan SUV.

With 206kW of power and 350Nm of torque on tap from its Golf R-derived 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine (all but matching the 220kW 3.6-litre V6 in the heavier old R36, which was on sale for $66,990 until 2010), the top-shelf Passat sedan is claimed to sprint to 100km/h in 5.5 seconds, while the $2000-pricier wagon is two-tenths slower.

As we've reported, a revised MY17 Passat sedan, wagon and Alltrack range has just been released, adding 12.3-inch Active Info Display digital instruments and 18-inch Monterey wheels to R-Line models, 14-way powered memory seats to Comfortline, Highline and Alltrack variants, and 17-inch Soho alloys and Front Assist with City Emergency Braking to entry-level 132TSI variants.

"While the Passat remains one of our most well-appointed and comfortable cruisers, the R-Line is a genuine performance car – not just a sports kit. It’s both a worthy successor to the R36 and a car to throw a fright into the prestige brands," said the General Manager of Sales for Volkswagen Passenger Vehicles, Ryan Davies.

2017 Volkswagen Passat 206TSI R-Line pricing (plus ORCs):
Passat 206TSI R-Line sedan -- $57,990
Passat 206TSI R-Line wagon -- $59,990
Metallic or pealescent paint -- $700
Panoramic glass sunroof -- $2000