The primary Volkswagen Passat was launched greater than 50 years in the past in 1973 — a yr of platform sneakers and flared denims when Slade, Candy, and T.Rex had been driving excessive within the charts together with David Bowie’s Life On Mars.
Simply in time for summer time and flaming June, I have been driving the newest model on Britain’s roads, a couple of weeks after That is Cash first examined the brand new ninth-generation VW Passat on the worldwide launch in France.
The large – or ‘lengthy’ – information is that, for the primary time, it’s out there solely as a household five-seater property model with a big versatile boot, and never as a standard saloon.
Appropriate for the entire household: The brand new ninth-generation VW Passat involves the UK solely as a five-seater property – there is no longer a saloon physique form
The launch mannequin is the frugal 150 horse-power 1.5 litre turbo-charged TSi mild-hybrid petrol with both a six or seven-speed automated gearbox. With costs ranging from £38,490, there are three trim ranges: Life; Class; and R-Line spec, which I drove, costing from £42,850.
Mine was well-stocked — together with heated entrance sports activities therapeutic massage seats, voice management, LED matrix lighting, and heated windscreen washer jets — however added ‘extras’ pushed the worth up by greater than £5,000 to £48,265.
These included: a tilt-and-slide panoramic sunroof (£1,200); a driver help pack together with lane and emergency help and an electronically operated child-safety lock (£620); a Harmon Kardon sound system (£800); a bigger 15-inch display infotainment pack together with head-up show (£850); metallic paint and enhanced upholstery (£745); and a folding towbar with trailer help (£1,050).
Using on 18-inch alloy wheels with sports activities suspension, my front-wheel drive Passat property proved a snug journey with respectable efficiency — although do not anticipate a sports activities automobile — with 0 to 62 mph acceleration in 9.8 seconds, a high velocity of 138 mph, and CO2 emissions of 129g/km.
There are 4 drive settings — sport, consolation, regular and particular person.
The UK-spec automobile loaned to us was well-stocked — together with heated entrance sports activities therapeutic massage seats, voice management, LED matrix lighting, and heated windscreen washer jets
The launch mannequin we tried is not precisely fast. Count on extra oomph from two new plug-in eHybrid petrol-electric fashions
Count on extra oomph from two new plug-in eHybrid petrol-electric fashions (with 204hp and 272hp) from £44,090 mixing the 1.5 litre engine with an electrical motor, a 19.7kWh battery and an electric-only vary of as much as 77 miles.
Each can be found to order forward of deliveries mid-summer.
Streamlined, aero-dynamic, and 5.5 inches longer than the earlier mannequin, it has two inches of additional rear legroom and loads of area within the boot which might broaden from 690 litres (a rise of 40 litres) to 1,920 litres (up by 140 litres).
The brand new estate-only Passat has arrived in UK showrooms simply in time for summer time – and for Ray to attempt it earlier than his holidays
Using on 18-inch alloy wheels with sports activities suspension, the front-wheel drive Passat property we tried proved a snug journey with respectable efficiency
Streamlined, aero-dynamic, and 5.5 inches longer than the earlier mannequin, it has two inches of additional rear legroom and loads of area within the boot
The brand new Passat additionally guarantees a quieter drive due to efficient noise insulation together with a typical acoustic windscreen and double glazing with an acoustic movie on aspect home windows.
Class and R-Line trim variations have new ‘ergoActive’ entrance seats which embrace lumber help adjustment and a pneumatic therapeutic massage within the seat backrests.
Buttons on the steering wheel can be utilized for quite a lot of dashboard graphics: traditional (spherical dials); progressive (sq.); navigation (exhibiting maps) and R-Line with a gear-change indicator and velocity rpm shows.
Time to place some Bowie on the turntable.
Britain’s very personal Motown celebrating tenth MotoFest
The free occasion this weekend is devoted to the motoring heritage of Coventry — religious dwelling of Jaguar and now UK headquarters of Stellantis, which incorporates Peugeot, Citroen, Vauxhall, Fiat and Jeep.
Within the quick lane: Having attracted greater than 200,000 guests final yr, this time guarantees a turbo-charged programme
Having attracted greater than 200,000 guests final yr, this time guarantees a turbo-charged programme inside and past the high-octane dash circuit, created from town’s ring street, together with dwell motorsport demonstrations, traditional automobiles, producer shows, dwell music, artwork, movie, and fairground rides. See coventrymotofest.com.
Fancy an automotive summer time backyard social gathering within the coronary heart of the capital?
Go to the London Concours, which runs from June 4 to six within the grounds of the Honourable Artillery Firm, with supercars and classics from McLaren and Ferrari to Jaguar.
For particulars, go to londonconcours.co.uk.
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