Jalopnik: Passat

How Volkswagen spins

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST

For years, automotive journalists have suspected the cars in automakers' test fleets are somehow better-finished than those customers get. (We've already told you how Ferrari games that system.) Now, Consumer Reports has some questions for Volkswagen about its 2012 Passat press cars. More »

MotorTrend's 2012 Car of the Year is an epic win for mediocrity

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:00:00 EST

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I've just picked Golden Corral as the 2012 Mike Spinelli Restaurant of the Year. Oh, I don't give a damn about quality, technology, product-use experience or any other childish bullshit like that. I care about profits, dude, big friggin' profits. More »

For $10,999, this is a VW even Helen Keller could appreciate

graverobber — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EDT

The volcanic islands of Hawaii have been pushing forth from the sea for centuries, the lava flows expanding their footprint on the surface. Today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe VW Passat wagon looks like it's been covered in lava, but would its price make you blow your top? More »

Chattanooga admits it smells like poop after Automobile exposé

Justin Hyde — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EDT

Automobile columnist Jamie Kitman's visit to the Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga also revealed the city's secret shame: It smells like poop. The city, which drops massive urinal cakes in its sewers to contain the odor, says whaddya gonna do? More »

For $9,800, on Dasher! On... Um, Dasher!

graverobber — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST

Legend has it that years after the end of WWII, Japanese soldiers were still turning up on remote Pacific islands, unaware of hostility's end. Similarly, today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe diesel Dasher is a refugee from another era, but does its price mean war? More »

The Star Wars Super Bowl commercial everyone will talk about

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 10:50:00 EST

Volkswagen just released these two Super Bowl commercials. The first is an awesome take on a tiny Darth Vader trying to use the Force to control everything from a doll to the new Passat. It's cute, and it works. More »

How Volkswagen Cut $7,000 From The 2012 Passat

Justin Hyde — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:30:00 EST

Volkswagen vows that the 2012 Passat will lead the German automaker back to glory in America. Step one: Cutting $7,000 from the Passat's price. Here's what happens to a near-luxury car when the bean counters get behind the wheel. More »

2011 Volkswagen Passat

Justin Hyde — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 21:14:00 EST

The 2011 Volkswagen Passat: More Wagen, More Volk?

Justin Hyde — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 20:50:50 EST

Here it is: the new 2011 Volkswagen Passat, the sedan VW wants to take America by sturm. How will it do so? By being $7,000 cheaper than the previous Passat, while getting bigger. More »

Volkswagen Passat is the NMS!

Mike Spinelli — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 17:34:50 EST

Einhorn is a MAN! Word out of Detroit today is Volkswagen's New Midsize Sedan will wear the company's Passat badge. As the NMS, the new Passat will attend the larger end of the midsize class, where the cool kids sit. More »

New Volkswagen Passat-Sized NMS Is Like A Jetta XL

Justin Hyde — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST

Here's likely the first image of the upcoming Volkswagen New Midsize Sedan, set to emerge from the Chattanooga, Tenn., factory next year. It looks slightly different from the upcoming Europe-only version of the Passat. What does VW have against excitement? More »

2011 VW Passat Gets Hit With The Boring Stick

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:30:00 EDT

Those leaked photos of the Europe-only 2011 Volkswagen Passat were right on the money. The new car's almost as boring to look at as the 2011 Jetta. More »

Don't Drive Through Wet Cement

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EDT

We have no proof distraction led this Passat driver into wet cement this morning, but it's a fair guess. The traffic ticket, 35 minutes of being stuck and extraction fees should get their attention if the wet cement didn't. More »

If You're Getting Divorced From The Big Car Class, It's Doubtful You'll Want To Marry a Dasher

Murilee Martin — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EDT

Before we North Americans called it a Passat, even before we called it a Quantum, the Dasher was one of the first water-cooled Volkswagens ever seen on these shores. Let's watch another vintage Car & Track review! More »

2012 Volkswagen Passat: Sharper, Angrier, Golfier

Sam Smith — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:30:00 EDT

This picture, leaked from a German Volkswagen brochure, shows an undisguised, production-ready 2012 VW Passat. Note the extensive use of Golf and Polo styling cues. Good move, Wolfsburg. Good move. [Auto Express] More »

Meet Your Future J-Turning Robot Car Overlords

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 11 May 2010 15:30:00 EDT

Stanford University's Computer Science Department's autonomous VW Passat Wagon has learned a fun new trick: using vehicle and real-world models to accurately J-turn its way into a parallel parking space. At least our future masters have skills. More »

Welcome To The People's-Car Machine

Sam Smith — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:45:00 EDT

This is Volkswagen's car-shuffling Autostadt storage facility as seen from the top of its massive robotic arm. The 800-vehicle tower acts as a holding tank for completed VWs awaiting delivery. Want to ride it? You can. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) More »

And The Real Winner Is...

Murilee Martin — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:50:00 EDT

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Is it possible for a $300 Volkswagen Quantum Syncro to survive all weekend in a road-course endurance race? No. How about taking 9th place overall, in front of E30s, RX-7s, Integras, and other allegedly faster cars? Again, and emphatically, no. More »

Miracle In Michigan: VW Quantrum Syncro Contending At American Irony LeMons

Murilee Martin — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 10:00:00 EDT

When you finally give up on your hopeless LeMons Fiero and decide to upgrade to a more reliable machine, what do you choose? Do we even need to ask that question? More »

VW Passat-a-Bot Transformer Attacks Beijing Mall

Ray Wert — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EDT

The lack of Volkswagen robot action in Transformers 2 didn't stop a Beijing mall from trying to latch on to the Transformer fever sweeping China, building a home-made VW Passat-a-bot to publicize their recently-opened movie theater. Gallery below. More »

20 Least Expensive Cars To Insure For 2009

The Auto Insider — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EDT

Like salt and pepper, chocolate and vanilla, our look at the 20 most expensive cars to insure for 2009 has a flip-side. Today we'll be looking at the 20 least expensive cars to insure for 2009. More »

Volkswagen's New Mid-Size Sedan: First Look

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:15:00 EST

This image, captured by WRCB-TV, is our first look at Volkswagen's new mid-size sedan, which is set to go into production in 2011. More »

VW Passat CC Gold Coast Concept: Incredibly Sexy

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:30:00 EST

The VW Passat CC Gold Coast concept debuted at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, but the Chicago Auto Show is the first time we've seen it. We only have one thing to say, day-um. More »

Volkswagen CC Eco Performance Concept Bows At SEMA

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 18:00:00 EST

Following the example of the RKSport Hyundai Genesis Sedan, the Volkswagen CC Eco Performance Concept is debuting at SEMA without super-gaudy bodywork, dizziness-inducing interior and a paint job that would make Zsa Zsa Gabor blush. The car features a 2.0-liter TSI inline-four with a three-stage turbo from APR, but you can select how much power comes out the end. More »

How Many Sheep Can You Fit In The Trunk Of A Mk1 VW Passat?

Ben Wojdyla — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:20:00 EDT

There's very little information about this video, but from the situation, setting and salty, NSFW language, it seems we're sitting in while some soldiers stationed in Baghdad watch locals transporting some sheep. That would normally be boring, but here the sheep get "special" treatment, and by special we mean they get dumped into the back of what seems to be a Mark 1 VW Passat. Oh, and the answer to the question posed in the headline, in this case, is three. We would add more jokes, but it seems our narrator pretty much sums up all the comedic angles for us. [Youtube] More »

2009 Volkswagen CC Priced Under $27,000, First Special Model Released

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EDT

As we marveled at the 2009 Volkswagen CC running around Monterey, the folks at VW revealed that the sleek four-door coupe will be priced below $27,000 when it goes on sale in the fourth quarter of this year. The announcement was made at the Pebble Beach Concours, making it less than 100th the cost of the Veyron 164 Grand Sport — at least before you start adding options. The company also revealed a special "Gold Coast" edition of the CC, which includes the usual exterior and interior upgrades and the 280 horsepower TSFI engine. Full details in the press release below. More »

Ford Slashing Mondeo Price In China, But What Does This Have To Do With The Price Of Tea?

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:40:00 EDT

There were 5 million domestically produced cars sold in China in the first half of the year, meaning that if you can't sell cars in China, you should get out of the car-selling business. And to that end, Ford is cutting the price of its 2008 Mondeo by approximately $3,000 to around $25,000, which is a huge drop in a hot market. Why the sudden change? More »

Volkswagen Plans To Sell Majority Of CC's In US, Would Sell Better As Cu. In.

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:40:00 EDT

The attractive Volkswagen Passat CC, which VW plans to sell as merely the Volkswagen CC despite America's resistance to the metric system, will be going on sale in the US this September and the company apparently has big plans for the "four-door coupe." In a conversation with Automotive News Europe, a VW exec was quoted as saying that the US is expected to make up 60% of the CC's sales. Though we like the look of the new CC in person, that's a pretty steep number for a more-expensive Passat. More »

Audi A5 Sportback Possibly in Works

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 21:16:37 EST

AutoBild is reporting (in German) that in calendar week 13 of 2009, Audi has a new model in the werks dubbed the A5 Sportback. Little is known about this possible new offering, but Autobild is going against the prevailing wisdom that the Sportback will be a wagon-like offering, saying it will compete in the emerging swoopy sedan category currently populated by the Mercedes CLS, pending Porsche Panamera and recently revealed Volkswagen Passat CC. While we're on the subject of the Passat CC, if this speculation is accurate, we're thinking this is V-Dub doing it's platform prostitution best with that new curvy roof line. We'll keep our ear to the ground for more details. [Autobild [translated] via Germancarblog] More »

Detroit Auto Show: We Get The Down Low On The Passat CC

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:45:00 EST

Detroit Auto Show: The kids (like apexpredator)...

Jonny Lieberman — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 13:50:00 EST

Detroit Auto Show: The kids (like apexpredator) are loving the VW Passat CC's interior. But do the curtains match the drapes? More »

Detroit Auto Show: Volkswagen Passat CC Four-Door Coupe Live

Matt Hardigree — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 13:15:00 EST

Volkswagen needs a bit more luxury and, with the less than stellar performance by the Phaeton, you may be looking at it. Chris Doane, our intrepid photographer, managed to grab views from the floor of this new sleek coupe. Getting the jump on Ford, VW will be offering the Passat CC exclusively with direct injection engines "worldwide." That means the US will be getting a 200 horsepower 2.0 liter TSI and 280 horsepower V6 FSI. All of the V6's will be offered with full-time 4MOTION all-wheel drive as standard equipment. More »

Detroit Auto Show: Volkswagen Passat CC

Jonny Lieberman — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST

Volkswagen is still trying to grab the luxury car brass ring that slipped through their grasp with the Phaeton. So be it. This time out though, instead of going after S-Classes and 7-Series, VW wants to grab steal from the likes of the Mercedes-Benz CLS (and Audi's A6, though die Volks don't want us talking 'bout that). However, instead of making a swoopy "4-door coupe" like MB did, the Passat CC looks like someone dragged an Infiniti M45 out behind the chicken coop and beat it with a ruler. For reals, have you ever seen so many straight lines? The front resembles a buffed-out Sebring hood sitting atop an R8's headlights. Still, the rear of the CC is quite fetching and we're considering getting married to in that glorious back seat. More »

The Skoda Superb Is More Than Adequate

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:00:00 EST

The folks at Skoda, the Czech VW subsidiary, have always had a stellar time reworking and elongating the Passat platform to make an upper-mid-level platform for that Czech executive on the go. Now we've got photos of the next generation Skoda Superb and, hey, it's better than ordinary. In fact, propelled by VW's 1.8 TSI it's downright pretty good. It'll officially bow at the Geneva Auto Show, an event we hear is good even relative to things otherwise considered good. Press release below the jump. More »

VW Passat Coupe Teaser Site Goes Live

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 09:45:00 EST

DARPA Grand Challenge: A Battle of Wits

Sun, 28 Oct 2007 08:24:53 EDT

[Jalopnik's desert stringer Curtis Walker is following the DARPA Grand Challenge, an annual race of autonomous ground vehicles, with a serious case of the techies. We'll have his reports today on the National Qualifying Event semifinals, like this one, as soon as he can type them into his digital audio-visual receipt and transmission unit. - ed.] Among the numerous newcomers to this year's DARPA competition, Massachusetts Institute of Technology seems poised to win the imaginary award for most gizmotastically outfitted. Armed with a cool million in seed money for development, team MIT went all out with the sensors and CPUs. All told, they've got 11 Sick Lidars (Light Detection and Ranging) units, five optical cameras, 15 Delphi long-range radars, GPS and a 40-core supercomputer to run them. All this power comes at a price in the form of electricity required and heat generated. To address this, they installed a 6kW generator and a 2kW roof mounted AC unit. Perhaps even more impressive is that the 100,000 or so lines of code running on the system were all written for this event. [Next: Team Lux, and gallery.] More »

1985 Volkswagen Quantum Wagon

Murilee Martin — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EDT

While out on a burrito-obtainment mission on Alameda's main drag, I caught sight of a small 80s station wagon that looked somehow... odd. At first I thought it was some sort of oddball version of the Camry or maybe even a Celebrity, but when I got close I realized I was experiencing a rare VW Quantum sighting. Well, such sightings are rare in the United States, anyway. More »

Volkswagen Passat "Coupe"

Mike Spinelli — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 07:42:42 EDT

We've been hearing the gossip since 2005, that Volkswagen was building a coupe-like version of its Passat sedan. Coupe-like, of course, refers to the long, sloping roofline and head-smashing lowness of the rear door jamb, a construct made popular by the Mercedes CLS. Now, spies say they've caught the 2008 model with all but front and rear portions covered. The more upscale Passat will replace the Phaeton as the company's US flagship. That could mean partial encroachment into Audi's territory, though we hear market research indicates there's room for a new Volkswagen among buyers, ages 47 to 49 with income of between $80,000 and $81,500 who find Audi "hard to pronounce in front of friends." [Winding Road] More »

Volkswagen Working With Chinese Automaker To Develop Passat Replacement

Ray Wert — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 08:00:00 EDT

According to AFX News, VW's working with Chinese automaker Shanghai jv, the company they've got a 50-50 joint partnership with for China sales, to develop a replacement for the Passat lineup:

"Volkswagen Group said it has signed an agreement with one of its China joint ventures, Shanghai Volkswagen, to jointly develop a new car as a replacement model for its Passat brand.

Report: Passat-Based Volkswagen "Four Door Coupe" Coming to Detroit '08

Mike Spinelli — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 07:55:24 EDT

Considering the Phaeton debacle (or genius, depending on your definition) Volkswagen's setting a lower bar with its next luxury model — a coupe-like four-door that's been in the rumor mill since the Grover Cleveland administration. Now, according to German mag AutomobilWoche (translation: Automobile Wookie), the yet-unnamed model will debut at the 2008 Detroit auto show next January. It'll be based on the Passat and — in Germany — will start at around €30,000 with a 160hp 1.8L TSI motor and a six-speed manual, a 140-hp 2.0-liter turbodiesel for €32,500 and over €40,000 for a 300 hp V6 FSI version with all-wheel-drive and DSG. Though the base prices are midpoint, word is the cars will run much higher with options boxes checked. (Note: Spec image shown.) [UPDATE: "Spec" means it's a Photoshopped estimation of what it might look like.] – Mike Spinelli More »