VW Passat Variant

In August 2005, the sixth generation of the Volkswagen Passat Variant was launched in Germany. As early as September, it was launched in most of the other European markets as well. In spring 2006, the new generation model of this best-seller estate car will start off in North America and Japan. For 43 years now, Variant has been Volkswagen's trademark for estate cars sold around the globe. The original Variant was simply called Type 1500. Eleven years later, Volkswagen presented the first of the 4.3 million Passat estate cars produced under the Variant label up to now.

In Germany, the Volkswagen Passat Variant, especially in its TDI version, is the automotive favourite of both families and business people. At the same time "der Variant" is considered to be the ideal estate car to suit any kind of free-time activities for hundreds of thousands of people world-wide. It is a fact that the VW Passat Variant appeals to keenly calculating operators of company fleets as well as to demanding frequent business travellers and private owners.

The best-seller comes in four design and fitting lines, and offers eight engine options ranging from 75 kW to 185 kW

The Volkswagen Passat Variant will be available in four design lines: Trendline, Comfortline, Sportline and Highline. Even the basic Trendline version is equipped with ESP, Climatic air-conditioning, six airbags, 16-inch wheels, power windows, remote-controlled central locking, electronic parking brake, electromechanical power steering, the Press&Drive ignition system, LED indicators and rear lights plus automatic emergency braking warning signals, foldable loading surface, individually foldable rear bench (seats and backrest, which form a level surface) and roof rails as a standard. If the Passat is ordered with a trailer hitch, the ESP with trailer stabilisation is on board. It helps to neutralise the dangerous swaying motion to which caravans are especially susceptible.

2006 Volkswagen Passat Variant

Eight engines will be available in Europe. Their outputs range from 75 kW / 102 PS to 184 kW / 250 PS. Seven of the petrol and diesel engines have direct injection systems. Four engines are equipped with a turbocharger. All of them meet the requirements of the EU-4 exhaust emission standard. The basic models have engines with five-speed transmissions; all others are equipped with six-speed transmissions. The DSG and Tiptronic automatic transmission models as well have six speeds. Two of the engines are new developments: the 2.0 TDI with 125 kW / 170 PS, piezo pump-jet high-pressure injection system and diesel particle filter, and the 3.2 litre V6 FSI engine - first presented at the IAA 2005 - which is supplied with the DSG dual-clutch transmission and the 4MOTION four-wheel drive as a standard. From fall 2005 on, the 4MOTION feature can be ordered as an option in combination with a 110 kW gas fuel engine (2.0 FSI) and a 103 kW turbo­diesel (2.0 TDI). (For further information about the engines see section Fuel and Gas fuel Engines).

More emotion, more power, more emotion - the VW Passat Variant is more than nine centimeters longer than its predecessor

The Volkswagen Passat Variant's professional functionality is complemented by its fascinating new design. This Volkswagen shows more emotion and more power than ever before. But still its design and appearance are clear and timeless. Really striking: the steep upward flow of its side contours from front to rear and the design of its side windows. Let's face it: this design is intended to make your mouth water. To make you feel the Volkswagen Passat Variant is a must-have - and not only the current one but also the fine things designed to make you have fun within the activities of Volkswagen's product campaign in the very near future.

It is also the Passat's dimensions that make you want more. The VW Passat Variant is 4.77 meters long and 1.82 meters wide. As compared to its predecessor, this means 9.2 centimeters more in length and 7.4 centimeters in width. Although the new Variant has a more streamlined and more dynamic appearance than the fifth generation models, it is actually 1.9 centimeters higher (new height 1.52 meters) including the standard roof rails.

Interior

With its expanded length, width and height, this model now offers both more cargo space and more room for passengers. The storage volume up to the cargo area cover/bottom edge of the window is 603 litres (+108 litres). Using this cargo space giant to capacity means 1,731 litres including the spare wheel well (+131 litres). The gas fuel tank capacity has also been increased from 62 to 70 litres. In addition to all this, the Volkswagen Passat Variant can take quite a bit of payload: up to 638 kilos, i.e. 43 kg more than its predecessor.

To make loading and unloading as easy as possible, the tailgate lifts up to 2.06 meters while the lower edge of the cargo area is only 0.62 meters low. The tall-cargo channel is 0.72 meters. The interior cabin offers headroom of 0.83 meters up to the roof lining, and the width between the wheel cases is 1.0 metre. The area of greatest width in the cargo area is 1.3 meters. Minimum length: 1.13 meters. When the rear bench is folded down flat (standard division of bench 1/3 to 2/3), the size of the cargo area is an amazing 1.96 meters. The armrests and seats in the rear can be folded in no time. As a standard in the VW Passat Variant Comfortline model and an option in the Trendline model, Volkswagen also offers a passenger seat with foldable backrest. This feature allows the transport of tall objects up to 2.9 meters length.

More safety, more comfort and a lot more fun in the Passat Variant due to a wide range of new systems

On one hand, the Volkswagen Passat Variant features precisely those technological highlights which fascinated customers early this year when the new saloon was presented. On the other, the new five-door version offers a whole range of new systems, and technologies now available in both versions for the first time.

New integrated children seats: as an option, the Passat will be available with a completely new generation of integrated child seats. The first highlight: the side supports can be put in an upright position, thus offering added support. The second highlight: the so-called booster pillows in the head area. They are integrated into the head rest mountings and provide additional side support. The boosters improve comfort and safety.

ACC + STOPPING DISTANCE CONTROL: as one among very few vehicles, the Volkswagen Passat Variant is offered with Automatic Cruise Control (ACC). The ACC system uses radar to monitor the traffic situation ahead. It automatically ensures that not only a defined safe distance is kept but also shortens the stopping distance in case of an emergency as the brake is prepared for emergency situations. After ABS and ESP, this stopping distance control is the third revolutionary driver support system in a Passat which actively helps to prevent serious road accidents (available only in combination with automatic transmission).

Automatic level control: the fully automatic level control of the rear axle provides optimum comfort and safety. The system was specially designed for this series and is available as an option (not in combination with performance running gear). The individual components of this self-pumping, hydro-pneumatic level control were designed as integral parts of the shock absorbers so that no additional space was needed to accommodate them.

Sophisticated bicycle rack: the basic design of the new bicycle rack system is similar to the racks mounted on the trailer hitch. The VW rack however no longer requires the effort of attaching it to the hitch since it is simply mounted on two pins located on the specially equipped bumper bar. This ensures fast, easy and safe assembly. The tailgate can be opened easily even if the bicycle rack is mounted.

Luggage management package: the VW Passat Variant features a specially designed luggage management package for the cargo area surface. The system is based on two rails on the right and left. These rails allow the versatile and safe securing of goods via a strap, a telescopic rail and four eyelets.

Power-operated tailgate: for the first time, Volkswagen offers a power-operated tailgate. Its ultra-flat drive unit is located in the roof area. The opening angle of the tailgate can be adjusted progressively.

The Passat can be ordered equipped with these new systems and also - in analogy to the saloon - with the following innovations: the KESSY Keyless Entry Start and Exit System, premium mobile phone fixtures with Bluetooth interface, DVD navigation system, VW sound system (250 Watt), Dynaudio sound system (600 Watt), 230 Volt European standard power point, bi-xenon headlights with corner and around-the-bend lights, tire inflation pressure monitoring system (RDK), tires with emergency running characteristics (self-supporting tires), retractable sun roof and, last but not least, automatic air-conditioning with indirect ventilation system (Climatronic).

Overview of petrol engines

1.6 with 75 kW: this 75 kW / 102 PS basic engine of the Volkswagen Passat Variant series is both proven and economical. Within 12.8 seconds it accelerates the estate car from 0 to 100 km/h, gives it a top speed of 187 km/h and consumes an average of 7.8 litres unleaded premium gas fuel per 100 kilometers.

1.6 FSI with 85 kW: the "smallest" direct-injection gas fuel engine in the VW Passat Variant has a power of 85 kW / 115 PS. With this engine under the hood, the Volkswagen can reach a top speed of 197 km/h and can be accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 11.7 seconds. And still it consumes a mere 7.6 litres of unleaded premium gas per 100 km.

2.0 FSI with 110 kW: the next level of motorization is also provided by a direct-injection gas fuel engine. Its four cylinders have an output of 110 kW / 150 PS, allow a top speed of 210 km/h and can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 9.6 seconds. The average fuel consumption is 8.4 litres by EU standards. In combination with the optional six-speed automatic transmission (Tiptronic), the Passat Variant 2.0 FSI reaches a top speed of 205 km/h. It takes 10.5 seconds to reach a speed of 100 km/h and has an average fuel consumption of 8.9 litres. Starting fall 2005, the Volkswagen Passat Variant FSI can be ordered with the 4MOTION four-wheel drive as an option.

2.0 FSI with turbocharger and 147 kW: the most powerful four-cylinder engine Volkswagen uses here is the 2.0 FSI with turbocharger and boost intercooling already known from the Golf GTI. The powerful direct injection engine - 147 kW / 200 PS at 5,500 rpm, and 1,984 cc - speeds the VW Passat Variant up from 0 to 100 km/h in a mere 7.8 seconds and makes the vehicle reach a top speed of 232 km/h (or 227 km/h with automatic transmission). The average consumption of the 2.0 T-FSI - 8.2 litres - shows how efficiently the combination of FSI and turbocharger works.

At 10.3:1, the 2.0 T-FSI features a high compression ratio and its powerful torque (280 Newton meters between 1,800 and 5,000 rpm) makes it a superior drive unit. To be more precise, the Passat engine uses the advantages of homogeneous direct injection and combines it with the superior power of turbocharging. The result is an extraordinary torque curve, excellent response, pure joy of driving and not even a hint of a turbo weak spot.

3.2 V6 FSI with 184 kW: a newly developed 3,169 cc V6 engine makes its first appearance at the IAA 2005 in the Volkswagen Passat Variant. At 6,200 rpm its output is 184 kW / 250 PS and it reaches a maximum torque of 330 Newton meters (from 2,500 and up to 3,000 rpm).

The technical basis is the six-cylinder engine with suction pipe injection known from the Phaeton. The new engine's features include direct gas fuel injection (FSI), and its advantages are more power, less gas fuel consumption and less exhaust gas emission. Thanks to its comprehensive redesign, the V6 FSI features optimized stiffness properties, reduced strain on components and lower weight.

The Volkswagen Passat Variant 3.2 V6 FSI engine accelerates the estate from 0 to 100 km/ in just 7.2 seconds. Its top speed is 243 km/h. The top model of this series is equipped with the DSG dual-clutch transmission and the 4MOTION four-wheel drive. The engine consumes 10.0 litres per 100 km.

Overview of diesel engines

Just by their sophisticated design, the Variant's three TDI engines already meet the requirements of the EU-4 exhaust emission standards. In addition, the new-generation ceramic heater plugs ensure the further reduction of particle emission and optimise cold start performance. As a standard, the new 125 kW, 2.0- litre TDI engine will be available with a maintenance-free diesel particle filter.

1.9 TDI with 77 kW: the low fuel consumption range of TDI engines in the Volkswagen Passat Variant begins at 77 kW / 105 PS (4,000 rpm) and 250 Newton meters (at 1,900 rpm). The top speed of the Passat 1.9 TDI is 185 km/h, it takes 12.4 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h and its average diesel consumption is 5.8 litres per 100 km.

2.0 TDI with 103 kW: the Passat 2.0 Variant TDI features a top speed of 206 km/h with its 103 kW / 140 PS (at 4,000 rpm) engine. At only 1,800 rpm, the four-cylinder engine with compensator shafts reaches its maximum torque of 320 Newton meters and in just 10.1 seconds makes a superior sprint from 0 to 100 km/h. Its average consumption is 5.9 litres. This TDI power level can be combined with a diesel particle filter, and starting fall 2005 will be available with the 4MOTION four-wheel drive.

2.0 TDI with 125 kW: the second 2.0 TDI engine is a completely new design equipped with a piezo pump high-pressure jet injection system and two compensator shafts. The very quiet four-valve TDI engine has an output of 125 kW / 170 PS (at 4,200 rpm), a torque of 350 Newton meters (1,800 to 2,500 rpm) and accelerates the VW Passat Variant from 0 to 100 km/h in just 8.8 seconds. The top speed is 220 km/h (217 km/h with DSG automatic transmission). This engine also features low fuel consumption averaging at just 6.6 litres per 100 km.