Volkswagen is revising its Passat saloon and Estate ranges, adding a new R Line model to give customers more equipment and value for money.
The familiar Passat range line-up of S, Highline, Sport and SEL is replaced with a new streamlined selection of S, R Line and Highline. BlueMotion remains the choice for efficiency while R36 continues as the range-topping performance model.
The R Line trim is based on the entry-level S model and is available with the same engine choices. It carries a premium of £600 over the S (prices for the R Line start at £17,040 RRP on the road), but comes with an additional £2,470 worth of equipment. This is equivalent to an enhancement in customer value of over 300 per cent.
The key exterior changes are the addition of 17-inch ‘Monte Carlo’ alloy wheels and an ‘R’ styling pack designed by Volkswagen subsidiary Individual. The styling pack adds striking front, side and rear skirts as well as chrome louvres and grille surround to give a more purposeful and sporty look to the vehicle. The Passat R Line is available in a choice of eight exterior paint colours.
Inside the cabin, the R Line gains cruise control, height adjustment and lumbar support on both front seats, a front centre armrest and leather multifunction steering wheel for extra comfort and luxury, as well as an electronic tyre pressure monitoring system.
These items of equipment come on top of the standard Passat’s already generous standard specification which includes ABS with ESP, front, side and curtain airbags, Climatic air conditioning, remote central locking with alarm and advanced radio/CD player with MP3 compatibility and AUX-in socket for connection to an external multimedia source.
Like the S model, the R Line is available with a choice of two petrol and two diesel engines. These are a 1.4-litre TSI 122 PS and 1.8-litre TSI 160 PS; plus two 2.0-litre common rail TDI units producing 110 or 140 PS. The higher powered diesel is offered with the option of a six-speed DSG automatic gearbox. All other engines come with a standard six-speed manual gearbox.