2011 Volkswagen Passat: Paris Motor Show 2010

The 2011 Volkswagen Passat at Paris

Volkswagen like to call this 2011 VW Passat the seventh generation Passat. But it’s a sort of six and three-quarters Passat because, although every bit of sheet metal has been changed, the underpinnings stay the same.

Up front the Passat gets a new set of lights and a new grill and the back sees a new set of lights. Which doesn’t seem a lot of noticeable changes when every body panel is new. But that’s how it is.

Inside is not exactly a million miles away from the current car, but the fascia does get revised with new instruments. You can also lob in the slightest of slight tweaks to the centre console and a bit of a re-shape for the seats.

You’ll be able to opt for an auto option – a DSG ‘box – with manual coming as standard across the range of 1.4 litre, 1.8 litre and 2.0 litre petrol engines. Diesel buyers get the choice of a 1.6 litre, and a couple of variations on the two litre – 138bhp or 168bhp.

It doesn’t seem enough to call this anything more than a Passat facelift, but it’s VW’s game, so seventh generation Passat it is.

Order book opens in the UK next month with deliveries starting January 2011.

By Cars UK