Volkswagen Passat CC (2008): first official pictures

By Ben Pulman

First Official Pictures

13 January 2008 11:16

Welcome to the world’s second four-door coupe, the Passat CC. Following the lead of the Mercedes CLS, Volkswagen has redrawn the Passat to give us this swoopy mini-me Phaeton lookalike saloon. It's an attempt to stretch the Passat further upmarket - away from its humdrum fleet roots and nearer the hallowed doorway to the compact premium market.

It’s a Passat underneath, but being 31mm longer and 50mm lower makes it look very swish. All the body panels are new, the doors are frameless, there’s no more chromed grille, and the drag coefficient is a slippery 0.29 Cd. And we’ve only got to wait five months before the CC goes on sale in the UK: the USA and Japan won’t get the Passat CC until the fourth quarter of 2008.

The CC is packed full of technology. ‘Mobility tyres’ have a specially flexible rubber designed to encapsulate any sharp object but still keep the tyre sealed. Lane Assist helps you stay in your lane, by nudging the wheel should you unintentionally cross the white line. There’s ACC automatic distance control, which also primes the brakes if it foresees an accident, and Park Assist already seen on the Touran. Press a button and then just accelerate and brake while the car steers for you.

Click 'Next' to read more on the Passat CC

By Ben Pulman