The CC, which made its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show last November, will first go on sale in Germany and Luxembourg in the beginning of February, followed by the rest of Europe at the end of the same month, and then globally, including America, Russia and Asia in spring 2012.
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On Friday, the German brand issued another press release revealing that it delivered 5.1 million vehicles worldwide, exceeding 5 million annual sales for the first time in its history and recording an impressive 13.1 percent increase over 2010 when it sold 4.5 million units.
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The company's December sales in the States totaled 32,502 vehicles, up 36.2 percent over the same month in 2010. VW noted that it was its best December since 1972.
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Starting with the new 2012 Toyota Camry, Consumer Reports tested three different models with a four-cylinder, a V6 and a Hybrid engine, all of which ranked amongst the best in their class.
As the magazines notes, compared to the model it replaces, the new Camry has a plusher interior, more responsive handling, improved ride and better fuel economy, with only the increased road noise and some cheap details tainting the overall picture.
In fact, while the 173HP 2.5-liter four-cylinder version ties with the Hyundai Sonata for best-in-class fuel consumption delivering 27 mpg (8.7 lt/100 km), the more powerful 268HP 3.5-liter V6 is just a smidgen more thirsty and, at 26 mpg (9.0 lt/100 km), beats most four-cylinder rivals.
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However, despite the record viewing number,
Chevy's lovely ladies couldn't beat Volkswagen's little Darth Vader in the Passat ad for the most favorite commercial of the game with a Nieslen likability index of 186 (the average score for the Super Bowl ads is 100, meaning VW's Passat ad was almost twice as liked as the average commercial).
The first advert is about the upcoming Beetle and shows a real bug with white racing stripes acting like a car on the forest ground, while the other commercial is for the U.S.-market spec 2012 Passat and is more humorous concentrating on a child dressed up as Darth Vader. Watch them both right after the break.
While the design may not be engaging, the car's lower sticker prices will certainly attract more buyers as the new Passat will start from around $20,000 or some $7,000 to $8,000 less than the 2011MY it replaces.
However, keep in mind that while the base 2011 Passat was offered with a modern 200HP 2.0 TFSI, the entry-level 2012MY Passat will come with VW's old 2.5-liter five-cylinder unit rated at 170HP.
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The four-door saloon model will be launched in the States in mid-August with an entry-level price in the US$20,000 range, according to the company. Final prices will be announced in March. "There is hardly any other saloon of this size (exactly 191.7 inches or 4,868 mm long) that offers such high technology and quality at a comparable price," said Volkswagen in a statement.
Chances are you've already seen a set of pictures, supposedly depicting the U.S. market version of the 2012 Volkswagen New Midsized Sedan (NMS), floating around on the web-o-sphere this week. As always, we looked around and tried to find the original or one of the original sources of the photos. Turns out that these pictures originated from a Chinese car site called Autohome. If we are to believe the report, what you see here is the China-market version of the NMS. Even so, we would like to note that we're not entirely convinced of their authenticity as the photographs could very well be fabricated.
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Starting with VW's proposal in the compact coupe segment, all entry-level and GT trim models with the 2.0-litre 140HP diesel engine now feature BlueMotion Technology modifications, which include Stop/Start and battery regeneration systems, thus helping to create the cleanest and most fuel efficient Scirocco to date.
Caught here in both four-door sedan and estate body styles while trailer testing, the new Passat is expected to receive a new front- and rear-end design that will bring it more in line with the automaker's latest products such as the Scirocco and more recently, the 2011 Jetta.
We'll agree with most members from the forum that the car's styling cues including the pronounced lower side lines and the shape of the fascia, as well as its relatively compact dimensions point towards the next generation of the Volkswagen Jetta (see a spy video of the 2011 model here).
On the outside, the R-Line sports package adds 17-inch or optionaly, 18-inch "Mallory" alloy rims with 235/45 tires, special emblems, smoked tail lights and a subtle aero kit comprising of a front spoiler and side skirts.
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nside, the Passat CC R-Line gains four customized tread plates in aluminium and a three-spoke leather-trimmed steering wheel with multifunction buttons. The standard front fog lights and the Park Pilot system complete the package.
The Passat R-Line leaves few wishes unfulfilled; even the base version of the Passat CC includes comfort and convenience features like sport seats and a climate control system.
European buyers can order the R-Line package on all Passat CC engines, with prices starting at €2,200 or around US$2,700 for the Passat CC fitted with the 2.0 TDI 140HP diesel and a six-speed manual gearbox.
A higher-spec trim-level has been added to the Volkswagen Passat and Passat Estate range in the UK. Building on the standard Highline model, the Highline Plus adds chrome grille surround and louvres, Bluetooth telephone connectivity with touchscreen adaptor, as well as Volkswagen's RNS 310 satellite navigation unit with integrated radio and MP3-compatible CD player.This version also includes all the features of the standard Passat Highline including ABS and ESP, six airbags, 17-inch alloy wheels, semi-automatic climate control, cruise control and leather upholstery
The new Passat Highline Plus models carry a premium of £750 over the standard Highline with prices starting at £20,515 RRP 'on the road' for the 2.0-litre TDI 110 PS sedan and £21,715 for the Estate.
