The people's car is finally here. But how many can actually buy one? It is not the affordable Fox or Polo that we are receiving now, but the Passat which will retail for nearly Rs.22 lakhs. The car is assembled from kits at the Skoda facility in Aurangabad and will be slotted in between the Laura and the Superb. Localisation and expansion of model range in future will see the price coming down some day.
Volkswagen or what it is commonly abbreviated as VW, stands for "people's car" or "folk's wagon". The company gets its name from the way it evolved into its present state and there is a story behind it. And that the great Adolf Hitler had to do something with it, is more interesting. It was on Hitler's demand that Ferdinand Porsche designed VW's first car. Hitler wanted a car that was simple and cheap and the Beetle was born. Hitler even took the pen to redesign the front end of the car designed by Ferdinand Porsche. In its life time, the Beetle has sold the most number of units for any car in the world.
The Passat is a thoroughly modern car and shares the good traits of the VW cars. It is based on the stretched Golf platform known internally as the PQ46. Expect the next generation Skoda Superb to be based on an even more stretched version this platform. The Passat is known world over for its reliability and tank like build quality. Styling is not its key point, but the present generation Passat manages to look a lot sleeker than its predecessor. The swooping lines, lashes of chrome and the jewel like clear lens light clusters add to the appeal of a conservative design. The boot section is slightly bulbous and has a crease at its top that resembles a spoiler. A Volkswagen logo which is also the boot release button, takes centre stage at the rear. From the front, the vehicle looks unique with the chrome surround for the grille and the headlamps which have a fusion of circular lamps in rectangular units.
There is a sense of solidity prevailing through out the vehicle, be it the doors that shut with a satisfying thud or the switches on the dash board which operate the electromechanical hand brake. The dials which are set deep in the instrument panel, resemble those of the Audi A8. The dash board design is interesting with multiple layers for the various sections. The centre console which is in brushed aluminum has a large display screen which also has the GPS related information. All the seats are sufficiently large and supportive. The rear seats are even more relaxing and the back rest angle is near perfect. Boot space at 565 litres is sufficiently large as can be expected from the bulbous boot. However it is a bit short on legroom and the rear seat does not feel as wide as say, in an Accord.
The only version that is on sale now, is the 2.0 TDI. It is a diesel unit that employs VW's 'Pumpe Duse' (PD) technology which employs individual fuel pumps at the top of injectors instead of a high pressure common rail for all the injectors. The engine puts out 140bhp@4000rpm and 32.6kg-m of torque. This is mated to a 6 speed DSG gearbox. The gear shifts are seamless and the ratios for the gearbox are well chosen. Acceleration is pretty decent for a car which weighs 1454kgs and top whack is 208kmph.
The vehicle rides well over broken sections of roads but handling is a bit uninvolving. The electronic power assist for the steering, devoids it of any feel. And the soft suspension won't like the corners very much. It is more of a luxury cruiser than a corner carving tool. The rear employs a four link independent layout that offers great ride quality. The front part is taken care of by MacPherson struts. The Indian vehicle has a raised and toughened suspension all around. Braking is entrusted to ventilated discs at all the four wheels which are shod with 205/55 section 16 inch tyres.
The Passat is a well built and comfortable diesel luxury car. For the price, there is nothing that could beat it. And it fits right in between the Laura and Superb in the Skoda range. It has to be seen as to who would take care of the sales and service network. Whether it is Skoda or VW itself, you get a lot of car for your money. The top end versions come with six airbags, six way adjustable powered driver's seat, ESP and many others. More than all, it is very reliable - a fact that it has endeared to millions of taxi drivers across the globe.
Volkswagen or what it is commonly abbreviated as VW, stands for "people's car" or "folk's wagon". The company gets its name from the way it evolved into its present state and there is a story behind it. And that the great Adolf Hitler had to do something with it, is more interesting. It was on Hitler's demand that Ferdinand Porsche designed VW's first car. Hitler wanted a car that was simple and cheap and the Beetle was born. Hitler even took the pen to redesign the front end of the car designed by Ferdinand Porsche. In its life time, the Beetle has sold the most number of units for any car in the world.
The Passat is a thoroughly modern car and shares the good traits of the VW cars. It is based on the stretched Golf platform known internally as the PQ46. Expect the next generation Skoda Superb to be based on an even more stretched version this platform. The Passat is known world over for its reliability and tank like build quality. Styling is not its key point, but the present generation Passat manages to look a lot sleeker than its predecessor. The swooping lines, lashes of chrome and the jewel like clear lens light clusters add to the appeal of a conservative design. The boot section is slightly bulbous and has a crease at its top that resembles a spoiler. A Volkswagen logo which is also the boot release button, takes centre stage at the rear. From the front, the vehicle looks unique with the chrome surround for the grille and the headlamps which have a fusion of circular lamps in rectangular units.
There is a sense of solidity prevailing through out the vehicle, be it the doors that shut with a satisfying thud or the switches on the dash board which operate the electromechanical hand brake. The dials which are set deep in the instrument panel, resemble those of the Audi A8. The dash board design is interesting with multiple layers for the various sections. The centre console which is in brushed aluminum has a large display screen which also has the GPS related information. All the seats are sufficiently large and supportive. The rear seats are even more relaxing and the back rest angle is near perfect. Boot space at 565 litres is sufficiently large as can be expected from the bulbous boot. However it is a bit short on legroom and the rear seat does not feel as wide as say, in an Accord.
The only version that is on sale now, is the 2.0 TDI. It is a diesel unit that employs VW's 'Pumpe Duse' (PD) technology which employs individual fuel pumps at the top of injectors instead of a high pressure common rail for all the injectors. The engine puts out 140bhp@4000rpm and 32.6kg-m of torque. This is mated to a 6 speed DSG gearbox. The gear shifts are seamless and the ratios for the gearbox are well chosen. Acceleration is pretty decent for a car which weighs 1454kgs and top whack is 208kmph.
The vehicle rides well over broken sections of roads but handling is a bit uninvolving. The electronic power assist for the steering, devoids it of any feel. And the soft suspension won't like the corners very much. It is more of a luxury cruiser than a corner carving tool. The rear employs a four link independent layout that offers great ride quality. The front part is taken care of by MacPherson struts. The Indian vehicle has a raised and toughened suspension all around. Braking is entrusted to ventilated discs at all the four wheels which are shod with 205/55 section 16 inch tyres.
The Passat is a well built and comfortable diesel luxury car. For the price, there is nothing that could beat it. And it fits right in between the Laura and Superb in the Skoda range. It has to be seen as to who would take care of the sales and service network. Whether it is Skoda or VW itself, you get a lot of car for your money. The top end versions come with six airbags, six way adjustable powered driver's seat, ESP and many others. More than all, it is very reliable - a fact that it has endeared to millions of taxi drivers across the globe.
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