Volkswagen Passat CC 2.0TSI

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Human beings, being consumers, can be a funny lot. When it comes to the obsession of automobiles, they can be very discerning and critical. Take for instance the subject of headroom in a car. A case in point would be the Proton Gen.2 which has the rear headroom much like an under-the-staircase storeroom of a double-storey link-terrace house. The Persona has a slightly better headroom - due to lowered rear seats' bottom et al - but sadly that didn't come before the Gen.2.



Other automakers are craftier. Take Mercedes-Benz for example: their W211 E-Class vs their other 'clone' the CLS-Class, allegedly the world's first 4-door coupe. BMW with their X5 vs their very own X6 SAV Coupe. Volkswagen with their Passat sedan versus their latest Passat CC. Do you hear people complaining about seating only two at the rear and the accompanying sloping roofline that shaves off a significant amount of rear headroom? With rear ingress & egress may be an orthopaedic nightmare for those having Osteoarthritis of hips. No?

Well, that's because it's by choice that these paying motorists are buying a 'coupe' over the mundane regular-sedan version of the same thing. Pity then the folks at Proton didn't name their Gen.2 as Gen.2 coupe or GT (ala 5-series GT?) and the Persona as the Gen.2 sedan, launching time-line of both these vehicles notwithstanding. But we are not here to discuss about that.





I am now writing about a squashed Camry - especially its frontal visage. Yes, that was my initial visual impression when I spotted one of the first new Passat CC running on the road months ago. However, the actual car when parked right before your very eyes instantaneously play tricks on your visual cortex. You'd get a barrage of endorphins shooting a high in your brain - depicting something very handsome, sleek, classy and cutting edge in design - in short: very desirable. So much so, you'd find that the rear double individual seating isn't an issue. So is the smaller shoulder room for bigger sized rear occupants due to the shapely tapering rear flanks. Or that the CC's dashboard may be a tad old-school having been nicked form the sedan sibling. Even the moon-roof for its namesake doesn't open beyond a minute tilt but hell, I didn't care.





Truth be told, I was initially doubting how could a front-wheel driven (FWD) saloon like the Passat CC be selling at a price hovering near to stalwarts like the BMW 320i, Mercedes-Benz C200 Kompressor and to a certain extent, the Audi A4 1.8 TFSI. I couldn't possibly explain the multiple "Wow" factors - not just aesthetic brilliance - in words here. Go to the nearest VW showroom, see the car in the flesh and ask for the keys to a Passat CC tester yourself.

For one, the DCC - adjustable dampers rate in regular speak - in this Volkswagen works solidly well. The chassis doesn't hop and jump as in many of M-Sport spec BMW E90 - not even in 'Sport' mode. Though FWD, its steering rack has better weighting and feel than M-B's hot-selling W204 C200K/C230 V6. Credit also goes out to the VW engineers for their extra-edge over their counterparts in Audi AG e.g. with their quattro A4 (B7) - in both the steering and rear passengers' (calmer) ride composure department.

In all, the Passat CC may be 'soft' compared to the other iconic GTI in the same stable or any BMW 3-series so to speak. Yet the Passat CC is very convincing in its whole package. The CLS-esque looks is simply miles better than the very car it seeks to mimic. With a DSG 'box now standard issue for all 2010 Passat CC and a rear three-seater version coming soon - perhaps by Q3/Q4 this year - it will make a stronger case for this fluidly sleek and avantgarde (no pun intended) 4-door coupe. Oh! Did I forget to mention that the EA888 engine in the 2010 Passat CC has a boosted power ratings that matches the Mk6 Golf GTI's 210 ps/280 Nm (previously capped at 200ps)?

For those who could get pass their blue-propeller and three-pointed star 'inertia', the Passat CC is all a knowledgeable and tasteful buyer's choice that'll keep him/her serene and unruffled on long highway journeys, yet at the same time still able to adrenalise the owner should he/she wants to hurry things up a bit.

What's (not) so great about VW Mk6 Golf GTI

A lot of superlative pluses have been showered on the sixth incarnation of Volkswagen's iconic GTI thus far. Name me one absolutely bad test review and I shall buy you a dinner of your choice.

So is this about to change here: the dark & ugly side of the Mk6 GTI be dissected upon and laid bare for all to feast? Forget the bland, allegedly less-sporty styling (I like it) - some say more matured, discreet and understated versus the Mk5 (that's why I dig it) - what you are about to read below may make you cringe like you do towards those MPs who have suddenly gone 'independent'...












First, the price increase: from RM198k to RM211k. It's a new generation you might argue. Well, most Mk5 owners might say it is more of just a re-skin exercise ala Audi A4's B6 to B7 generations. With the RM13,000 increase you'd be getting:

1. Only 17" alloys
2. Lack of sunroof
3. No Tyre Pressure Monitoring system
4. RCD 310 CD-Radio which leaves a lot to be desired (very mediocre audio quality, absence of in-dash CD changer, no USB port and no touch screen interface...) Mk5 all came standard with in-dash 6-CD changing headunit
5. No scuff plates
6. Smallish wing mirrors with quite horrendous lateral blind spots
7. No rear LED lights
8. No daytime running lights (just pushing luck a little further here)
9. No memory function for the one-&-only electric seat i.e. the driver's
10. Drabby colour choices. The tester in Candy White (CW) is so Mark5! (For a fact, CW looks stunning on the Mk5, lesser so on the Mk6)
11. Lack of red-thread stitchings on seats to match parking brake lever, gear-knob and leather steering rim







To make things worse:

1. The Mk6' roof noise is absolutely appalling in our thunderstorm rain pelting the tinny-sounding metal sheet over your head. Absolutely disconcerting! (think: Honda City/Civic, Toyota Vios/Altis/Camry)

2. Some plastic part is of sub-standard quality e.g. the rear luggage cover suspension hook which can be easily fractured Day-2 into ownership (RH) and seemingly even the 5-years warranty doesn't cover it!

3. There IS turbo lag when you drive in 'D' with the compressor wheel seemingly off-boost when you're doing anything below 2,000rpm. Yes, the brochure states that max. torque of 280Nm start twisting from a low 1,700rpm...perhaps the tachometer reading has gone off scale or something.

4. You can almost never drive with the DCC in anything other than 'Auto'. In 'Comfort' your rear occupants will go all dizzy & car-sick on B-roads. In 'Sport' it will rattle your brain so bad that you may leak CSF through your nostrils should you brake too hard on those grabby rotors' calipers!

5.You can't really do mid-sweeping-corner lane-change-overtaking-maneuver (especially to outer arc) as fluidly and confidently like you do in a RWD vehicle. I certainly didn't sense the XDS - VW's electronic-braking pseudo-LSD thingy helping out here.

6. Slow traffic crawl with the DSG gears swapping from 'D2' to 'D1' can be a bit of a judder should you be hesitant in braking to a slowdown/complete stop. Yes, the DSG isn't perfect yet. Surprising indeed.

So, for those of you who'd still like a Mk6 GTI you can call your own, better have an extra RM25k to upgrade that ICE system to RCD510 or RNS510 (with GPS) plus change of speakers, upsized 18" alloys (Scirocco's Interlagos alloys looks yummy), soundproof your roof with extra-extra thick padding, change the wing mirrors to Passat CC's or Eos', APR ECU remap (to be done discreetly of course) in due time - hopefully this will cure the turbo-lag and the perceived drivetrain lethargy. And not forgetting the more aptly-matching Golf-R's rear-LED lights with alien-like 'written' characters akin to the Na'vi tribe's in Avatar.

So much for the Mk6 Golf GTI's "No enhancements needed" tagline from VW Group Malaysia, eh?

To be absolutely fair, the Mk6 handles tighter than how most wives keep tab on their husband's whereabouts and/or finances. The level of grip is phenomenal with tightness into and out of corner that defies belief. Body control isn't just taut, it's damn bloody tied down! Solid. Rock steady. Enabling a tracking of corners that will awe most of us, if not all those with a keen sporty driving instinct. The steering though a bit artificial (with DCC et al) in feedback and feel, is quick, weighs just about-okay and sharply accurate. Well, the steering wheel itself with red stitching, aluminium bits, micro-pocked leather sections and flat-bottom passes off like an expensive Sport option from the boys at AMG, M-division or Dr Ing HcF Porsche.

The brakes though snatchy and quite hard to modulate initially - like the Audi A4 TFSI (B7) - are very clinical in scrubbing off speed, hence reassuring for late braking into corners. While those lovely bucket seats will keep you snugly planted whatever your lateral, accelerating and decelerating antics are.

Though lower-end power delivery can be a tad lumpy in regular 'D' drive mode with an equally woolly throttle response below 2000rpm. Snap the DSG lever into 'S' and with a relentless assault on the rubber- studded-aluminium-plated gas pedal, the GTI will slingshot towards the horizon with a mettle, not unlike a junior version of a BMW 335i coupe. With much plantedness and feel the need-for-more-speed since not much can be felt anyway. Yes, in a Mk6 GTI high velocity is deceptive. Very much so and you get accustomed to it very quickly. That's the very reason why the aftermarket tuners are having a field day remapping/reflashing the new EA888's ECU as we speak.

For the record, Vmax of the Mk6 GTI is an indicative 248km/h, tried and tested on a private stretch of road, and this is stock standard performance. Average fuel consumption that ranges from 8.2l/100km for cool, sedate, long-distance driving to a high of 13.5l/100km for those speed demon blasts! For that, it takes a very well engineered car to stay calm & composed, plus that fuel efficient. With that, I guess I'd still not have to buy anyone their preferred meal off a restaurant's evening menu.

Volkswagen's 1.4 TSI tested: Best of both world (of forced induction) ?

In this age of downsizing, lowering emissions, minimising fuel consumption and a varieties of hybrid plus concept alternative electric/fuel cell powertrains, the engine that you see above is a current production marvel considering its diminutive size but high output, yet delivers decent kilometres to the litre. Being awarded "International Engine of the Year" in 2007, this is a rare powerplant that enjoys both supercharging AND turbocharging, all in one compact package. So does it drive better than a single turbo/supercharger, twin-turbo or a twin-scroll turbo or perhaps a variable geometry turbo? The answer was a resounding yes...for the first 15 minutes or so as you get newly acquainted with the powertrain - undoubtedly, VW's DSG is very much still excellent - but not unlike getting a new girlfriend, the relationship gets a wee bit too revealing (no pun intended) and jaded as you peel the onion by the layers...



Externally, the Jetta is beginning to show its age. It has a very clinical design that apes the big brother Passat (non-CC version mind you) which doesn't look very awe-inspiring when downsized to C-segment dimensions. The all-new replacement model is already on its way, due sometime 2011.

But we're not here to dissect the Jetta's aesthetic exuberance or the lack of it. Though just rated with a maximum output of 140bhp, this Jetta felt noticeably livelier than the Jetta 2.0 FSI that I tested some years ago for TopGear Malaysia mag, if my memory serves me correct. As that 2.0 FSI had a usual torque converter which makes it less superb by default, drivetrain wise at the very least.

Internally, the Mk5 Golf interior could not be faulted, built and ergonomic wise, though a tad too much grey tend to make it a bit of a drab to be in for longer drives. The light shade, off-white headliner and top trim saves the day, thank goodness for that. With the meters in blue, once-glance legibility can still be an issue for at night since our eyes' retina cells aren't very much sensitive to blue being the colour for fine details, which in this case are the speedo & tachometer fonts and gradation scales. A simple white-on-black will do better.

Noise insulation will be top-notch for a car this class and size if not for the drumming road noise/tyre roars on harder tarmac sections of highway. Note to what extent VW chose to line the doors of their 'budget' sedan, it looks like they have no budget constraint even for a global volume seller like this Jetta.

I have also never seen such big door pockets for a sedan of this size. Mercedes-Benz, you've got a thing or two to learn from VW here. Porsche too - maybe this is more ammendable in the near future since Porsche is part of the ever expanding VW-Audi group now. The seats are also one of the best in business for snug bolstering and support, even though I found myself craving for a harder back-board on many occasions, for a more insulated ride from hyperactive kids knees-nudging into your seat from the back. That's just as irritating as hormones-raged adolescents kicking your chairs in a crowded cineplex.

With a humongous boot that both deep and wide, the Jetta has no luggage issues for all 5 occupants driving off to some secluded resort for a long weekend getaway. Makes for a great family sedan, without a doubt. Towards this goal, the suspension setting is more comfort-biased (read: soft) as well. Undeniably, the MK5 Golf chassis has excellent tracking around corners with the rear axle geometry very faithful to where the front wheels are turning.

Driving the 1.4 TSI can be a chore during the initial take-off since the compressor wheel of its supercharger very much taps off the crank. Much like taking one-step-back-before-two-steps-forward, the Jetta is eerily like a Mercedes E200K in low-end drive response. There's a little lack of grunt below 2,000 rpm. However the force-fed punch gets very real and palpable - along with quick succession of upshifts by the intelligent and responsive DSG 'box - as you climb quickly beyond 2000rpm.

Strangely too, the was a flat spot circa 120km/h where you'd find the power tapering off only to recover with a second tsunami wave by 150km/h or so, with nicely welcomed 'whoosh' of a punch, enabling cruising on a stretch of open, private roads a true joy. Perhaps the ECU mapping for this 140hp does not unleash the full, manic potential of this 1.4 TSI lump, which is 170bhp in the Golf GT. Fuel consumed for the Jetta 1.4 TSI over a 3-day period was RM100 or 48.78l for 425km, which worked out to be about 8.7km/l. I found myself pushing hard more than 50% of the times, working the engine mostly to its redline limit. I have also used RON 97 petrol in the hope of maximising forced-induced output even though VW claimed that a minimum RON95 is sufficient dietary requirements, even for their high-tech, more complex twincharged engine.

Looking very much like Golf R32 (or Golf GT?) in the mid-section of VW's typical goateed grille, the Jetta 1.4 TSI does command a little respect on the road should you decide to hurry things up with intentions to pass traffic ahead of you. Sadly, the mid range flexibility form say 110 km/h -140km/h was sorely lacking in this TSI lump. It makes me curious if a simple twin scroll turbocharger would be better and perhaps, more cost-effective in execution. Keep the excellent duo of direct injection and DSG. In the meantime, I'd take the 2.0 TSI in Golf GTI Mk6 anytime over this for better mid-range flexibility and higher top-end whack. Even my wife's single turboed Colt Ralliart has more linear punch and powertrain flexibility. That's my take for this 140bhp TSI twincharged marvel from Volkswagen. Sorry, this doesn't get my vote for green, lean and mean choice of purchase.

VW to Buy SsangYong Motor?

It appears Volkswagen isn’t busy enough with getting Porsche and being its sole owner. VW is now bent on taking over the South Korean automaker SsangYong Motor, which is operating under bankruptcy protection.

Months ago, SsangYong suffered a vicious strike when hundreds of workers decided to occupy a factory and shut down production entirely. Volkswagen has neither confirmed nor refuted the reports so far but it is believed that SAIC, the former SsangYong owner, collaborated with VW through the Shanghai VW joint venture.

Volkswagen Mk6 Golf R

It looks like Golf Mk6 hottest version - slated to boot out the Mk5 Golf R32 - has swapped the latter’s 3.2-liter V6 (250hp) for VW Scirocco R's 2.0-liter (EA113) direct injection-turbocharged 4-pot. Beefed up and boosted to pump out 270hp and 320Nm worth of torque, and rightfully (but more costly) powering all four wheels via an all-wheel drive system nicked from the new Audis S3.

A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, while the 6-speed twin-clutch DSG transmission will be optional. 0 to 100km/h sprint is dispatched in 5.7 seconds for the stick shift, while the DSG ‘box will further shave sprint timings down to 5.5 seconds! To put things in perspective, that’s even quicker than the latest Porsche Cayman 2.9 with PDK (5.8 seconds). Top speed however, is electronically limited to 250 km/h for both versions. In contrast, the ‘regular’ Mk6 Golf GTI (EA888 with 209hp) with a DSG gearbox zips to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds and Vmax at 239 km/h.

The wicked Mk6 Golf R will be available as both three and five door hatchbacks. It is expected to go on sale in Europe by the end of this year, while its U.S. market debut is projected by early 2010. No news from Volkswagen Group Malaysia (VGM) on this most exciting Golf version to come in Mk6 form but a probable guesstimate will be H2 2010? On a related note, the Mk 6 GTI is due to be officially unveiled and sold in Malaysia at RM209k (one thousand ringgit per hp?) by Nov/Dec 2009.

VW Golf GTI Mk6

Here are some images of a finalised pre-production unit of the new Golf GTI Mk6, slated to go on sale in later part of this year. Power is expected to come from the same turbocharged 4-pot with direct gasoline (petrol) injection, albeit bumped up to 210ps and likely higher torque of perhaps 300Nm (?). No official performance figures are available as yet, but you can expect sub-7 secs 0-100km/h sprint to be maintained with the use of VW's superb DSG twin-clutch tranny. A marginally higher top speed will be possible with the gain of 10ps in horsepower over the stock standard Mk5 Golf GTI.




More significantly, the Mk6 Golf GTI will sport Adaptive Chassis Control (ACC), VW speak for adaptive damping, throttle response tweaks and variable steering weight/assistance, all dialled by a switch on the dash, much like Audi Drive Select, as experienced in the new A4 (B8) 1.8TFSI.

It remains to be seen whether the Mk6 GTI will sport an LSD called XDS to rein in the potential understeer should the GTI go near torque figures like 350Nm or even loftier levels (great for aftermarket ABT rechip/remap et al)!

Still want that 3-door Scirocco or this real deal GTI? Volkswagen Group Malaysia (VGM) will launch the former sometime H2 2009 (and the Mk6 Golf 1.4 TSI along the way) but no words on this iconic hot hatch yet being available this year.







Related post:
VW Golf GTI Mk6 Concept

VW BlueRoadster Concept 2.0TDI

Click on all images to enlargeComing across more like a Honda S2000 successor than a Volkswagen (imagine swapping the 'VW' emblem for one of that framed 'H'), the BlueRoadster Concept 2.0TDI is looking very sleek, modern and sporty.

The beauty of this roadster - and rarity for a modern VW - is its mid-engined layout and rear-wheel drivetrain. Powered by VW's 2.0litre turbodiesel pushing 180ps and 350Nm of max torque, the drop-top needs only 6.6secs to zip from 0 - 100km/h, on the way to a Vmax of 226km/h.

All these being achieved with frugality of a diesel powerplant returning 4.3l/100km, part of the fuel efficiency being aided by VW's superb 6-speed DSG gearbox.

Nothing official from VW at the 2009 Detroit Motor Show whether this will make it to showroom, but For Wheels reckon perhaps sometime in say, 2010? The concept shown above looks very much production ready, save for the dashboard and centre dash console. "Das Auto" it will be indeed if this does come true!