Engines: Seven new engines in Passat range, 102hp to 250hp
Six-speed automatic gearbox: DSG for the TDI, Tiptronic for the FSI
Seven out of the eight Passat engines use direct injection and are new to the series. All engines fulfil the EU4 norm. They are transverse mounted at the front. The power ranges from 75kW / 102hp (basic engine) to 184kW / 250hp in future versions.
The three four-cylinder FSI with direct injection (homogeneous) deliver 85kW / 115hp, 110kW / 150hp and 147kW / 200hp (Turbo FSI). In the fourth quarter of 2005, a 3.2-litre V6-FSI delivering an impressive 184kW / 250hp will top off the range.
Each of the three TDIs on offer is being used for the first time in this series. They deliver 77kW / 105hp, 103kW / 140hp and 125kW / 170hp. The Passat TDI will also be available with a diesel particulate filter. The most powerful TDI features the innovative Piezo high-pressure unit injector system.
1.6 delivering 75kW: The 75kW / 102hp entry-level engine in the new Passat series is another tested economical engine. It accelerates the saloon to 100km/h in 12.4 seconds, allows a top speed of 190km/h and has an average consumption of 7.7 litres of Super Unleaded every 100 kilometres.
1.6 FSI delivering 85kW: The ìsmallestî petrol direct injection engine in the new Passat delivers 85kW / 115hp. Equipped with this engine, the saloon has a top speed of 200km/h and reaches 100 km/h in 11.4 seconds. This comes with an average consumption of just 7.5 litres of Super Unleaded every 100 kilometres.
2.0 FSI delivering 110kW: The next performance level also sees the use of a direct injection engine. This four cylinder delivers 110kW /
150hp, can reach 213km/h and makes the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 9.4 seconds. The EU total consumption is 8.2 litres.
2.0 T-FSI delivering 147kW: Volkswagen has chosen the turbocharged 2.0 FSI as featured in the Golf GTI to be the most powerful four-cylinder in the Passat. The 147kW / 200hp FSI catapults the Passat to 100km/h in just 7.7 seconds and reaches a top speed of 237km/h. At 8.6 litres, the average consumption of the Passat 2.0 TFSI shows just how efficiently the combination of FSI and Turbo works.
1.9 TDI delivering 77kW: The economic and high-torque world of the TDI engines starts at 77kW / 105hp and 250 Newton-metres. The Passat 1.9 TDI reaches a top speed of 188km/h, accelerates to 100 km/h in 12.3 seconds and consumes 5.6 litres of diesel every 100 kilometres on average.
2.0 TDI delivering 103kW: At 103kW / 140hp, the Passat 2.0 TDI is 209km/h fast. The four-cylinder engine develops a maximum 320 Newton-metres at just 1,800rpm and allows an impressive 9.8 seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint. Average consumption: 5.9 litres.
2.0 TDI delivering 125kW: The second 2.0 TDI with a highly innovative Piezo high-pressure unit injector system and a balancer shaft is an all-new development. The very quiet four-valve TDI delivers 125kW / 170hp, develops 350 Newton-metres of torque and accelerates the saloon to 100km/h in just 8.6 seconds. The top speed is 223 km/h. The average consumption is also just 6.1 litres for every 100 kilometres.
Double-clutch gearbox (DSG): Both 2.0-litre TDIs are connected to a manual six-speed gearbox as standard. The innovative doubleclutch gearbox (DSG) is available as an option. The DSG has six forward gears, shifts extremely quickly and is an ideal gearbox for use with turbo diesel direct injection engine. When combined with the TDI, it is the worldís first gearbox that fully maintains to the low consumption of a diesel despite the automatic gear shifting. Like the classic Tiptronic from Volkswagen, this gearbox can also be used manually using a plus/minus gate. The DSG will also be available for the most powerful petrol engine in the Passat range: the 3.2l V6.
The petrol engines with outputs of 85kW / 115hp, 110kW / 150hp and 147kW / 200hp can optionally be combined with a driverfriendly six-speed automatic gearbox (Tiptronic). The petrol engines from an output of 115hp are combined with a manual six-speed gearbox as standard.
Chassis
Front axle: Aluminium components save over 13 kilos in weight
Rear axle: Four-link architecture with decoupled subframe
The new Passat shows how a modern front-wheel drive or foul-wheel drive chassis should be both in terms of comfort and handling properties. The new four-link rear axle, has been acoustically decoupled from the body, the newly designed McPherson front axle with aluminium components and the electro/mechanical power steering, used for the first time in this class, guarantee a maximum level of agility, comfort and safety.
Depending on the equipment version, a sports chassis lowered around 15 millimetres (standard: Passat Sportline) as well as a 20 millimetre higher chassis for bad road conditions are optionally available.
The chassis technology is perfected by the ESP, which is standard on all models across the world, as well as a new ESP + Trailer Stabilisation that comes on all vehicles with a tow bar. In addition to the familiar ESP functions, the system ensures that dangerous snaking of the trailer is detected early and reduced with appropriate brake and engine intervention.
Another new feature in this segment is the use of 16-inch brakes allaround. Drivers of a 75kW Passat can therefore rely on the same excellent brake performance as drivers of the 147kW version. The brake discs are also equipped with a kind of wiper. Reason: In heavy rain, a water film can form on the brake disc and reduce its response. This is where the new ìwiperî function comes in. At an interval of five minutes, the brakes are applied with a minimum amount of pressure to dry the discs. You do not notice this process while driving.
Front axle: The new front axle on the Passat is based on the McPherson concept with lower wishbones and spring struts. This axle is extremely light and thus offers numerous advantages. One example is the innovative lightweight construction. Compared with a conventional steel sheet construction, 4.5 kilogrammes in weight have been saved with the particularly stiff and crash-optimised subframe.
The transverse links made from wrought aluminium are also very light. The weight advantage over steel sheet totals 4.2 kilogrammes here.
Lightweight constructions for unsprung masses are particularly valuable. Therefore, in addition to the transverse links, the swing mountings have also been made from aluminium. The weight advantage adds up to 3.2 kilogrammes here. Thanks to a special construction, 1.4 kilogrammes have also been saved around the antiroll bar. Together the different lightweight measures on the front axle provide a weight advantage of 13.3 kilogrammes. As a result, you get more comfort, more dynamism and lower consumption.
Rear axle in detail: The new Passat has an all-new four-link rear axle. Compared with other concepts, it provides a high level of driving comfort and stability. The special arrangement of the links allows longitudinal and transverse dynamics to be tuned separately. Separating the functions guarantees optimum dynamics and driving safety plus a very impressive ride comfort.
The very compact four-link rear axle is made up of a decoupled subframe, to which the hub carrier is connected using the three transverse links, spring links, tie rods and upper transverse links in the transverse direction. The longitudinal wheel location is handled by the trailing arm. Furthermore weight-optimised tube anti-roll bar are used on the rear axle.
The fact that the rear axle is decoupled from the body via a subframe is decisive for the extremely high comfort of the new Passat. The frame itself is very light thanks to the use of high-tensile steel.
Decoupling the axle from the body has been achieved using four large rubber/metal bearings. This separation of the subframe reduces the noise level and raises driving and ride comfort to luxury-class standards.
