The Germany contingent of Volkswagen's Engineering team Seems particularly proud of this moment. The green hills Surrounding the big gray boxes Are not part of the Germany Countryside. The car is the 2012 Volkswagen Passat, Designed exclusively for and built by Americans. Volkswagen of America president Jonathan Browning stresses the importance of the new Passat, calling it the fundamental pillar of Volkswagen's future in the U.S. So Tennessee is not Germany, but this fall, you'll be Able to waltz into one of the state's Volkswagen dealers and drive off in a 2012 Passat built by local labor. This is the first time VW has assembled a car in America since the 10-year crap Explosion That was its New Stanton, Pennsylvania, plant (1978-1988). Overjoyed at winning the bid, the state of Tennessee built its own VW's exit off Interstate 75 and coughed up $ 577 million in incentives. That last bit is fitting, as the Passat is a key part of Volkswagen's explosive American-growth goals. VW wants to sell 800,000 vehicles here by 2018, up from last year's 256.830. The Passat's launch stores place on the roads Between Chattanooga and Nashville, a Serene, rolling land of tumbling hills and lifted pickup trucks. VW Gives an additional inch of legroom to the front and 1.4 inches to the rear. We get three engines (the Germany-market Passat offers seven), all of the which have been seen before: a 170-hp, 2.5-liter five, a 140-hp, 2.0-liter turbo-diesel four, and a 280-hp , 3.6-liter 10.6-degree VR-6. Blame the TDI's 43-mpg highway fuel-economy rating.
Amazingly, for a car That just Had Thousands of dollars ripped from its street price, the Passat's interior is respectable. There's a lot in store for the 2012 Volkswagen Passat. With production based at Volkswagen's new Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant, the latest Passat is larger Than the last model and rings in about $ 8,000 Less than its predecessor. Buyers cans choose Between a five speed manual and a six-speed automatic transmission. For the time being, all Passats will from some front-wheel-drive only. A six-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission (DSG) is standard. Another Passat Greatest Hits of the 2000s is Also back - the diesel-fueled 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (TDI). Now 50-state emissions legal, the 140-hp TDI makes the Passat the only mainstream family sedan available with a diesel. A six-speed manual or six-speed DSG transmission will from be Offered, and VW estimates fuel economy at 43 mpg on the highway.
Standard features for the 2012 Volkswagen Passat will from include dual-zone climate control and Bluetooth, with options for the push-button start, remote ignition and 18-inch wheels. Among other midsize sedans, VW says the Passat is about the Same size as an Accord or Camry but will from Boast class-leading rear seat legroom.
