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2006 Volkswagen Passat Preview

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Better in Every Way

The Volkswagen Passat isnt your typical family car. Its not a best seller like the Toyota Camry, and it hasnt won any prestigious awards like the Honda Accord. It doesnt have price on its side like the Hyundai Sonata, or the "home court advantage" of the domestic Chevrolet Malibu.

Given this competitive environment, its ironic how the Passat, one of the more expensive candidates in the family car segment, is able to command respect from so many carmakers and praise from many a customer.

After six generations and thirteen million examples produced, Volkswagen has enthusiastically pulled the covers off its all-new B6-generation Passat.

Completely

After six generations and thirteen million examples produced, Volkswagen has just unveiled its all-new B6-generation Passat. (Photo: Volkswagen of America)

Said to be influenced by todays Passat as well as the sporty Concept C and Concept R, the all-new Passats

The upcoming Passat will push the boundaries of what is to be expected in the midsize-car class. (Photo: Volkswagen of America)

Tomorrows Passat is also influenced by todays flagship Phaeton, in the form of a rounded, more contemporary shape, wing-mirror-mounted turn signals and rear LED tail lamps. VW has also adopted a body panel shaping similar to, but not quite

The all-new Passats styling is evolutionary as opposed to revolutionary. (Photo: Volkswagen of America)

This new styling direction was penned on a body thats 187.8 inches long, up 2.4 inches from the current generation, 71.7 inches wide, up 2.9 inches and 57.9 inches tall, up 0.4 inches riding on a wheelbase that is 106.7 inches long, up 0.2 inches.

The resemblances between the new Jetta and the new Passat are more than skin deep, being that for

VWs midsize sedan will ride upon a stretched and widened version of the upcoming Golf/Jetta platform called the PQ46. (Photo: Volkswagen of America)

Instead, VWs midsize sedan will ride upon a stretched and widened version of the upcoming Golf/Jetta platform called the PQ46. Moving to the Golfs platform altered one critical characteristic: the Passat will feature an engine layout that is transverse (east-west), instead of longitudinal (north-south).

As expected, the new chassis uses many of the same mechanical and structural components with the mass-produced Golf, reducing development

While classed as a midsize family sedan, the new model has enough rear leg room to vault it into the premium luxury segment. (Photo: Volkswagen of America)