KEY POINTS:
Could Volkswagen's new coupe-style sedan, the Passat CC, be considered a Mercedes-Benz CLS on the cheap? Perhaps - depending on what you define as cheap.
It's likely the sexy looking, low-slung four-seater will cost up to $100,000 when it arrives in New Zealand - somewhat less expensive than the $150,000 entry price for the posh four-door-coupe Benz CLS, but it's still a healthy step up from the present flagship of the Passat sedan line-up, the $73,990 V6 4Motion.
The CC might be lower and have fewer seats than the Passat sedan, but it's actually 31mm longer and 36mm wider.
Much of the cabin architecture is carried over from the regular Passat, but there's a new steering wheel with integrated cellphone and stereo controls, a new instrument pack and more upmarket trim options, including wood, aluminium and an "ambient" lighting pack.
The front seats can be specified with integrated heating systems for the winter and cooling systems for the summer - features previously only available on the Phaeton.
The driving experience takes a step up from the standard Passat, too. The CC is available with Dynamic Drive Control, offering three settings - comfort, normal and sport. The system acts on the damper units to firm up or soften the ride and changes the characteristics of the electro-mechanical steering system to suit.
Integrated into the front of the vehicle are a set of sensors for two more features new to Passat - Lane Assist and Park Assist.
Lane Assist is a safety system designed to guide the vehicle automatically should it sense the car is drifting out of the desired lane on a motorway.
The system is switched off as soon as the indicators are engaged, and the driver can override the system at any time. Park Assist, also available on the Tiguan and Touran models, allows the vehicle to guide itself into a parallel parking space with the help of sensors placed around the vehicle.
Although the vehicle is responsible for steering inputs, the driver retains control of the throttle and braking systems at all times.
The CC's contoured glasshouse incorporates a large, panoramic roof section, which measures 750mm in length and 1120mm in width.
The CC will be available with a range of engines in Europe, but expect the Volkswagen in New Zealand operation to concentrate on the upmarket, highly specified models only.
Topping the range is a 3.6-litre V6 FSI engine, with 4Motion all-wheel-drive and a six-speed Direct Shift Gearbox.
In CC form, the car can sprint to 100km/h in just 5.6 seconds.
