wheel32
12-31-2007, 08:01 AM
Fate - just four letters of the English alphabet which, when combined, have a rather h avy implication on the reasoning behind everything that happens in this world. Li oes a full circle they say, and Volkswagen sure knows what that means. The Germans Have been on the verge of getting into India for a long time now, and that story fi . ds its roots almost 30 years ago. Volkswagen's India plans actually date back to the 19ii'0S and are linked to one of the country's leading and most prolific car manufactu ers - Maruti. Back in the days of Sanjay Gandhi - the man who conceived and pushed for the conception of a 'people's car' for the Indian middle class, Maruti was on the lookout for an alliance with an established foreign car maker to realise Sanjay's dream. The lead contender for the honour was none other than the original 'people's car' Volkswagen, with the Beetle sighted out as the most likely choice for production reality.
The Germans stalled their final bearing on an India decision and as Maruti grew restless, a chance meeting between the then Managing Director for Maruti, RC Bhargava and a certain Osamu Suzuki steered the course for a legendary alliance with the Japs. The rest, as they say, is history and while that worked out great for the Maruti-Suzuki alliance, it sure didn't go down too well with Volkswagen. The top honchos at Wolfsburg must have had recollections of the what-might-have-been kind when they finally decided on getting the Passat to India - especially in the wake of breaking news about Maruti outselling Suzuki across the world (see Bulletin, page 20)! One can brush history aside as happenings in the past and account it to twisted plans in the book of Fate, but what lies ahead for Volkswagen is a rather tough job. Especially as they step into a much more mature and developed Indian market with numerous well established competitors than there were in the 1980s. The Passat has its work cut out, battling against the likes of Honda, Toyota, Nissan and even stable-mate Skoda. With due respect to the Germans though, it looks like they've got it right with the Passat - terrifically right!
34
Sitting snugly under the rather flat, twin-creased hood is Volkswagen's z.o TDI oil burner. It came as a pleasant surprise to find a diesel powerplant instead of a petrol one -just one other rival for the Passat offers that very vital diesel alternative and it comes from the same family tree as the Volkswagen. With power peaking at 14zPS at just around 4000rpm, the perky powerplant feels extremely strong through the rev range. The 3zoNm of peak torque being churned out of the 1968cc engine is made available right where it matters most in the Indian drive cycle - really low down. With torque peaking in a lowly but wide 17So-zsoorpm band, the Passat's inline four is extremely driveable even in peak Pune rush hour traffic - and that speaks a lot about the engine's credibility if you've ever experienced peak rush hour mayhem in Pune! The engine is mated to the now-legendary 6-speed DSG auto-box. The transverse-mounted transmission system comprises of two hydraulic clutches and input and output shafts - one set controls the odd and reverse gears while the second controls the even gears. A complex electronic system keeps the next higher gear engaged but keeps it in standby mode. As engine rpm approaches ideal shift point, the system automatically opens the clutch controlling the lower gear and closes the clutch controlling the higher gear resulting in some rather quick gear shifts.
With the efficiency reminiscent of a manual gear shift, the DSG on the Passat is extremely quick and works wonders in extracting the best out of the strong engine package. The Passat will accelerate to IOokm/h from a standstill in 11.36 seconds - not really the fastest car that we've tested, but pretty respectable for a I476kg car with a 2.0-litre engine and an auto 'box. Talking about numbers, the Passat's 202.Iskm/h top speed wasn't too bad either, especially considering the ease with which the car got there. Hard acceleration brings about a racy hum from the engine bay that sounds very sporty and speaks volumes of the quality of the mill under the bonnet. Slot the shift stick in Sport mode and the paddle shift capability on the Passat means you can go play like Schumacher all day long.
The Passat isn't really about individual bits doing a wonderful job - the true brilliance of the car lies in the way all the systems work in sync to out-deliver each other. With the car being able to achieve high speeds in relatively less time, the McPherson struts with lower wishbones and an anti-roll bar up front and the four-link, separate shock absorber unit coupled to another anti-roll
bar at the rear keep the Passat extremely stable and planted even at top speed. Push the car through corners and the suspension works doubly hard to keep things under control by minimising body roll. Coupled with the precise steering, this Volkswagen hurls itself in exactly the direction it's being pointed at. The well set¬up suspension is complimented by grippy Pirelli P7 ZIS/SS RI6rubber shod on classy IO-spoke alloy wheel rims that keep the car perfectly in line even under hard braking (IOo-okm/h in 3.S3S). Though the tyre specifications may make it seem a little on the low-profile side, the Passat is very well behaved even on some of the worst road surfaces in India.
35
Hiding all the techno-wizardry and hard working mechanical bits from the elements is a neatly sculpted body shell that wraps itself around a high strength light weight monocoque. You've seen a lot of the Passat in the past few issues of CAR India but all we can say is that the car looks exponentially better in the flesh. Trademark features like the very Audi-esque chrome front grille and distinctive headlights that mark the emergence of a neat crease that runs rearwards all the way to the taillights just below the waistline make the car look rather sporty. Slightly flared wheel arches, matt black skirts all round and a rather chunky C-pillar add the right amount of macho appeal to the Passat's design. A swooping rear end is dominated by large tail lights snug under an integrated spoiler-like ridge in the Passat's boot. Step in and the abundance of black leather in the Volkswagen's cabin is the first thing that hits you. Everything on the inside is in a shade of dark black or matt grey with well balanced chrome and silver accents. Don't get me wrong though - that entire dark-colour scheme doesn't look even a bit out of place in the Passat, in fact, it adds a touch of class and sportiness to the interiors that is extremely gripping. The dash is neatly laid and chrome rings surrounding the speedo and tacho clocks with indicator needles in red have a very ... err ... Mafioso appeal!
Ergonomics are spot on and the 12-way electrically adjustable leather seats offer unmatched thigh and lumbar support with great bolstering for the back and shoulders as well. All controls are well within reach and themulti¬function steering wheel is delightful to hold and operate. The good ergonomics continue on to the rear seats as well which offer tremendous legroom and are extremely comfortable. The one bit that we didn't like about the Passat though is the way the edges of the seats protrude beyond the drop off. It looks like a tailor's measurement error that has carried over into the production model. Apart from that, there's really no other cabin I'd want to spend time driving around in this side of the Audi A6!
The Passat is an awesome car to sum things up in brief. An overall fuel efficiency of IO.7Skmpl is a tad on the lower side though, especially considering the fact that the Passat in India is powered by a 2.o-litre diesel engine. Volkswagen is selling the Passat in two trims ¬the lower spec version priced at Rs 22.871akh while the top of the line DSG S version is priced at Rs 24.921akh (ex-showroom Mumbai). That makes it significantly more expensive than the Honda Accord and stablemate diesel rival - the Skoda Superb. The Volkswagen Passat is a good option, albeit a pricey one and we can't help but think whether Wolfsburg's pricing strategy may just have played spoilsport to their maiden foray into the war zone that is the Indian automotive market.
The Germans stalled their final bearing on an India decision and as Maruti grew restless, a chance meeting between the then Managing Director for Maruti, RC Bhargava and a certain Osamu Suzuki steered the course for a legendary alliance with the Japs. The rest, as they say, is history and while that worked out great for the Maruti-Suzuki alliance, it sure didn't go down too well with Volkswagen. The top honchos at Wolfsburg must have had recollections of the what-might-have-been kind when they finally decided on getting the Passat to India - especially in the wake of breaking news about Maruti outselling Suzuki across the world (see Bulletin, page 20)! One can brush history aside as happenings in the past and account it to twisted plans in the book of Fate, but what lies ahead for Volkswagen is a rather tough job. Especially as they step into a much more mature and developed Indian market with numerous well established competitors than there were in the 1980s. The Passat has its work cut out, battling against the likes of Honda, Toyota, Nissan and even stable-mate Skoda. With due respect to the Germans though, it looks like they've got it right with the Passat - terrifically right!
34
Sitting snugly under the rather flat, twin-creased hood is Volkswagen's z.o TDI oil burner. It came as a pleasant surprise to find a diesel powerplant instead of a petrol one -just one other rival for the Passat offers that very vital diesel alternative and it comes from the same family tree as the Volkswagen. With power peaking at 14zPS at just around 4000rpm, the perky powerplant feels extremely strong through the rev range. The 3zoNm of peak torque being churned out of the 1968cc engine is made available right where it matters most in the Indian drive cycle - really low down. With torque peaking in a lowly but wide 17So-zsoorpm band, the Passat's inline four is extremely driveable even in peak Pune rush hour traffic - and that speaks a lot about the engine's credibility if you've ever experienced peak rush hour mayhem in Pune! The engine is mated to the now-legendary 6-speed DSG auto-box. The transverse-mounted transmission system comprises of two hydraulic clutches and input and output shafts - one set controls the odd and reverse gears while the second controls the even gears. A complex electronic system keeps the next higher gear engaged but keeps it in standby mode. As engine rpm approaches ideal shift point, the system automatically opens the clutch controlling the lower gear and closes the clutch controlling the higher gear resulting in some rather quick gear shifts.
With the efficiency reminiscent of a manual gear shift, the DSG on the Passat is extremely quick and works wonders in extracting the best out of the strong engine package. The Passat will accelerate to IOokm/h from a standstill in 11.36 seconds - not really the fastest car that we've tested, but pretty respectable for a I476kg car with a 2.0-litre engine and an auto 'box. Talking about numbers, the Passat's 202.Iskm/h top speed wasn't too bad either, especially considering the ease with which the car got there. Hard acceleration brings about a racy hum from the engine bay that sounds very sporty and speaks volumes of the quality of the mill under the bonnet. Slot the shift stick in Sport mode and the paddle shift capability on the Passat means you can go play like Schumacher all day long.
The Passat isn't really about individual bits doing a wonderful job - the true brilliance of the car lies in the way all the systems work in sync to out-deliver each other. With the car being able to achieve high speeds in relatively less time, the McPherson struts with lower wishbones and an anti-roll bar up front and the four-link, separate shock absorber unit coupled to another anti-roll
bar at the rear keep the Passat extremely stable and planted even at top speed. Push the car through corners and the suspension works doubly hard to keep things under control by minimising body roll. Coupled with the precise steering, this Volkswagen hurls itself in exactly the direction it's being pointed at. The well set¬up suspension is complimented by grippy Pirelli P7 ZIS/SS RI6rubber shod on classy IO-spoke alloy wheel rims that keep the car perfectly in line even under hard braking (IOo-okm/h in 3.S3S). Though the tyre specifications may make it seem a little on the low-profile side, the Passat is very well behaved even on some of the worst road surfaces in India.
35
Hiding all the techno-wizardry and hard working mechanical bits from the elements is a neatly sculpted body shell that wraps itself around a high strength light weight monocoque. You've seen a lot of the Passat in the past few issues of CAR India but all we can say is that the car looks exponentially better in the flesh. Trademark features like the very Audi-esque chrome front grille and distinctive headlights that mark the emergence of a neat crease that runs rearwards all the way to the taillights just below the waistline make the car look rather sporty. Slightly flared wheel arches, matt black skirts all round and a rather chunky C-pillar add the right amount of macho appeal to the Passat's design. A swooping rear end is dominated by large tail lights snug under an integrated spoiler-like ridge in the Passat's boot. Step in and the abundance of black leather in the Volkswagen's cabin is the first thing that hits you. Everything on the inside is in a shade of dark black or matt grey with well balanced chrome and silver accents. Don't get me wrong though - that entire dark-colour scheme doesn't look even a bit out of place in the Passat, in fact, it adds a touch of class and sportiness to the interiors that is extremely gripping. The dash is neatly laid and chrome rings surrounding the speedo and tacho clocks with indicator needles in red have a very ... err ... Mafioso appeal!
Ergonomics are spot on and the 12-way electrically adjustable leather seats offer unmatched thigh and lumbar support with great bolstering for the back and shoulders as well. All controls are well within reach and themulti¬function steering wheel is delightful to hold and operate. The good ergonomics continue on to the rear seats as well which offer tremendous legroom and are extremely comfortable. The one bit that we didn't like about the Passat though is the way the edges of the seats protrude beyond the drop off. It looks like a tailor's measurement error that has carried over into the production model. Apart from that, there's really no other cabin I'd want to spend time driving around in this side of the Audi A6!
The Passat is an awesome car to sum things up in brief. An overall fuel efficiency of IO.7Skmpl is a tad on the lower side though, especially considering the fact that the Passat in India is powered by a 2.o-litre diesel engine. Volkswagen is selling the Passat in two trims ¬the lower spec version priced at Rs 22.871akh while the top of the line DSG S version is priced at Rs 24.921akh (ex-showroom Mumbai). That makes it significantly more expensive than the Honda Accord and stablemate diesel rival - the Skoda Superb. The Volkswagen Passat is a good option, albeit a pricey one and we can't help but think whether Wolfsburg's pricing strategy may just have played spoilsport to their maiden foray into the war zone that is the Indian automotive market.