Volkswagen Passat (B8)

Volkswagen Passat (B8)
Overview
Manufacturer	Volkswagen
Also called	VW Passat GT (South Korea)
Production	2014-present
Model years	2015-present
Assembly	Germany: Emden, Lower Saxony Germany: Mosel/Zwickau, Saxony
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size car (D)
Layout	Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive Transverse front-engine, four-wheel drive
Platform	Volkswagen Group MQB platform
Powertrain
Engine	1.4 L I4 TSI (petrol) 1.8 L I4 TSI (petrol) 2.0 L I4 TSI (petrol) 1.6 L I4 TDI (diesel) 2.0 L I4 TDI (diesel) 2.0 L I4 TDI (diesel)
Transmission	6-speed manual 6-speed automatic 7-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,791 mm (109.9 in)
Length	4,767 mm (187.7 in)
Width	1,832 mm (72.1 in)
Height	1,456 mm (57.3 in) (saloon) 1,477 mm (58.1 in) (estate)
Kerb weight	1,367–1,721 kg (3,013.7–3,794.2 lb) (saloon) 1,394–1,735 kg (3,073.2–3,825.0 lb) (estate)
Chronology
Predecessor	Volkswagen Passat (B7)

The Volkswagen Passat (B8) is a Mid-size car manufactured by Volkswagen that is available in a 4-door saloon and 5-door estate body style sold as "Variant." It was first introduced at the Volkswagen Design Center Potsdam on 3 July 2014. The B8 is the eighth-generation model in the Volkswagen Passat series and the first passenger vehicle of Volkswagen Group to be based on a stretched version of the MQB platform. With this generation, Volkswagen intends to move the Passat nameplate upmarket by introducing improved driving quality, better interior materials and newly developed driving assists, placing it against similar European offerings such as the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, as well as its in-house stablemate the Audi A4.

The B8 is assembled in the Emden and Zwickau Volkswagen production plants in Germany. Initial sales of European domestic market models began in November 2014.

The GTE, a plug-in hybrid version, was introduced at the 2014 Paris Motor Show. It will be available for sale during the second half of 2015 in Europe.

Being based on the MQB platform, the B8 Passat has more interior space than the last generation model despite being minimally shorter and 18 mm (0.7 in) lower than the last generation model. As the front wheels have been moved forward, its wheelbase has been extended by 79 mm (3.1 in), resulting in a shorter front overhang and a bigger cabin. The B8 Passat also weighs 73 kg (160.9 lb) less, due to the usage of lightweight vacuum-formed steel, and is only offered with turbocharger-equipped engines ranging from 1.4 to 2.0 litre to keep weight and fuel consumption as low as possible.

Saloon

Variant

Interior

The B8 Passat is available with several optional driver assistance systems that are aimed to improve driving comfort and safety, the most notable being "Emergency Assist", "Traffic Jam Assist" and "Trailer Assist." Emergency Assist will attempt to reactivate the driver after steering feedback hasn't been detected for a period of time and will also transmit warning signals to its nearby surroundings. If the reactivation has failed, the vehicle will be stopped at a safe location. Traffic Jam Assist is capable of moving the vehicle in a traffic jam as long as the average speed does not exceed 60 km/h (37.3 mph). Trailer Assist allows automatic parking with an attached tow trailer.

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Wikipedia