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A
standard production Passat
BlueMotion entered the record
books in October 2010 after
covering a distance of 1,527.63
miles on a single tank of fuel,
achieving an average 89.83 mpg.
Not wanting to rest on the
laurels of the previous
generation, Volkswagen has now
added a BlueMotion model to the
seventh-generation Passat range
which is even more efficient.
Prices start at £19,875 for the
saloon and rise to £21,180 for
the Estate.
Launched in January this year,
the latest standard Passat and
Passat Estate exceeded the fuel
economy figures of the outgoing
BlueMotion models, and this
latest BlueMotion model, which
was revealed at the Geneva Motor
Show in March, raises the bar
even further.
At
the heart of the Passat
BlueMotion is a modified version
of Volkswagen’s efficient
1.6-litre common rail TDI engine
developing 105 PS, coupled to a
six-speed manual gearbox.
In
addition to the Stop/Start and
battery regeneration systems
which already feature on the
BlueMotion Technology models,
the latest addition to the
BlueMotion range includes
further modifications to improve
aerodynamics and reduce drag.
These include low rolling
resistance tyres, suspension
lowered by 15 mm at the front
and 7.5 mm at the rear, plus a
revised radiator grille and
underbody panel to minimise
drag. The saloon is also fitted
with a compact rear spoiler.
Lightweight and aerodynamic
16-inch steel rims are fitted as
standard, while exclusive
17-inch ‘Buenos Aires’ alloy
wheels are also available as an
option.
These modifications result in an
expected average combined fuel
consumption of 68.9 mpg for the
saloon and 65.7 mpg for the
Estate, while CO2
emissions of 109 g/km for the
Passat, and 113 g/km for the
Passat Estate, put them into VED
bands B and C respectively.
Despite these efficiency
measures, the car remains
spacious, comfortable, safe and
refined. With a premium of just
£220 over the S trim models on
which they are based, all
BlueMotion variants are also
well-equipped featuring curtain
airbags, ESP, ‘Climatic’ air
conditioning, electric windows,
electronic parking brake, RCD
310 radio / CD player and Multi
Device Interface (MDI) with iPod
connectivity. Items such as the
fatigue detection system with
cruise control, Park Assist II
and High Beam Assist are also
available as options.
As
with all BlueMotion models,
these latest additions to the
range are conventional to drive,
service and maintain, yet among
the most efficient vehicles on
the road today. They also
benefit from the same
competitive low rate finance
offers as the rest of the Passat
range through Volkswagen
Finance, and are
eligible for free servicing for
three years or 30,000 miles
(whichever comes soonest).
The new Passat and Passat Estate
BlueMotion are available to
order now, with first examples
arriving in showrooms towards
the end of July.
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