Not just larger, the new Passat is considerably stronger than the previous car, registering a 57-percent increase in static torsional rigidity despite a body structure almost 25 pounds lighter. This was achieved in the production process through the increased use of laser welds and development of a new, high-strength heat-molded steel. The previous Passat was among the safest cars in America, ranking behind only the Mercedes-Benz E-Class in lowest death rate, and this new one should be even better at protecting occupants in a crash.
The new Passat has the presence given off by all beautifully crafted cars and is a stunning example of Volkswagen's goal of melding the aesthetic and the technical. This happy result is from a corporate culture that hasn't always understood that styling is as important as a machine's inner workings; that attitude is gone. And this aesthetic will go deeper than chrome trim or jewel-like headlamps. For instance, note the absence of weld marks in the hood, trunk or door openings of the new Passat, the kind of detail that marks the Passat as the way forward for VW," as one top VW executive put it.
In keeping with current trends, VW stylists sought a dynamic stance and just enough extraneous shapes and creases to make the car interesting from various angles. Its look is an evolution of the Passat's often copied lines, as there was little reason to break completely with tradition. There's a reason that styling studios around the world study Volkswagens, apparently far more closely than the American car buyer.
As with other current VWs, the nose is aggressive. The medallion-shaped grille's ascending angles are continued in the vee-shaped contours of the hood, while a large VW badge dominates the slatted grille face. Composite headlamps frame the nose like a pair of eyes, staring intently down the road, and large intakes along the bottom of the nose reaffirm the car's performance intentions.
In profile, the car's substantial overhangs signal a heftiness associated with large, luxurious automobiles. The wheels and tires, especially the optional 18s, fit well within the wheelwells and underscore the Passat's look of a well-grounded automobile. The sweep of the roof is of the modern, sporty sort, its coupe-like contours delineated by chrome trim surrounding the side glass. Chrome is also used in a trim strip to tie together the front and rear fender arches and the sharply cut tail, which is defined by round, horizontal taillamp clusters that echo the shape of the front lights."
