Future Volkswagen Models

Volkswagen Passat CC

Unveiled at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, the 2009 Volkswagen Passat CC is an attempt to deliver an upscale sedan with a coupelike profile. It's powered by a 3.6-liter V6 rated at 276 hp and 266 lb-ft. The four-passenger Passat CC 3.6 will come fitted with VW's 4Motion system as standard and a six-speed Tiptronic gearbox. One other option for U.S. buyers will be a turbocharged four-cylinder direct-injection gas engine rated at 197 hp and 207 lb-ft. With a standard six-speed manual gearbox, the engine lopes from zero to 60 mph in less than 7.6 seconds while returning reasonably good gas mileage of 30 mpg. As for the fancy hardware, Dynamic Drive Control is VW's name for its new electronic chassis control system that regulates damping and steering characteristics in three pre-selected modes: Normal, Sport and Comfort. In keeping with its premium image, the Passat CC can be ordered with shift paddles, a multifunction steering wheel, touchscreen navigation system, wood and brushed aluminum accents, ambient lighting, a panorama vent sunroof and 18-inch alloy wheels. The Passat CC will go on sale in Europe in the second quarter, reaching North America late this year as a 2009 model.

Volkswagen Routan

The 2009 Volkswagen Routan will make its world debut at the Chicago auto show in February. VW says the Routan, jointly developed with Chrysler, is intended "especially for the U.S. market." The name "Routan" is intended to connect the new model to VW's European vans, the Touran and Sharan, while containing what the German automaker calls an English word: "route." The minivan will be built at Chrysler's Windsor, Ontario, assembly plant. Although it was designed with Chrysler, VW says the look both inside and out "of course" is in line with its own "clear design concept." The seven-passenger minivan is about 197 inches in length and is intended to be "splendidly adapted" to U.S. minivan drivers' needs in terms of space and functionality, VW says. Images and full specs have not been released.