New Passat launched in China

[zf44]

http://img.worldcarfans.com/2009/4/medium/6361061.jpg (http://www.worldcarfans.com/9090420.020/photo/vw-passat-lingyu-unveiled-at-auto-shanghai)

http://img.worldcarfans.com/2009/4/large/3539107.jpg

http://www.worldcarfans.com/9090420.020/vw-passat-lingyu-unveiled-at-auto-shanghai

[jonsey24]

Is this a Snide copy of the Passat made by the japanese? or a genuine model

[johnloaderuk]

Probably genuine. I think I'm right in saying that VW's biggest market and factory outside Germany is now China.

Anyone please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Group_China

[jonsey24]

Looks like a pheaton

[dieseljames]

It looks grumpy. Also looks much bigger than normal Passat - so probably is based on the Phaeton chassis. I'd prefer a CC!

[angus]

It looks like a tidied up version of the previous model Skoda Superb, which we all know to be a stretched B5.5.

[Quatrelle]

It looks like a tidied up version of the previous model Skoda Superb, which we all know to be a stretched B5.5.
That crossed my mind. VWs being made in China has been talked about a lot on US forums, and the consensus seems to be that they can keep them there.

VW's image has suffered a lot in the past few years, and I can't see that this will help, although the car itself is probably intended more for the home market as it does appear to be a step back model-wise.

[tommyweaves]

Oh dear, I quite like it! I think the front end is better than the B6

[Spudrig]

This story appeared in Car magazine a while ago.

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Secret-new-cars/Search-Results/Spyshots/New-VW-Passat-2012-the-scoop/

I have to say this looks better than the current B6, but I think its only a facelift artist's impression. It might point towards what the B7 will look like though.

As for the Chinese Passat, I'm not sure. Hopefully, it's just for the Chinese market as it does look like a step backwards from the B6

[Crasher]

It is just a face lifted 3B chassis (what you lot insist on calling a B5 or whatever) and is the shell that Skoda used for the previous Superb, the long wheelbase 3B had been on sale in China for years before the Superb came along. There are so many oddball VAG cars around the globe, I would love to be able to import them all and have a museum of VAG cars we never see. It would be difficult to register them here though, even using SVA, as the headlight dipping would prove to be a complex problem to solve.