Volkswagen Announces Super Efficient 68.9mpg Passat BlueMotion for the UK

Revealed at the Geneva Motor Show this past March, the new generation of Volkswagen’s fuel-efficient Passat BlueMotion is available to order now in the United Kingdom, with first examples scheduled to hit showrooms towards the end of July. The BlueMotion version of the seventh-generation Passat (not to be confused with the US model), itself launched in Europe in January, is offered in both sedan and Estate formats with prices starting at £19,875 and £21,180 respectively.

The Passat BlueMotion is powered by a modified version of Volkswagen’s 1.6-litre common rail diesel engine developing 105-horses, connected to a six-speed manual gearbox. To improve fuel economy, Volkswagen’s engineers fitted the car with Stop/Start and battery regeneration systems and also revised aerodynamics to reduce drag through the use of rolling resistance tyres, a 15mm lower suspension at the front and 7.5 mm at the rear, a different radiator grille and underbody panels.

The saloon is also fitted with a compact rear spoiler, while both body styles are equipped with lightweight and aerodynamic 16-inch steel rims as standard, with 17-inch ‘Buenos Aires’ alloy wheels available as an option.

Together, these measures result in a combined fuel consumption of 68.9 mpg UK (57.3 mpg US or 4.1 lt / 100km) for the saloon and 65.7 mpg (54.7 mpg US or 4.3 lt / 100km) for the Estate, and CO2 emissions of 109 g/km and 113 g/km respectively.

Standard features on all BlueMotion variants include curtain airbags, ESP, ‘Climatic’ air conditioning, electric windows, electronic parking brake, RCD 310 radio / CD player and Multi Device Interface (MDI) with iPod connectivity.

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KBR Motorsport Tricks Out Volkswagen’s Passat CC

It has been a long time since we last saw a tuning firm getting its hands on the Volkswagen Passat CC, but today we received news on a freshly developed styling and performance package for the mid-size sports saloon by German firm KBR Motorsport.

The tuning company starts on the outside with a bespoke foil-wrap in a so-called dull olive gray finish matched with new 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped around 225/30 ZR20 tires and a new exhaust tail pipe. To Passat CC’s aggressive stance is further enhanced with a lowered KW Variant 3 coilover suspension.

KBR Motorsport’s press release makes word of a tuning kit for the Passat CC’s turbocharged engine that lifts output to 260-horses, but does not specify the powerplant. Looking at the available engine range in Germany, chances are KBR Motorsport’s tune concerns the 2.0-liter TFSi, which delivers 210-horsepower in stock form.

The German tuner said that the complete package is priced at €11,000 or about US$15,800.

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Volkswagen Studying Tiguan SUV Production in North America to Lower Costs

Citing inside management sources from Volkswagen, a news report from German weekly business magazine WirtschaftsWoche said the German automaker wants to produce its Tiguan compact SUV in North America in order to reduce costs and protect itself against fluctuation of exchange rates. Officially, Volkswagen declined to comment on the magazine report.

At present, the North American version of the refreshed Tiguan SUV is imported from Germany with production taking place at Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg plant. The German automaker recently opened its first plant in the United States in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The $1 billion factory assembles the North American market 2012 Passat and has an annual capacity of up to 150,000 vehicles.

The German automaker has two more models in its range that are made in North America, the new Jetta and Beetle, both of which are produced in Mexico.

WirtschaftsWoche said that it has not yet been established if the North American Tiguan would be produced at the Chattanooga facility or at VW’s plant in Pueblo, Mexico.

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