When Volkswagen introduced the revised Passat to Europe at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, it told us that it was a new, seventh generation (codenamed B7) model, but between you, me and the entire world outside of the brand’s marketing and press departments, we all knew that it was a facelift of the B6.
The upcoming B8 seen in the following spy shots, however, is an entirely different and new story as it is a clean sheet design based on an extended version of the VW Group’s MQB platform, which will help the Germans save money and increase their profits, while also cutting down the car’s weight by up to 100kg (220 pounds).
It’s not clear if the same design will eventually trickle down to North America or if VW will continue to offer separate models, but the European Passat seen here sports an evolutionary styling with more chiseled detailing.
A more efficient use of space will allow the Passat to offer a roomier cabin for passengers and increase the cargo capacity on both the sedan, as well as the successor to the Estate (station wagon).
Don’t let the huge integrated exhaust trims fool you into thinking that this Passat comes with enough power to blow away a Ferrari, as behind them, you’ll find very small tailpipes for the newer range of turbocharged gasoline and diesel units used in other recent group models. Besides the regular front-wheel drive versions, VW will also offer its 4Motion all-wheel drive system on select engines. A hybrid model is rumored to join the range later on.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoopS
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