I gotta admit, it sure beats the hell out of a Beetle. But the cute chicks are in the Cabrolet convertable.
VW Passat W8 Base price: $37,900 Engine: 4.0-liter W-8, 270 hp Transmission: Five-speed automatic with Tiptronic, all-wheel drive Length x width x height: 185.2 x 68.7 x 57.5 in Wheelbase: 106.4 in Curb weight: 3907 lb EPA City/Hwy: 18 /25 mpg Safety equipment: anti-lock brakes, 4MOTION permanent all-wheel drive, front and side airbags, security alarm, pretensioning seatbelts, door automatic locking feature Major standard equipment: telescoping/theft-deterrent steering column, multi function trip computer, cruise control, heated front windshield washer nozzles, rain sensor with automatic wiper speed control, power glass sunroof, headlight washer system Warranty: Four years/50,000 miles +
The 4.0-liter version in the Passat is reasonably torquey and puts out a solid, if not segment-leading, 270 horsepower. Best of all, Volkswagen actually took the time to tweak the powertrain package for the American market. The Passat W8 introduced in Europe last year was "designed for the left lane of the autobahn," says VW's U.S. technical chief, Stefan Krebsfanger. Revised for American roads, the new model is governed out with a top speed of "only" 130 mph. But it's likely to surprise the folks sitting next to you at a stoplight when you slam the accelerator. VW claims a 0-60 time of 6.5 seconds.