JOHN HALAS wrote:What many regard as Germany’s beige answer to the Toyota Camry in North America, has received a sporty-ish conceptual makeover in the form of the Passat GT.
Volkswagen will reveal the heated up Passat GT that it says, previews a “potential addition” to its range in the USA and Canada, at this week’s Automobility LA, the media precursor of the 2016 LA Auto Show.
If you’re looking for any true performance upgrades under the hood over the regular Passat, you’re out of luck. The GT keeps the same 280-horsepower 3.6-liter VR6 V6 tied to a six-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission, controlled via steering wheel shift paddles, found in the upper-end Passat range.
What it does add is a dual trapezoidal exhaust and a sport muffler, 19-inch Tornado wheels that cover red-painted brake calipers, plus a 0.6-inch reduction in ride height.
It also gets a handful of design changes over the standard Passat. These include the GTI-esque black honeycomb grille insert with red accent, unique bumper trims, black window surrounds and roof, trunk spoiler, LED headlights and smoked taillights.
“The Passat GT is an early example of how the new Volkswagen North American Region will meet the needs and desires of American customers going forward,” said Matthias Erb, Chief Engineering Officer, North American Region. “We have the freedom and the responsibility to shape future North American vehicles here in the U.S., combining engineering resources from around the world with our unique perspective and talented local team.”
Given how it looks production-ready, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Passat GT hits VW showrooms as a new trim level in the next few months.
