U.S. is Main Market for Volksagen Passat CC

VW Passat CC

By Clinton Deacon
April 29, 2008 4:15 PM
Filed Under: German, Industry, Volkswagen

Following an interview with Detlef Wittig, head of Volkswagen brand sales and marketing, Automotive News Europe is able to report the German manufacturer expects 60% of worldwide Passat CC sales to to come from the United States, representing the biggest single market for the new model.

300,000 worldwide sales are expected for the the first generation with pricing set at $30,000 for the base US-spec model which will be missing some technologies such as the adaptive cruise control system available for European consumers.

Revealed at the North American Motor Show VW will be hoping the Passat CC will rival the dominant position of the Mercedes CLS in the four-door coupe segment ahead of the arrival of further competition in the form of the Porsche Panamera and the Audi A7.

Source: Automotive News

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Volkswagen Passat CC (46 photos)

Comments

blabla

April 29, 2008 4:30 PM

this car is very fugly.

asif

April 29, 2008 4:33 PM

rivalling the CLS? are they mad?! the clumsy styling of this vehicle is just laughable when compared to the ultra sophisicated and executed merc. the vw doesnt even come close. to see that its a clear rip off shows that you cant take it seriously. plus its called a passat! i despair at their hopes....

peterjames7

April 29, 2008 5:12 PM

so this car is to rival cars from its own stable? i know porsche isnt fully part of vw but they sleep together as much as a married man and his mistress. surely the a7 and porsche will cost considerably more than the passat. From what i have seen so far from the panamera it will certainly rival the vw in the fugly stakes. the cc could have been a great car but its such a let down in the styling, naming, and marketing.

worldcarfan87

April 29, 2008 6:14 PM

yep. totally agree. a name distinct from the model its derived from would have helped the public perception graetly (a large majority of whom will believe it to be a coupe/cabriolet anyway). just makes it seem like a money grabbing attempt by vw to fill a niche in the market, which the cls created.

Lutzie

May 4, 2008 9:30 AM

Porsche is very much on top at the moment.

Lutzie

May 4, 2008 9:35 AM

Porsche is very much on top at the moment. Thanks to Dr Piech.

bernardo

April 29, 2008 7:00 PM

This car doesn't look bad -I really like It actually- but It just can't be compared to the CLS In any way -price included-. Therefore the fact that VW hopes this car to be a rival to the CLS Is pretty much laughtable.

rickyb

April 29, 2008 8:06 PM

I really love the look of this car and hope that some of the styling elements make their way into the Passat wagon. As for comparing this to an $80k Mercedes, no one who is truly serious about a CLS would crossshop a VW (except maybe a Phaeton). (Is it me, or do so many Marketing people sound like they've have no grip on reality?)

Bristol411S3

April 29, 2008 8:24 PM

I think what may have been meant is that VW hopes the Passat CC will rival the CLS in terms of the share of the its market the a 4 door coupe will take. Ditto no doubt that Porsche and Audi also hope their 4 door coupes also steal buyers of tradional saloons in their respective markets.

And don't be surprised to see VAG competing with itself - it happens almost everywhere it has models: Leon v Golf v A3 through to 911 v R8 v Gallardo (to a degree) and everything in between.

Oliver

April 29, 2008 8:57 PM

Altough its not a CLS it think this car really looks great!

designerr

April 29, 2008 10:00 PM

really nice looking car.its designed by a mercedes designer.i love it

smokeonit

April 30, 2008 1:01 AM

no frontal position lights??? and it's main target is the US market??? the bmw 5series has them in the EU, why not the passat CC, i don't like VW for this inconsequent handling of safety equipment... why not leave the position lights in there for the EU market, and the CC would look better than the chrom sides of the headlights that they have right now, looks like something is missing... oh yeah, right, there's something missing... LOL

Hiromichi

April 30, 2008 1:48 AM

The biggest rival of CC would be Phaeton, and I anticepate that Phaeton will be fading out as these two may not be able to live hand-in-hand. CC is clearly in a 4 door coupe league but it is neither a rival to A7 nor Panamera nor CLS from marketing and positioning point of view. Panamera, A7 and CC makes clear and beautiful 4door coupe line up in VW group companies which may not be bad from Piech's point of view.

kevoluetion

April 30, 2008 4:00 AM

I like it, but the back is ugly.....i dont think it can compare with CLS, thats like comparing a Passat with E class.

_M7_

April 30, 2008 4:33 AM

a flat 6 serie, whit chrisler hood and mercedes side look jajaja ...Audi just a waste of money

dcars62

April 30, 2008 4:48 AM

Accord, Malibu and Camry are better looking, better cars and the VW is too expensive.

muellr

April 30, 2008 5:27 AM

if you see who actually drives a CLS i doubt that the same customer would even consider a VW. the brand is not cool or luxurious by nay means. And with no factory in the states that models calculation will not work for VW

catch22

April 30, 2008 8:49 AM

Poor man's CLS :)

Jaakkoe

April 30, 2008 10:40 AM

I like it. Although they compete for different customers they can be compared styling-wise, in that they're both 4-doors coupes. Plus there aren't too many ways a 4-dr coupe can appear. As bending metal isn't too costly with today's tools, it's as cheap or as expensive to make a beautiful car as it is to make an ugly one... Styling-wise, my opinion is that Merc went a bit over-the-top with the CLS in order to get some new customers that wouldn't have thought MB E-Class in the past, cause it was what their dad or grandpa was driving. Maybe also those that would've otherwise bought Jag or something more exotic. I think we'll see if it paid off when/if CLS gets replaced.

Bill3182

April 30, 2008 11:08 AM

this car is hardly a coupe.. in fact it seems like the next generation passat. an ordinary sedan. but the problem in the vw world is their ultra-conservative views about style. what the rest of the world would describe as a sedan, they describe it as a coupe, "like the CLS". these vw guys are funny..! really funny.. what's next? a golf cc to rival the SLK?? lol..

BabyMilo

April 30, 2008 11:32 AM

it looks like a smudged passat

abugatti

April 30, 2008 11:54 AM

my mom drives new Passat...not bad car really...but i wouldn't pay more to get that CC...rather have BMW 3...

Alfafox5

April 30, 2008 4:59 PM

I saw this car in person at the Detroit Auto Show, and I have to say the profile from the backlight to the rear drop-off is disappointing. Also strange is the hood shut lines, that angle away from the center. While this makes sense at some angles, it is way too complicated at others. Where did they go wrong? They complicated the design in what looks like an attempt to give a technical edgyness... the final outcome is too much going on, a lack of clarity and a trunk that slopes downward in a lazy way. It could also be called an clear copy of the CLS form language, which I think is ugly as hell, instead of choosing to lead with a new interpretation of the 4-door coupe.

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