Volkswagen New Midsize Sedan
Encyclopedia
The 2012 Volkswagen Passat (formerly known as the Volkswagen New Midsize Sedan, or NMS while under development) is a mid-sized sedan which replaces the previous-generation Passat B6
in the North American market.
The Passat NMS was officially announced in January 2011 at the Detroit Auto Show. Built at the Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant
, The new Passat allows building and shipping costs to be reduced significantly over its predecessor making it more competititive to offerings from Toyota and Honda
at the $20K mark.
In China, the new model is built by 上海大众汽车Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive
and is marketed as a more upscale model with some interior and exterior differences to the North American model. such as wood trimmed steering wheel, rear air vents, and LED accented headlights. It is sold alongside models such as the long wheel base version of the European Passat known as the Magotan and a B5 Passat based Passat LingYu.
The NMS is not going to be sold outside the North American and Chinese Markets, with no plans for a wagon/estate version.With the differing B7 Passat models sold outside of these markets, Volkswagen will be marketing two different Passats concurrently across the globe.
's strategy to sell upwards of 800,000 vehicles per year in the North American market.
The vehicle was developed by Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive
and Volkswagen Passenger Cars
,and is based on an all new platform unique to the model.Nose to tail it measures 191.6 inches, growing 4 inches from the European model and features a stretched 110.4-inch wheelbase and 72.2-inch width, which allows for class leading rear legroom in the Mid-Sized class.
In the US, the Passat NMS is built at Volkswagen Group of America's new Chattanooga, Tennessee production facility
,. The new facility is a "Flex Plant" which will allow for the production of more than one vehicle that is based on the NMS platform. Reports say that a seven seat crossover vehicle based on the NMS will be built at the plant.
In China, 上海大众汽车Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive
manufactures the Passat NMS in its Nanjing factory
The 2.0TDI engine is not offered on Mexican models.
In China, the NMS is offered with a base 1.4TSI avalible with a 5 speed manual or 7 speed DSG, while the 2.0TSI and 3.0V6 come standard with 6 and 7 speed DSG gearboxes.
Volkswagen Passat (B6)
The Volkswagen B6 Passat debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2005, and launched in Europe in the summer of 2005. The B6 Passat no longer shared its platform with Audi's equivalent model , and is instead based on a long-wheelbase version of the platform used by the fifth-generation Golf , and...
in the North American market.
The Passat NMS was officially announced in January 2011 at the Detroit Auto Show. Built at the Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant
Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant
Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant is an automobile assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee that began production in April 2011, was formally inaugurated in May 2011 and is expected to employ approximately 2,000 once fully operational...
, The new Passat allows building and shipping costs to be reduced significantly over its predecessor making it more competititive to offerings from Toyota and Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
at the $20K mark.
In China, the new model is built by 上海大众汽车Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive
Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive
Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive Co., Ltd. is a joint venture company between Volkswagen Group and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation established in 1984...
and is marketed as a more upscale model with some interior and exterior differences to the North American model. such as wood trimmed steering wheel, rear air vents, and LED accented headlights. It is sold alongside models such as the long wheel base version of the European Passat known as the Magotan and a B5 Passat based Passat LingYu.
The NMS is not going to be sold outside the North American and Chinese Markets, with no plans for a wagon/estate version.With the differing B7 Passat models sold outside of these markets, Volkswagen will be marketing two different Passats concurrently across the globe.
Production
The Passat NMS is part of Volkswagen GroupVolkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group is a German multinational automobile manufacturing group. , Volkswagen was ranked as the world’s third largest motor vehicle manufacturer and Europe's largest....
's strategy to sell upwards of 800,000 vehicles per year in the North American market.
The vehicle was developed by Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive
Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive
Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive Co., Ltd. is a joint venture company between Volkswagen Group and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation established in 1984...
and Volkswagen Passenger Cars
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
,and is based on an all new platform unique to the model.Nose to tail it measures 191.6 inches, growing 4 inches from the European model and features a stretched 110.4-inch wheelbase and 72.2-inch width, which allows for class leading rear legroom in the Mid-Sized class.
In the US, the Passat NMS is built at Volkswagen Group of America's new Chattanooga, Tennessee production facility
Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant
Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant is an automobile assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee that began production in April 2011, was formally inaugurated in May 2011 and is expected to employ approximately 2,000 once fully operational...
,. The new facility is a "Flex Plant" which will allow for the production of more than one vehicle that is based on the NMS platform. Reports say that a seven seat crossover vehicle based on the NMS will be built at the plant.
In China, 上海大众汽车Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive
Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive
Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive Co., Ltd. is a joint venture company between Volkswagen Group and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation established in 1984...
manufactures the Passat NMS in its Nanjing factory
Design
Volkswagen released a sketch of the NMS in February 2009 and a more detailed, second sketch on 28 October 2009.The Passat NMS differs from its European counterpart with an overall more chiseled appearance, however it reflects the new Volkswagen Design DNA developed by Walter de Silva, the Italian design chief for the Volkswagen Group, and Klaus Bischoff, the German design leader for the Volkswagen Brand. The design features a predominance of horizontal body elements and three-blade grille and headlights forming a single unit, while its foglights float above L-shaped chrome brackets. The Passat NMS interior borrows most of its design elements from the European Passat, most notably the tradition clock and splashes of contrasting trim. However, it lacks the swooping design of its European counterpart.Engines
In Canada and the United States, the NMS was intially released with a 2.5L 5 Cylinder, 2.0TDI and 3.6VR6 matched to 5 speed manuals, automatics as well as 6 speed manuals and DSGs. Despite being a new model, the 2.5L will eventually be phased out by a more economical 1.8TSI 158bhp engine. Company officials have announced that by the summer of 2012, the New Midsize Sedan will also be available as a hybrid.The 2.0TDI engine is not offered on Mexican models.
In China, the NMS is offered with a base 1.4TSI avalible with a 5 speed manual or 7 speed DSG, while the 2.0TSI and 3.0V6 come standard with 6 and 7 speed DSG gearboxes.
| North America | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Engine type | Power@rpm | Torque@rpm | 0–62 mph acceleration | Top speed | Fuel Economy (MPG) |
| 2.5 L | 151 cubic inch I5 | 170 PS @5700 | 177 lbft @4250 | 8.2s | N/A | 21/32 |
| 3.6 VR6 | 219.4 cubic inch V6 | 280 PS @6200 | 258.1 lbft @2500 - 5000 | 6.5s | N/A | 20/28 |
| 2.0 TDI Turbocharged Direct Injection TDI or Turbocharged Direct Injection is a design of turbodiesel engines, which feature turbocharging and cylinder-direct fuel injection, developed and produced by Volkswagen Group. These TDI engines are widely used in all mainstream Volkswagen Group marques of passenger cars and light commercial... Clean Diesel |
120.1 cubic inch I4 | 140 PS @4000 | 236 lbft @1500 - 2500 | 9.3s | N/A | 31/43 |
| 1.8 TSI | 109.7 cubic inch I4 | 158 PS @4500 | 180 lbft @1500 - 4500 | |||
| China | ||||||
| Model | Engine type | Power@rpm | Torque@rpm | 0–100 km/h acceleration | Top speed(Km/h) | Fuel Economy( Litres/100km@90km/h) |
| 1.4 TSI | 84.823 cubic inch I4 | 130 PS@5000 | 162 lbft @1750-3500 | 10.4s | 200 | 5 |
| 1.8 TSI | 109.7 cubic inch I4 | 158 PS @4500 | 180 lbft @1500 - 4500 | 9s | 210 | 5.3 |
| 2.0 TSI | 121.1 cubic inch I4 | 200 PS @5100 | 207 lbft @1800 - 5000 | 8s | 230 | 5.7 |
| 3.0 L V6 | 181.545 cubic inchV6 | 250 PS (184 KW/247 hp)@6400rpm | 227 lbft@3500 | 7.4s | 240 | 6.0 |
Transmissions
| Tranmissions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Years | Standard | Optional |
| 2.5 L | 2011- | 5-speed manual | 6-speed automatic |
| 3.6 VR6 | 2011- | 6-speed DSG | |
| 2.0TDI | 2011- | 6-speed manual | |
| 1.4TSI | 2011- | 5-speed manual | 7-speed DSG |
| 2.0 TSI | 2011- | 7-speed DSG | |
| 3.0 V6 | 2011- | 6-speed DSG | |