LA Show: Volkswagen unveils facelifted CC

VOLKSWAGEN has revealed the new-look Passat CC four-seat sedan ahead of its public debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month and eventual Australian launch next year.

The facelifted model receives a redesigned nose and tail that aligns it more closely with the rest of the German marque’s line-up, while a more comprehensive range of active safety systems will also be made available.

The cosmetic changes mean the four-door ‘coupe’ loses the current model’s teardrop headlights and rounded grille in favour of the sharper design found on the recently facelifted Passat, Eos and Tiguan models.

The redesigned bi-Xenon headlights, which feature cornering functionality, are joined by new-look LED tail-lights that mirror those of the conventional Passat sedan introduced here last April.

The facelifted model will offer a broader range of active safety technology including Side Assist Plus with Integrated Lane Assist, which warns of vehicles in the car’s blind spots and can intervene with the steering system if it detects an imminent collision.

Other new technology includes Dynamic Light Assist automatic high beam glare control and a camera-based traffic sign detection system.

Certain variants will also come with ‘climate seats’ that feature an integrated massage function.

The engine line-up is unchanged, with a selection of four-cylinder diesels (with idle-stop) and four- and six-cylinder petrol units.

The Passat CC range in Australia is currently limited to a front-drive 2.0-litre turbo-diesel or a flagship 3.6-litre V6 petrol version with 4MOTION all wheel-drive.

Volkswagen Australia spokesman Karl Gehling would not indicate exactly when the facelifted model will be released here, saying only that it will be some time during 2012.

Germany will be the first market to receive the car in February before a progressive roll-out begins across Europe, Russia, America and China, so expect the car to land here in the second half.

Interestingly, the German press release that accompanied the announcement of the car made no mention of the ‘Passat’ name, instead referring to the car simply as the ‘CC’. It is unclear at this stage if the brand will continue with the current ‘Passat CC’ badge when it is formally launched.

Volkswagen Australia gave the Passat CC a subtle upgrade in June this year, adding efficiency measures such as idle-stop and regenerative braking as well as minor interior changes including the addition of new trim and a dash-mounted analogue clock.

Passat CC sales in Australia are down 35.3 per cent to the end of October. Just 522 examples of the car were sold (against 807 for the same period last year), giving it a 3.6 per cent share of the segment, which is dominated by the Mercedes-Benz C-class with 34.6 per cent.