A facelifted version of the Volkswagen CC has been unveiled at the Los Angeles motor show. Volkswagen wants the revised CC to take a significant step upmarket. The car features new front and rear styling and an extended range of standard equipment.
See official pics of the facelifted Volkswagen Passat CC plus a show pic
The new version will be known in Europe as the VW CC, dropping the Passat monicker. In making that move, VW in Europe has followed the lead of its US marketing department in a bid to raise the car’s appeal.
“The CC is a premium, design-led desirable car and that doesn't sit comfortably with the more utilitarian Passat models,” an insider told Autocar. “The models are separated on price, so separating them by name made sense. Many in the company wish we had never emphasised the CC association.”
A choice of three direct-injection petrol engines will be offered, producing 158bhp, 208bhp and 295bhp. The first two will have an option of a dual clutch gearbox and the most powerful variant will have the dual clutch ‘box as standard, and all-wheel drive. All petrol engines have battery regeneration functionality.
Diesel options include 138bhp and 168bhp units, both of which are equipped with stop-start and battery regeneration. The 138bhp variant will return 60.1mpg and 125 g/km when mated to a manual six-speed gearbox, with the DSG-equipped car will offer 53.3mpg.
Read our first drive review of the current Volkswagen Passat CC
The Passat CC gets a new three-finned radiator grille, bi-xenon headlight and engine hood designs inspired by VW’s ‘design DNA’ styling. Optional LED daytime running lights are integrated into the headlight housings. The car also has an extra air intake beneath its body-coloured bumper.
The frameless door design of the outgoing Passat CC remains and the car’s side-profile boasts more distinctively sculpted side sills between the wheel housings. The rear bumper and tail lights designs are also new and put more emphasis on horizontal lines.
Standard exterior equipment on the Passat CC includes dual tailpipes, 17-inch alloys, bi-xenon headlights, static cornering lights, LED tail lights and headlight washing system.
On the inside, the car comes with a fatigue detection system, stainless steel door sill plates, front head restraints and chrome surrounds on switches and air vents. Other kit offered as standard includes ESP electronic stabilization, sport chassis and hill start assist. Most variants also feature dynamic chassis control and a XDS transverse differential lock.
Key technical features on the options list include a lane assist system, fatigue detection, a dynamic light assist (which automatically selects dipped or main bean headlamps according to driving speed but has a filter so oncoming cars aren’t dazzled), park assist and a boot that can be operated via a motion sensor.
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