It was chosen as our NST-Maybank Car of the year in 2010 and barely got any objection from the panel of judges or even the general public.
Put it next to any D-segment car in the market and it just stands out by a mile. To be frank, we have not seen a car as stylish as the Passat CC in a long time.
As we were wondering if this car can get any better, Volkswagen unleashed the R-Line variant, with a 3.6-litre V6 powerplant that churns 90 more hp, and 70 more Nm of maximum torque, making it a menacing machine not to be messed with.
Outside, there are very few things differentiating the Passat CC R and the Passat CC. Besides the "mallory" wheel design and the "R" badge on the fenders, both variants basically look the same.
Inside, seats and upholstery are Nappa leather clad. The black colour theme gives a sporty feel but feels luxurious at the same time.
There are not many buttons to fiddle with. Besides the audio and air-cond control buttons, there are a few such as the one to choose the suspension settings, engine start and stop button, and the parking brake.
The CC R-Line also features aluminium front scuff plates with the "R-Line" logo on the steering wheel.
Adding a classy touch to the interior is an analogue clock placed between the audio system and the air-cond control. As good as it looks, the clock is placed in a way that it is difficult to see the time during the day due to glaring sunlight.
The steering wheel comes with the usual auto-cruise functions and audio function buttons. Rear seats are comfortable and plush, offering decent head and leg space.
After driving the Passat CC R Line for awhile, we realised that there is a world of difference in terms of its behaviour compared with the regular CC.
Unlike the regular Passat CC's 2.0-litre TSI engine, the R Line's V6 engine is naturally aspirated. This makes the car suitable for weekend drives as it performs best at high speed.
The engine experienced only a slight struggle when it was driven slow as maximum torque only kicked in from 2,400rpm. Thus, driving this car at places like multi-level car parks was not that enjoyable.
From 2,400rpm onwards, the car came to life, shooting to an insane speed in no time. Able to accelerate from standstill to 100km/h in less than six seconds, the Passat CC R-Line is able to clock top speed of more than 200km/h.
The highlight of this car, in our opinion, is Volkswagen's DCC (adaptive chassis control) which offers three suspension settings to choose from - Comfort, Normal and Sport.
Adding more excitement to this is the 4Motion all-wheel drive technology, providing maximum grip at all times.
The different settings adjust the suspension’s damping as well as the amount of boost from the electro-mechanical power steering. Regardless of the setting, the DCC constantly adapts to both the road and the driving situation.
Thanks to this, the Passat CC R's handling and steering responsiveness were top-notch. It did exactly what we expected it to do at any speed and any road condition. We felt safe and confident even when we pushed this car to its limits.
As exciting as the Passat CC R-Line is, it is not a car any Tom, Dick and Harry can own as it is not the most economical car around. With a hefty price tag and a 3.6-litre engine, the money one needs to spend on road tax is obviously not going to be cheap.
However, some things in life do come at a cost, such as the pleasure you get when you are driving this beast up the Karak Highway on a sunny Sunday morning.
Specifications of the Volkswagen Passat CC R-Line
- Engine: 3.6-litre V6, petrol
- Displacement: 3,597cc
- Transmission: Six-speed direct shift gearbox
- Max power: 298hp at 6,600rpm
- Max torque: 350Nm from 2400 to 5300rpm
- Fuel consumption (combined): 9.3L per 100km
- Price: RM373,888
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