Rugged VW Passat Alltrack revealed in Geneva
Go-anywhere version of VW's Passat Estate has debuted at the Geneva Motor Show
Among the swathes of supercars at the Geneva Motor Show, Volkswagen has debuted something a little more practical – the new Passat Alltrack. Jacked-up and fitted with permanent four-wheel drive and protective body cladding, the rugged new all-rounder is available with various petrol and diesel engines, offering power outputs ranging from 148bhp to 237bhp.
The Passat Alltrack's added off-road ability comes courtesy of a 27.5mm increase in ride height over the Passat Estate on which the car is based, plus the use of VW’s 4MOTION permanent all-wheel drive. The transformation from family wagon to rugged estate is made through the addition of plastic wheelarch mouldings, protective side skirts, redesigned front and rear bumpers and bespoke 17-inch alloy wheels.
• Geneva Motor Show 2015: live
Inside, changes to the standard Passat cabin are less evident, with stainless steel door sills, new seat fabrics plus a new 6.5-inch media system featuring Apple CarPlay being added. But VW has introduced a whole host of tech to help the Passat Alltrack excel where it’s designed to. Features include Trailer Assist, which will help the car achieve its 2,200kg maximum towing capacity, while an Offroad setting has been added to the Passat’s current range of driving modes.
As it's based on the current eighth-generation Passat, the new Alltrack model employs the same MQB architecture. The five-strong engine range is carried over from the standard model, with 148bhp and 218bhp TSI turbo petrol engines and 148bhp, 187bhp and 237bhp versions of the 2.0-litre TDI diesel.
Further details on VW’s newcomer will be announced following its debut at the Geneva Motor Show.
