Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion

Economy: Passat BlueMotion is satisfied with 5.1 liters diesel per 100 kilometers

Low emissions: 136 g/km CO2 sets a top value among the mid-class cars

Wolfsburg, 06 March 2007 - World premiere for one of the most economical mid-class cars of our time: The Passat BlueMotion. Volkswagen is presenting this new model at the 77th Geneva Motor Show. The Passat BlueMotion, powered by a TDI engine rated at 77 kW / 105 PS, breaks through the magical fuel consumption barrier of 5.5 liters for its class, as sedan and Variant. The sedan consumes just 5.1 liters diesel per 100 kilometers, and the Variant just 5.2 liters. And that represents an improvement of 0.7 liters for the Variant and 0.6 liters for the sedan. The Passat BlueMotion will be introduced in Europe early this summer.

Clean: CO2 emissions significantly reduced

Paired with its low fuel consumption values are CO2 emission reductions of 15 g/km for the sedan and 19 g/km for the Variant. Total emissions of 136 g/km and 137 g/km (Variant) are a testimony to the innovative potential of the Volkswagen TDI engines. In addition, a particulate filter is integrated in the emissions control system as standard equipment.

Fast: Additional five km/h top speed as side effect

Fuel economy and CO2 data are all the more impressive, because the Passat, at a length of 4.77 meters, is among the largest vehicles in its segment. An interesting side benefit: Its aerodynamic refinements and longer gearing have increased its top speed by five km/h. The sedan tops out at 193 km/h, and the Variant reaches 190 km/h.

Economical: Passat BlueMotion reduces costs

The Passat BlueMotion not only protects the environment and energy resources; it also protects the car owner�s budget. At an average annual driving distance of 15,000 kilometers, fuel costs are just 68 Euros* per month due to the car�s excellent fuel economy. A pleasant side benefit: sedan and Variant have theoretical ranges of about 1,350 on a single tank of fuel! And that translates to just eleven fill ups per year at 15,000 kilometers.

Aerodynamic: Body fine tuning reduces air resistance

The excellent fuel economy and emission values were achieved by continuous fine tuning of the drivetrain, chassis and car body. An example in the area of aerodynamics: The radiator grille trim was modified, and the underbody was skirted. Modifications have improved air resistance values (cW x A) by 12.2 percent for the sedan (12.5 percent for Variant) to 0.617 and 0.629 (Variant).

Lowered: Lower chassis also optimizes air resistance

A number of effective changes were also made to the chassis. A careful look at the car reveals that the Passat BlueMotion "stands" somewhat lower in the wheel housings than the base version; this was done for better aerodynamics, and indeed it has been lowered 15 millimeters in front and eight millimeters in the rear. The lowest possible rolling resistance is guaranteed by high-tech tires ("best-in-class energy tires") sized 205/55 R16 91H with tire pressure increased by 0.4 bar in part-load operation.

Innovative: Engine helps driver in gear selection

The 1.9 TDI of the Passat BlueMotion (77 kW / 105 PS at 4,000 rpm) develops a maximum torque of 250 Newton-meter (starting at 1,900 rpm). Its notable fuel efficiency was achieved by tuning a wide variety of parameters on the four-cylinder, direct injection turbo-diesel engine. A software modification to the engine controller allowed development engineers to reduce idling speed, for example. The TDI�s engine controller also outputs a "gear recommendation" to the "Multifunctional Display Plus". There the driver can read off which of a total of five forward gears is the ideal gear at any given time.

Program: BlueMotion is more than a vehicle name

In the summer of 2006 Volkswagen presented its first model under the new BlueMotion label: The Polo BlueMotion. Power: 59 kW / 80 PS. Fuel consumption: 3.9 liters diesel per 100 kilometers. CO2 emissions: 102 g/km. But the name BlueMotion not only refers to the automobile, rather it applies to the entire brand. "Blue", the Volkswagen color, stands for the elements to be protected: Water and air. "Motion" embodies the aspect of forward-looking mobility directed toward the future. BlueMotion is advancing to become a quality seal that stands for economy without compromises in driving fun.

* = Fuel prices in Germany (02/07)

Source: Source: Volkswagen AG

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Golf TDI Hybrid, Passat TSI ecoFuel and others for Geneva

In addition to the eye-opening retro-sports car Scirocco, Volkswagen�s stand at Geneva will be brimming over with talent specifically geared towards preserving the earth for future generations. Leading this charge, so to speak, is the Golf TDI Hybrid. Hybrid technology has come a long way since the days of Prius 1 and TDI Hybrid is one of the future technologies that have been waited on. Using a 7-speed DSG cog, this Golf is said to use only 3.4 litres per 100km in diesel, giving it a range well over 1000km on a tank.

The Golf TDI Hybrid will run on both electric power and diesel, and a combination of both. Similar to other hybrid models it sips on diesel when in highway cruise mode where speed and torque are in high demand. Enter city driving mode and the electric motor takes over the reigns, supplying force towards the front wheels. In this mode the car emits no harmful CO2. City dwellers who get behind the TDI Hybrid will have to find reasons to drive their cars so as to use up all their fuel. Estimated dates of availability should only be announced at the show itself.
Sharan, the 2.5 tonne MPV now receives treatment in BlueMotion packages that is designed to reduce fuel usage while providing decent levels of power. So BlueMotion leaves the Sharan with an average of 6.2 litres per 100km in fuel consumption, very good for a vehicle of its size.

As gas becomes safer, more important in fueling motor vehicles, Passat TSI EcoFuel, seen here in Estate guise, will be one of the pioneering vehicles in markets around the world. The 110kW Passat takes natural gas in its tank, and returns 5.2 kilograms of gas per 100km. I guess if VW has its way, such measurements will, in future, become the norm.

Lastly VW has the Golf Estate with 4Motion, which is VW�s permanent 4WD system that can transfer up to 100 percent of power sent to the back wheels when needed. We aren�t too sure how this would compare to an A4 allroad for example, but we suspect the differences could be chalk and cheese.



Press Release

With its Golf TDI Hybrid, Volkswagen demonstrates the kind of potential inherent in the combination of high-tech diesel engine, electric motor and 7-speed DSG technology. Exhibited for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show, the concept car consumes no more than 3.4 litres of diesel fuel per 100 kilometres. This powerful full-hybrid Golf TDI Hybrid can be operated either in internal-combustion mode only or in a combination mode of powerful yet thrifty TDI and electric motor. The car is also designed to run on emissions-free electric power only. Power transmission to the front axle is managed by 7-speed DSG technology. In city traffic, the vehicle�s automatic stop-start system will even automatically switch off diesel operations.

The Passat Estate TSI EcoFuel being premiered in Geneva marks the beginning of a new era for natural-gas-fuelled automobiles. Until now, passenger cars operated using eco-friendly, low-consumption natural gas have tended to be "mild mannered". The Passat changes that once and for all with its 110-kW / 150-PS TSI engines. And yet the direct-injection turbo engine in the Passat, specifically designed to run on natural gas, consumes no more than 5.2 kilograms of gas per 100 kilometres. The Passat and the Passat Estate TSI EcoFuel are due to be launched on the market around year-end.

Volkswagen is continuing its BlueMotion campaign in 2008. The latest model in the series is the Sharan BlueMotion on display for the first time at the Geneva show. With an extremely low average fuel consumption of 6.2 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres, the Sharan BlueMotion uses 0.7 of a litre less than "conventional" models. By the same token, CO2 emissions are reduced from 177 g/km to 159 g/km. These are first-rate values for a seven-seat van with up to 2,610 litres of cargo volume and a permissible gross vehicle weight of 2,510 kilograms. This Volkswagen is driven by a 103-kW / 140-PS TDI engine complete with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). The BlueMotion option is available in combination with the Trendline and Comfortline fittings packages. Deliveries of the vehicle are scheduled to commence this summer.

Effective immediately, Volkswagen will be offering the Golf Estate in a version with permanent four-wheel drive. This automobile is designed to enable as much as 100 per cent of the vehicle�s tractive force to be transmitted to the rear wheels if so required in extreme circumstances. Thus, the Golf Estate TDI 4Motion offers the best possible grip even in the most adverse conditions. The 4Motion system is coupled with a fuel-efficient, high-torque TDI engine with 77 KW / 105 PS. The Golf Estate TDI 4Motion accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 12.9 seconds, has a top speed of 185 km/h and consumes just 6.0 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres. One attribute which is bound to be particularly attractive to outfit drivers is that the Golf Estate TDI 4Motion is permitted to tow as much as 1,500 kilograms on gradients of up to twelve per cent � that�s 100 kilograms more than its front-wheel-drive counterpart.
Source: Volkswagen



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