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30 Millionth Volkswagen Passat Rolls Off the Assembly Line In Emden
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30 Millionth Volkswagen Passat Rolls Off the Assembly Line In Emden
5 Apr 2019, 9:33 UTC ·
by Mircea Panait
Home > News > Car Profile
A silver-painted PHEV serves as the 30 millionth Passat ever made. No other mid-size car comes close to that figure, and looking at the bigger picture, production of the Volkswagen Passat overshadows that of the Beetle (both air-cooled and water-cooled).
38 photosThe station wagon-bodied Passat GTE in the following clip rolled off the assembly line in Emden, Germany on April 3rd, 2019. A different affair from what the Americans know as Passat, the European model shares most of its underpinnings with the Arteon. Being based on the MQB vehicle architecture, the Golf and Atlas are also related to the ever-popular nameplate.
“Passat has become one of the world’s greats,” said Ralf Brandstätter, Chief Operating Officer of the German automaker. “At Volkswagen, we are proud of this successful model, which is still the benchmark within its class today.”
To be used “as a press and test vehicle for the international media over the coming months,” the Passat GTE Variant starts at more than €45,000 in Germany. The closest competitor in the segment, also a mid-size wagon, is the Ford Mondeo Turnier Hybrid that costs in the ballpark of €41,000.
Being a plug-in hybrid, the Passat GTE Variant has the edge thanks to a larger battery. Under the WLTP cycle, the all-electric range levels up to 55 kilometers following the mid-cycle refresh of the eco-friendly model. In addition to being green, the combined output (218 PS) isn’t too shabby at all when compared to the 2.0 TSI and 2.0 TDI four-cylinder turbocharged powertrains.
The eighth generation of the European model, the facelifted Passat now features Travel Assist, IQ.Drive, semi-autonomous driving technologies ranging from zero to 210 km/h, IQ.LIGHT – LED matrix headlamps, and the MIB3 touchscreen infotainment system. Volkswagen revealed the B8 in November 2014, and the engineers refer to this generation as the Typ 3G.
Turning our attention back to May 14th in 1973, that’s when Volkswagen produced the first-ever Passat at the Wolfsburg plant. The Passat replaced the Volkswagen 1600, and only the Golf (35 million) has been produced in greater numbers. Coincidence or not, the Golf also traces its roots back to the 1970s.
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VOLKSWAGEN models:VOLKSWAGEN Passat GTE CompactVOLKSWAGEN Passat CompactVOLKSWAGEN Passat Variant GTE MediumVOLKSWAGEN Passat Variant MediumVOLKSWAGEN Passat Alltrack MediumAll VOLKSWAGEN models
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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Alphabet Inc’s Waymo said on Tuesday it had chosen a factory in Detroit to mass produce self-driving cars, looking to the historical heart of the auto industry to build the vehicles of the future. FILE PHOTO: Waymo CEO John Krafcik speaks on stage during the annual Google I/O developers conference in… Continue reading Waymo picks Detroit factory for self-driving fleet, to be operational by mid-2019
Land Rover’s new lineup has some of the world’s fastest SUVs, including the new Range Rover Velar
Adam Jeffery | CNBC
The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition.
Odds are it will take you longer to say “Land Rover Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition” than it takes for the new SUV to hit 60.
The folks at the British automaker have a propensity for long-winded model names. Luckily for buyers, the Land Rover lineup also happens to include some of the market's fastest and most powerful SUVs. The Velar SVA Dynamic, as company folks are inclined to call it, is a perfect example with its 550 horsepower supercharged V-8 engine capable of launching to 60 in a mere 4.3 seconds.
Parent Land Rover has been on something of a tear lately, taking advantage of the massive shift from conventional passenger cars to SUVs and crossovers. It has created what U.S. CEO Joe Eberhardt describes as a “three-pillar strategy,” starting with familiar models like the Discovery. A rugged off-road pillar will be anchored by the reborn Defender coming later this year. Then there's the high-luxury pillar filled by various Range Rover models, such as the newly updated Evoque, and niche variants like the Velar SVA Dynamic.
Adam Jeffery | CNBC
The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition.
The Velar itself joined the brand's lineup for the 2018 model-year. Reviewers have called it one of the most handsome SUVs on the road, with cats-eye headlamps framing its bold grille. Velar's fastback silhouette is topped by a steeply raked roofline. And there's plenty of glass, including a panoramic top, from which you can watch the world roll by. Inside, it may not be quite as plush as the flagship Range Rover — and yes, Land Rover names can get confusing – but Velar's cabin is about the most modern among the members of this British SUV family, with plenty of high-line features, including heated and cooled leather seats and a sophisticated infotainment system.
The “base” version of Velar is no slouch, with a 247-horsepower gas engine or 180 diesel option. Buyers can step up to a 380-horsepower supercharged V-6 able to move the utility vehicle from 0 to 60 in a mere 5.3 seconds.
But for those wanting the ultimate level of performance, the Land Rover Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition bumps that up to 550 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque using the brand's most powerful and sophisticated powertrain. Power is channeled through a performance-tuned all-wheel-drive system that can direct as much as 100% of its power to the back wheels.
Adam Jeffery | CNBC
The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition.
The SVA Dynamic doesn't stop with that big V-8, of course. Land Rover adds a number of other performance, appearance and creature comfort features to complete the package.
Visually, that starts with the bigger air intakes surrounding the lower grille that help the big engine breathe. The back end has been modified to fit a distinctive quad exhaust system. There's also a sleek looking black roof.
There also are striking red brake calipers barely hidden behind 21-inch wheels, with 22-inch alloy wheels available. The brakes are the biggest on the Velar line to readily scrub off the speed the SVA Dynamic is capable of.
Adam Jeffery | CNBC
The 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition.
Inside, the Velar SVA Dynamic follows the form of other Range Rover “Autobiography” models, with a push towards the extremes of luxury. That means premium quilted leather throughout the cabin, as well as on the 20-way heated, cooled and massaging seats. Key controls have a knurled finish, with aluminum paddle shifters and a sportier steering wheel. If that isn't exclusive enough, a buyer also can add a carbon trim package.
All this doesn't come cheap. While the base Velar starts around $50,000, the 2020 Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition is expected to go for around $110,000 when it starts rolling into showrooms later this spring.
Disclosure: Paul Eisenstein is a freelancer for CNBC. His travel and lodging for the New York auto show was paid by Ford.
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Ford, Mahindra to co-develop SUV for India, other markets
Original Article
Ford gives relaunched Escape sleek look, refined cabin in bid for car drivers
Adam Jeffery | CNBC
2020 Ford Escape
The market for sport-utility vehicles has grown at an unprecedented rate, especially for car-based crossovers, and few industry analysts expect the surge to level off anytime soon, which is why this year's New York International Auto Show is awash in new “two-box” designs of various sizes and prices.
One of the most important of those debuts will be the next-generation Ford Escape. Ford was a pioneer in the SUV boom with its big Explorer. But in recent years the Escape has become its dominant offering — generating sales second only to the full-size Ford F-Series pickups. And with so many new competitors coming to market for 2020 and beyond, Ford is going to have to nail it with the new crossover utility vehicle, or CUV.
Adam Jeffery | CNBC
2020 Ford Escape
One way it hopes to increase Escape's appeal is by offering the compact crossover with a variety of powertrain options that, for the first time will include not only a gas-electric hybrid but a plug-in hybrid. It is also planning to add a more rugged version that will challenge the off-road credibility of Jeep's Cherokee.
“This all-new Escape brings a sleeker, sportier design with the capability to take you on just about any of your life's adventures,” Kumar Galhotra, Ford's North America president, said ahead of Escape's debut in New York. “With our class-leading hybrid powertrains, customers will spend less time at the gas station and more time on the road.”
Ford was actually a latecomer to the compact utility vehicle segment, following Japanese offerings like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. And, in its initial incarnation, it used a more traditional, truck-based body-on-frame design. That meant it was more rugged than the Asian models that were often derided as “soft-roaders,” but it also lacked their on-road manners and fuel economy.
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When a third-generation Escape was launched in 2013, Ford migrated to a crossover platform, boosting comfort and handling, as well as mileage, and gaining traction with U.S. buyers.
The fourth-generation Escape takes the same approach, but it adopts an even sleeker look, in part to put some distance between it and the reborn Bronco model that Ford will launch in 2020.
“We want to have really differentiated styling. “The new Escape's silhouette is very sleek, dynamic — more progressive. The off-road [Bronco] will be more upright, boxy,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford's executive vice president of product development.
The Escape's cabin will also take on a more refined, car-like look, reflecting the fact that Ford expects it to pick up many of the buyers it might otherwise lose as it abandons such familiar sedan nameplates as the Fiesta, Focus and Fusion over the next several years.
Escape will be loaded with the sort of high-tech features that younger buyers crave, including the latest take on Ford's Sync infotainment system, now able to handle both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also will offer an assortment of advanced driver assistance features, dubbed Co-Pilot 360, including automatic emergency braking and blind-spot detection, as well as the ability to park itself in a tight spot.
Adam Jeffery | CNBC
2020 Ford Escape
As for powertrains, the 2020 Escape will start off with two gas engines, including the premium turbocharged 2.0-liter EcoBoost inline-four making 250 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid will pair a 2.5-liter gas engine with an electric motor to boost mileage, though Ford has not yet released final EPA numbers.
The plug-in hybrid, the first in the segment, will add a larger battery pack capable of propelling the 2020 Escape for up to 30 miles in all-electric mode. Using a 240-volt Level 2 charger, the same type many homeowners are adding, charge times for a drained battery will run around 3.5 hours.
As for the more rugged version of the Escape, Ford is only dropping hints for the moment, Thai-Tang said an “off-road version” is in development and should make its debut late this year.
Pricing will be released over the coming weeks, but the base 2020 Ford Escape is expected to top the current entry model, which starts around $24,100.
Disclosure: Paul Eisenstein is a freelancer for CNBC. Ford paid for his transportation and lodging at the New York International Auto Show.
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Ford forecasts $1 billion profit improvement from Michigan truck plant
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