The all-new 2019 Volkswagen Jetta should be drawing a lot of attention at the Volkswagen stand of the Detroit Auto Show, but the German manufacturer also has another new sedan on display.
It’s the 2018 Passat GT, a sportier version of the midsize four-door that’s trying to stand out alongside the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata and Ford Fusion. This limited-run variant has been developed by the brand’s U.S. engineering team, based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where the North-American Passat is built.
The front end boasts an R-Line bumper, a honeycomb grille and red pinstriping, inspired somewhat by the Volkswagen Golf GTI’s look. The car’s roof is painted black, as are the mirror caps and window frames. Behind the two-tone, 19-inch Tornado alloy wheels, we can see red-painted brake callipers. At the rear, a black spoiler has been added on the trunklid, while the bumper gets black trim that surrounds dual exhaust outlets.
Four paint colours are available, including Pure White, Reflex Silver, Platinum Grey and Deep Black.
The 2018 Volkswagen Passat GT’s cockpit benefits from piano black trim and carbon fibre-style accenting, a black headliner and aluminum door sill plates. The seats are covered in black leatherette with grey inserts and contrast stitching. On the standard feature list is an infotainment system with 6.3-inch touchscreen that integrates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Under the hood, we find a 3.6-litre V6 that develops 280 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, matched to a six-speed DSG automated transmission with wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The GT’s suspension has been calibrated for a more dynamic drive and the exhaust system includes an acoustic package for a more muscular sound.
Canadian pricing for the 2018 Volkswagen Passat GT hasn’t yet been disclosed—the U.S. version starts at $29,090—but we can expect to see a very small quantity of this special-edition variant in our country when it goes on sale in the second quarter of 2018. If a sportier Passat is something that interests us, it’s would be wise to visit a dealership sooner than later.
