Volkswagen India will launch the eighth generation Passat on October 10, 2017, reports Autocar India. The production of the executive sedan commenced at the company's facility in Aurangabad. The VW Passat brand name will make a reappearance in India after an absence of almost four years.
The VW Passat is based on the company's MQB platform that also underpins the Skoda Superb, Skoda Octavia, VW Tiguan, and the Skoda Kodiaq. The Passat will also share the 2.0 L TDI diesel with these models. In case of the Passat, this engine will churn out 177 PS and will come mated to a 6-speed DSG.
Volkswagen sold the sixth and seventh generation Passat models in India. The eighth generation VW Passat is not as long or tall as the previous generation, but it is wider. It measures 4,767 mm in length, 1,832 mm in width and 1,456 mm in height. It has a 2,791 mm long wheelbase, up by 80 mm over its predecessor indicating cabin space will be more.
Major rivals of the VW Passat will include the Skoda Superb, Toyota Camry, and the Honda Accord. The sedan is expected to carry a price tag of around INR 30 lakhs (ex-showroom). The Passat will become VW India's second new product launch after the Tiguan in 2017.
[source - Autocar India]
