Without a doubt, this VW Passat CC is knocking aggressively on the door of every current BMW 3-Series 6-cylinder owner. Why, because, BMW who were the keepers of the 6-cylinder mantra have given up their lead in silky smooth rumbling 6-cylinder engines and moved to a more environmental and logical 4-cylinder twin turbo engine for their mass appeal products. So what’s so different about this Passat CC that makes it a logical upgrade for all those weeping BMW 6-cylinder owners? Well this is no ordinary Passat CC with a 4-cylinder front wheel drive turbocharged engine (TFSI). Instead it is the Passat CC ‘R’. This is a Passat CC with a 6-cylinder normal aspirated VW powerhouse engine installed in its sexy silhouette.
Without a doubt we can safely say to you that this Passat CC R is one of the best sounding factory standard vehicles on offer today. Let’s start with the numbers. This Passat R uses a 3.6-litre V6 power plant that produces 300PS at 6,600rpm and a maximum torque of 350Nm between 2,400 and 5,300rpm. It is able to reach 100kph in just 5.6 seconds and it hits a top speed of 250kph without any effort. The V6 is mated to a 6-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) that distributes the power and torque to the wheels via a 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system (this is VW’s Quattro). To aid in handling the Passat R is fitted with Adaptive Chassis Control (DCC) for better handling and cornering ability which we had the chance to find out in person on our test drive. Read on please.
But is its bark as powerful as its bite? We pushed it to get the answers. Ignite the V6 and there is only a mild rumble. In neutral gear we ‘played’ the accelerator pedal and had the V6 jumping across its power band returning a glorious sound that can only be best described as hair raising. Now we needed to find a long tunnel and get this rumble in a higher octave. We headed out to the Penchala Link and punched the V6 engine in 3rd gear along the open highway keeping the engine boiling between 4000-5000rpm. Tunnel ahead, we break all road laws and complete the tunnel run in seconds that can be best described as a quick sales advert. This is the best way to start selling the V6 Passat R. Then came the long straight where we managed to hit the controlled top speed of 250km/h with the steering returning complete feel right thru to our elbows. In seconds we were exiting the highway on a long left handed ramp with the 4MOTION and the DCC leaving us with little reason to slow down…..but we did finally reduce our speed as our heart started skipping a few beats due to age. This Passat R is a riot to drive.
The Passat CC R sells for RM373,888 which is some RM110,000 cheaper than the ALL NEW BMW 335i which carries a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, direct injection, Valvetronic and TwinScroll turbocharger that produces just 306 hp and 400 Nm of torque with an acceleration time from 0-100 km/h in only 5.5 seconds. Just 0.1 seconds faster and 6hp better over the Passat CC R!
Volkswagen Passat CC ‘R’ V6 Specifications
Engine: V6, DOHC
Capacity: 3600cc
Transmission: 6-speed DSG, 4-MOTION
Max Power: 300bhp @ 6000rpm
Max Torque: 350Nm @ 2400 – 5300rpm
Acceleration: 5.6 seconds
Max Speed: 250 km/h restricted
Price: RM388,800.00
Nearest Rival: BMW 335i
