Serious Sedan Takes Sporty Turn

The Age

Saturday December 6, 2008

Bruce Newton

The souped-up Passat is an unexpected pleasure, finds Bruce Newton.

VOLKSWAGEN has rolled out a sporty version of the Passat called the R36, powered by a 3.6-litre V6 engine and underpinned by VW's 4Motion all-wheel-drive system. As well as being VW's fastest car, it is also more refined and enjoyable than you might expect.

WHAT YOU GET

The R36 comes as a $65,590 sedan (as tested here), or a "Variant" wagon for $2000 more.

The direct-injection engine is mated to a DSG dual-clutch transmission, and Volkswagen claims the R36 accelerates from 0-100km/h in 5.6 seconds.

Styling signatures include redesigned front and rear bumpers, a matte chrome grille finish, colour-coded wheel arch extension housing 18-inch alloys, Bi-Xenon headlights, side skirts and chromed dual exhaust pipes.

HOW SAFE?

The R36 comes with a comprehensive safety equipment list including eight airbags, traction and stability control, ABS with EBD and brake assist, parking sensors and tyre pressure monitoring. The Passat was independently crash tested by Euro NCAP in 2006 and rated five stars.

WHAT'S INSIDE?

Inside you'll find leather and aluminium trim, 12-way powered and heated sports seats, alloy pedals, height and reach adjustable steering with gear shift paddles, six-CD audio with 10speakers, climate control, trip computer, electric park brake and cruise control. Under the boot floor is a full-sized spare tyre mounted on an alloy wheel.

The R36's origins are made obvious by its user-friendly cabin, offering heaps of storage via big door bins, a decent glovebox and a centre lidded bin that can be used as an armrest or flipped up out of the way when changing gear manually.

In the rear, tall adults will have their knees just brushing the back of the seat. There are nice touches including individual reading lights and adjustable air-conditioning vents, but fewer storage opportunities. There is no shortage of space in the long, deep 541-litre boot. That expands to 1641 litres when the rear seats are split-folded flat.

UNDER THE BONNET

The R36's V6 engine with 220kW and 550Nm delivers athletic acceleration while being reasonably frugal - 10.7L/100km fuel consumption, officially, on premium 98 RON fuel, while pumping out 254g/km of CO2.

We managed 11.8L/100km, which equates to 278g/km; not too bad considering the sort of performance the R36 is capable of.

This is a really strong engine that works well with a DSG tune that is sporty in even its normal mode. Under strong acceleration the gears fly by as it punches towards 7000rpm. You won't spend too much time there as the R36 has strong, flexible power from 3000rpm.

The DSG is less impressive at slow speeds and you can feel it chunking through the gears when slowing for an intersection. The transmission is at its best when used manually, with slick, quick shifts provided by the steering wheel paddles or the stick.

ON THE ROAD

The R36 offers a truly impressive drive considering its starting point is a mainstream family sedan. With a 25mm lowered ride height and on-demand all-wheel drive, the car minimises any feelings of size by sitting flat in corners, griping cleanly and offering accurate steering response.

The suspension set-up is taut, but it just manages to stay on the nice side of harsh. Passengers are certainly made aware of a lumpy road, but the trade-off is justifiable given the handling and grip levels that have been achieved.

The braking performance from big blue calipers offers plenty of feel, progression and endurance. Around town, the R36 doesn't disguise its size so well, and the parking sensors are appreciated.

VERDICT

VW has done a good job of creating a fun drive out of a serious sedan. It comes across as a unified package rather than a bunch of bits bolted together from the parts bin. It's a surprise - and a good one.

4.5/5

© 2008 The Age

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