Last year Volkswagen officials set an ambitious target to sell more than nine million vehicles worldwide by 2018, but with current levels hovering around the six million car mark VW will have to tackle the lucrative U.S. market if it has any hope of reaching its goal. Long term plans include building a new factory in North America to source cars locally as well as launching two new U.S. specific models suited to American tastes.

This plan will take several years at least to bear any fruit but VW has a more immediate solution in store. Officials plan to launch six new models Stateside over the next 12 months and all six cars will be backed up with extensive advertising campaigns to inform consumers about the new additions to the VW stable. The cars are likely to include the Jetta Sportwagon in March, Jetta TDI 50-state diesel and Tiguan SUV in May, and the Routan minivan, Touareg TDI and Passat CC sedan in fall, reports Automotive News.

VW's attempt to launch the Passat CC sedan is being watched carefully, especially after their last failure in the luxury segment with the Phaeton which was often a victim of brand snobbery. An all-new Phaeton arriving in the U.S. is also a possibility but it won’t be ready until 2010 at the earliest.

VW Passat CCVolkswagen Passat CC

2008 volkswagen passat cc motorauthority 013

2008 volkswagen passat cc motorauthority 013