Passat Variant

Volkswagen's next-generation Passat is expected to up the stakes against Germany’s luxury automakers, with the car’s designers hoping it will be mentioned in the same breath as the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4. Previous spy shots have revealed that a longer wheelbase will be present, and although the new car will be larger than the outgoing one, the use of lightweight materials in its construction should ensure a lighter kerb weight and improved mileage. These latest spy images show the wagon version or “Variant,” which is due approximately one year after the...