2015 Volkswagen Passat for Europe

VW's best way of describing the new 2015 Passat for Europe and other places around the world is a "premium class car without premium costs". In other words, the Germans want to extend their reach over to more premium offerings like the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes C-Class and even sister company Audi's A4, all while continuing to challenge mainstream rivals such as the Ford Mondeo and Peugeot 508.

Unveiled earlier today at the VW Design Center in Potsdam, Germany, the eighth generation Passat, codenamed B8, is a clean sheet design that differs from the American Passat that will continue on its own path unchanged.

"The new Passat gives the right answers to the major automotive trends of its time," commented VW Group chief Martin Winterkorn. "For me this Passat is a premium class car without premium costs. This fits perfectly to Europe's most successful business car – lining up with 20 percent better fuel economy, up to 85kg [188 lbs] less weight and a range of efficient petrol and diesel engines – there is even a plug-in hybrid available."

Most of those weight savings can be attributed to the new MQB flexible platform architecture shared with the latest Golf. Compared to the outgoing B7 that is based on the previous B6, the new Passat B8 in sedan trim is 2mm shorter at 4,767mm long and sits 14mm lower, but has an 80mm longer wheelbase at 2,791mm, and is also 12mm wider at 1,832mm.

VW makes promises of improved space for both passengers and their luggage, with the sedan's cargo space boosted by 21-liters to 586-liters, and the station wagon model's by 47-liters to 650-liters or up to 1,780-liters with the rear seats folded.

The styling of the new Passat both inside and out is on the elegant (albeit unadventurous) side with more premium details compared to the outgoing model – you could say that VW tried to bring a touch of Phaethon to the mid-size segment with the B8.

This is even more evident on the technology front with the Passat gaining a multitude of new features highlighted by the available fully configurable 12.3-inch TFT display (buyers of base models will have to do with a 6.5-inch color display in the center console) marketed as the Active Info Display.

Other notable features include the extendible head-up display, an app-based Rear Seat Entertainment for tablet computers, Front Assist plus City Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Monitoring, and what VW says are three world firsts for a vehicle in this class: Emergency Assist (vehicle stops in emergency), Trailer Assist (assisted maneuvering with a trailer) and Traffic Jam Assist.

Overall, European buyers will have a choice of 10 direct injection turbocharged petrol and diesel engines covering a power range from 120PS to 280PS (118hp to 276hp), all of which are fitted with stop-start system and a regenerative braking mode, and meet Euro 6 emission standards.

Among these powerplants is a new 1.4 TSI Plug-in Hybrid with a combined system output of 211PS (208hp) that has an all-electric range of 50 km (31 miles). There's also the 240PS (237hp) 2.0-liter TDI diesel that comes exclusively with a DSG gearbox and 4MOTION all-wheel drive offering a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 240km/h (239mph) with a combined fuel economy of 5.3l/100km (44.1mpg US or 53 mpg UK).

VW said that advance sales for the new Passat in Germany begin next week, with prices starting from €25,875 for the saloon and €25,950 for the estate. The new Passat will enjoy its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October.

New 2015 Mazda2 Officially Breaks Cover

After catching a glimpse of the all-new Mazda2 earlier today, the Japanese carmaker went ahead and officially revealed its new supermini that keeps the Demio nametag for the domestic market. The new Mazda2 will begin to roll out in global markets (including North America) in the final quarter of the year.

Seen here in Japanese specification, the new generation Mazda2 is strongly influenced by the Hazumi concept exhibited at the Geneva show in March, displaying same edgy ‘Kodo’ design language as the latest Mazda3 compact and Mazda6 mid-size models.

The same holds true for the clean looking interior that can be had in different colors and trims, with highlights including a tablet-style touchscreen on top of the dash, controlled via a rotary dial located next to the handbrake lever, and a heads-up display option.

Mazda was pretty stingy with the details, but it did say that the new sub-compact hatch benefits from a full suite of lightweight and efficient SkyActiv technologies including engines, transmissions, body, and chassis.

Depending on the market, the new 2 will be offered with up to three engines at launch, including the SKYACTIV-G 1.3-liter and 100PS (99hp) 1.5-liter gasoline units, and the 105PS (104hp) SKYACTIV-D 1.5-liter diesel, matched to 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions.

Expect the new Mazda2 to have similar dimensions to the Hazumi Concept that measured 4,070mm long, 1,730mm wide and 1,450mm tall.

Mazda said it will hand out more details on the new 2 later in the year.

Mazda Confirms Unveiling of All-New MX-5 Roadster

 

Mazda made an official announcement about its upcoming all-new MX-5 roadster. We knew the car was supposed to be revealed this year, but we didn’t know when and where; now we do. The Japanese automaker will be showing it off for the very first time on 3-4 September, in Barcelona, Spain. Other similar venues will follow in Japan and the US. In regards to the upcoming event, that’s also meant to commemorate 25 years since the first Miata came out, Mazda’s European president and CEO said:

“The MX-5 is the product that best epitomizes Mazda’s convention-defying spirit and our love of driving. It has been grabbing people’s attention for 25 years, and with the new-generation model we’re aiming to share this passion with yet another generation of drivers.”

Looking at how much sporty flair Mazda’s been able to imbue its more mundane offerings with, the naturally sporty MX-5 will probably come out really desirable, if they stick to the same approach, and they probably will…

It’s definitely one of the most important model launches of the year.

All-New 2015 VW Passat: First Photos and Live Video from Presentation

Ladies and gents, this is Europe's eighth-generation Volkswagen Passat and it was unveiled today during a special press meeting in Berlin, prior to the mid-size model's world premiere at the Paris Motor Show.

We've said it before, but it doesn't hurt to say it one more time; the new B8 is for Europe and other regions around the globe, excluding North America that has its own (mediocre-flavored…) Passat.

Unlike the current Passat B7 that was essentially a revised version of the previous B6, the Euro Passat B8 is a completely new car built on the Volkswagen Group's modular MQB platform, sporting a new range of engines and fresh technologies like the fully-digital instrument cluster.

VW has yet to grace us with an official release, but Autobild magazine got a hold of it and learned that the new 2015 Passat is up to 85kg or 188 pounds lighter and up to 20 percent more fuel efficient than the B7. It has about the same overall length, but the wheelbase has grown to 2.79m or about 109.8 inches, while the sedan model benefits from a boot capacity increase of 21 liters to 586 liters, and the estate, of 47 liters to an opulent 650 liters.

In Europe, the Passat will have up to ten direct-injection turbocharged engines ranging in output from 120PS to 280PS (118hp to 276hp), including a 240PS (237hp) 2.0-liter TDI diesel and a 211PS (208hp) plug-in hybrid variant combining a 1.4-liter TSI petrol unit and an electric motor.

We'll have more on the latest Passat soon, so stay tuned.

All-New 2015 Mazda2 / Demio Hatch Photos Leaked? Looks Like it

The first images of the eagerly anticipated 2015 Mazda2 sub-compact, also known as the Demio in Japan, have emerged on the web, prior to the supermini's official reveal, which may take place in front of the public at the upcoming Paris Motor Show in October.

From these pictures, it looks like Mazda stayed true to the well-received Hazumi Concept from the Geneva Salon earlier this year, keeping both the shape and most of the styling details of the study, minus futuristic elements, such as the aero kit, big wheels and door mirrors.

On the inside, Mazda toned down the styling a few notches compared to the concept, but it still looks fresh. The center console features a tablet-style touchscreen that is also controlled through a rotary button positioned next to the handbrake lever.

We know from previous statements that the new Mazda2 encompasses the brand's full suite of lightweight and efficient SkyActiv technologies, including a new and lighter platform, and at launch, two 1.5-liter SkyActive engines, a petrol and a diesel.

The 1.5-liter petrol unit is already in use on the Mazda3 where it produces 100PS (99hp), while the new 1.5-liter Skyactiv-D diesel delivers 105PS (104hp) at 4,000 rpm and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) of torque between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm, and is paired to a six-speed automatic, emitting under 90 grams of CO2.

We'll update this story as soon as we find out more.