During the media presentation of the new Volkswagen logo earlier today, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) Managing Director, Erik Winter announced that the Passat R-Line will be launched in the country shortly.
Aside from a single image in the presentation and the announcement itself, not much information was provided for the kitted-up Passat. Winter later revealed that the sportier Passat will inherit the same 2.0-litre engine turbocharged engine from the Passat Elegance we reviewed recently, generating 190 hp and 320 Nm of torque.
The new seven-speed wet-clutch DSG transmission will also most likely make its way into the R-Line, together with the new engine. It is unclear if the local-spec R-Line will feature the Volkswagen Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC), adaptive dampers, or the 4MOTION all-wheel drive system, all of which are available in the R-Line variant in other regions, but we wouldn’t keep our hopes up.
Appearance wise, the VW Passat R-Line styling package will include a more aggressively-styled front bumper and rear bumper. According to the single image, we can also expect the R-Line to sit on larger wheels. The Passat Elegance sits on 18-inch “Liverpool” wheels, so we can expect the sportier brother to size-up to 19-inch alloys.
Although announced together with the new VW logo, it is unlikely that we will see the modernised logo on the Passat R-Line, as it is based on the same car currently being built locally. The new logo will have to wait for the Golf 8.
Inside, the 9.2-inch Discover Pro infotainment system, featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with the 11.7-inch digital instrument cluster, will likely be carried over from the Elegance variant. Other interior amenities should remain pretty similar, including the 12-way power adjustable leather seats and three-zone climate control.
Safety wise, the Passat Elegance comes equipped with Side Assist with Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Blind Spot Monitoring System, though unfortunately misses out on the advanced driver assistance technologies. The R-Line, which should become the new top-of-the-range variant, could possibly feature these systems as an added distinction between the variants.
Aside from the Passat R-Line, Winter also revealed that the much-awaited Arteon R-Line will also be making its Malaysian launch soon, after debuting at the VW Fest last year.
What are the features you hope to see on the upcoming Volkswagen Passat R-Line? Let us know in the comments below!
