98 Passat

[ti@bazooka.amb.org (Ti Kan)]

Hi all,

I was at Carlsen VW/Audi/Porsche yesterday and they had two 98 Passats
on the lot.  I had a good look at them and they are indeed very Audi-like.
Yes, they do share a lot of mechanical bit with the A4.  Engine (1.8T),
suspension (the 4-link virtual steering axis design), basic floor
pan structure, etc.  If you're an A4 owner you'd find a lot of very
familiar bits around the Passat.  The Passat is longer than the A4 and
this translates into much more generous rear seat legroom.

But... it is after all badged as a VW and as soon as you sit in it,
you know it.  After having been spoiled by my A4 2.8q's interior
design, the Passat's -- despite a striking resemblance to the Audi's
in general shape and proportions -- look plain-jane and downmarket to me.
Nothing looked "cheap", mind you, but Audis are simply on a different
plane.  It's difficult to describe; it's a tactile and textual thing,
but even the dials and digits on the instruments don't quite look as
classy as the Audis'...  And I can't help but notice that the Tiptronic
shift plate is a chrome-plated job on the Passat (rather than the
polished aluminum piece as on the Audis).

The Audi exudes "premium personal transport" everywhere you look.
The Passat merely whispers "nice family sedan".

You do get a heck of a car for the money, though.  The two Passats there
are priced at $23K out the door (pre-negotiations).  This is lower than the
A4 1.8T.

Didn't drive the cars, just sharing some visual thoughts.

BTW, Carlsen also had two A8 4.2qs on the lot, several A4 2.8q 30Vs,
and lots of 97 A6q wagons.  I collected the new brochures for the
98 A4, A6 and A8 lines.  Nice.

-Ti
96 A4 2.8 quattro
84 5000S 2.1 turbo
80 4000 2.0
-- 
    ///  Ti Kan                Vorsprung durch Technik
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