VW Previews new Passats

It’s about time… the old ones were ugly and out-dated. The new Passat looks like a combination between the new Jettas and the slightly-available Phaeton. :)

My favorite features:

• New, Mercedes style keys. (infrared/radio transmissions, opposed to the traditional, mechanical key)
• Umbrella, tucked away in the driver’s side door. (very cool)
• 3.6L V6 engine, with a VR6 feel. (from the review)
• 280HP!

What sucks:

• No standard (manual) transmission available, and, according to the review, there are no plans to offer one.

UPDATE: I think the review was wrong about that… as the preview photos on VW.com clearly show a standard shift-knob. We’ll see. (Thanks, Corey.)

I’ll stick with my GTI. :)