Samantha Stevens
The fastest car in Volkswagen Australia's expansive range is now a family sedan and its wagon variant.
The R36 Passat is the third in a series of racy vehicles from the exclusive Volkswagen Individual line, joining the Touareg R50 and the two-year-old Golf R32. And it's the fastest new kid on the R-rated block, with a blistering - and completely plausible - 5.6sec sprint time (5.8sec for the wagon).
All three R-Line representatives were put through their paces yesterday at Phillip Island's circuit and soggy surrounds for road loops, skidpan manoeuvres and track laps.
The fastest car in Volkswagen Australia's expansive range is now a family sedan and its wagon variant.
The R36 Passat is the third in a series of racy vehicles from the exclusive Volkswagen Individual line, joining the Touareg R50 and the two-year-old Golf R32. And it's the fastest new kid on the R-rated block, with a blistering - and completely plausible - 5.6sec sprint time (5.8sec for the wagon).
All three R-Line representatives were put through their paces yesterday at Phillip Island's circuit and soggy surrounds for road loops, skidpan manoeuvres and track laps.
The latest addition to VW's R cars has been a long time coming. VW introduced its first R model here, the 177kW AWD Golf IV R32, in 2004. A 188kW Golf V R32 followed in 2006, and the 258kW/850Nm R50 Touareg made its world debut at the Sydney motor show in October last year.
The R36 had been expected around the same time and the torque monster Touareg, but like the first and second R32 models, we had to wait more than a year for it to appear in the metal. The R36 surfaced at the Brisbane motor show in February but has only now gone on-sale.
This latest R car sits neatly between the pocket-rocket R32 hatch and overgrown R50 SUV in both stature and power. The R36 develops 220kW of power and 350Nm of torque from its sports-tuned 3.6-litre V6 (an engine it shares with the base Touareg). Its six-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) is the only transmission available, and power is put through all four wheels via VW’s active 4-Motion AWD system.
Massive four-wheel vented brakes are 345mm/310mm front and rear, and the car sits 25mm lower than standard, with 111mm ground clearance.
Matching its sporting credentials is a tasteful reworking of the Passat's elegant features. The almost lairy R range's chrome front grille is toned down with streamlined spoilers and skirts, subtle inset dual exhaust pipes, chrome roof rails on the wagon, and 18-inch “Omanyt” alloys flanked with body-coloured wheel arch extensions.
Inside, dark matte brushed aluminium, branded steel scuff plates and alloy pedal covers, and chrome piping lifts an otherwise dark interior. Redesigned flush paddle-shifters sit behind an ergonomic, leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel. The sports seats are squared-off but enveloping and comfortable - a theme shared with the two main rear seats - and 12-way adjustment with variable side bolsters for the driver is standard.
Like the regular Passat itself, the R36 version is packed with standard luxuries such as rain-sensing wipers, front and rear reverse sensors, ABS/ESP, eight airbags, and tyre pressure monitors. Asking price for the sedan is $64,990; the wagon is $2000 more. To both those prices, you need to add $600 for 33 percent Luxury Car Tax. (For more about VW’s approach to the LCT, see below.*)
A Dynaudio 600W 10-speaker stereo, automatic tailgate (wagon), electric sunroof, sat-nav, reversing camera, and four colours are the only big options to choose from.
Where the Passat range was applauded for its standard features and safety credentials in our 2006 COTY, twitchy on-road behaviour such as fidgety suspension tune and over-servoed brakes held it back from the top spot. In the sporty R36, a more sensitive, less supple ride can be overlooked or even ignored. In other words, while the R36 is still nervous over surface imperfections at suburban speeds, it is forgivable given its application, and lends it a more alive, alert attitude.
And those brakes are brilliant. There’s still not a lot of ‘feel’ through the pedal, but it’s at least graduated rather than oversensitive.
The car is surprising swift off the mark. This Passat again hits a sweet, subtle spot between the aural thrum of the R32 and the turbo thump of the R50 - simple, fast, effective performance. Blistering without bluster, if you will.
Skidpan exercises revealed agile, neutral handling with some leniency in the slide department through a switchable (but at a wet Phillip Island, always-switched on) ESP system. Hurtling around cones and track in a 2.5-tonne R50 SUV is testament to VW Individual's skill for making even the heaviest, largest car quick.
Roaring down the track with a jet-fuel resonance to its induction, the R36 builds speed and confidence through its well-sorted chassis and a 4-Motion AWD system that isn't afraid to use its rear wheels. Through pounding rain and residual oil from last weekend's track meet, all three R series cars resonate with their less flashy counterparts' message: well-developed, well-built, and capable of getting on with it when you’re in welly-to-the-firewall mode.
Passat R36 Sedan, 6-speed DSG - $64,990 (Add $600 for 33% LCT)
Passat R36 Wagon, 6-speed DSG - $66,990 (Add $600 for 33% LCT)
Prices quoted are Recommended Retail Prices (RRP). Excludes dealer delivery charges which may vary from dealer to dealer and stamp duty, compulsory third party insurance and registration charges which vary from state to state. Where the RRP shown is above the threshold of $57,180 it is inclusive of Luxury Car Tax (LCT) of 25%. Individual prices for factory and dealer fitted options quoted separately do not include LCT. If the total price of the vehicle including options exceeds the LCT thereshold, the total RRP is required to be recalculated with the LCT applied to the net costs of any amount above the LCT threshold. The Australian Government has legislated to increase the LCT retrospectively by 8% to 33% from 1 July, 2008. That legislation must be approved by the Senate which will not meet to consider the proposed increase until late August 2008. The prices therefore quoted may be subject to an increase in the LCT. Please enquire at your selling Dealer for further details. This is a manufacturer’s advertised price only and new vehicles must be purchased from dealers.
The R36 had been expected around the same time and the torque monster Touareg, but like the first and second R32 models, we had to wait more than a year for it to appear in the metal. The R36 surfaced at the Brisbane motor show in February but has only now gone on-sale.
This latest R car sits neatly between the pocket-rocket R32 hatch and overgrown R50 SUV in both stature and power. The R36 develops 220kW of power and 350Nm of torque from its sports-tuned 3.6-litre V6 (an engine it shares with the base Touareg). Its six-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) is the only transmission available, and power is put through all four wheels via VW’s active 4-Motion AWD system.
Massive four-wheel vented brakes are 345mm/310mm front and rear, and the car sits 25mm lower than standard, with 111mm ground clearance.
Matching its sporting credentials is a tasteful reworking of the Passat's elegant features. The almost lairy R range's chrome front grille is toned down with streamlined spoilers and skirts, subtle inset dual exhaust pipes, chrome roof rails on the wagon, and 18-inch “Omanyt” alloys flanked with body-coloured wheel arch extensions.
Inside, dark matte brushed aluminium, branded steel scuff plates and alloy pedal covers, and chrome piping lifts an otherwise dark interior. Redesigned flush paddle-shifters sit behind an ergonomic, leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel. The sports seats are squared-off but enveloping and comfortable - a theme shared with the two main rear seats - and 12-way adjustment with variable side bolsters for the driver is standard.
Like the regular Passat itself, the R36 version is packed with standard luxuries such as rain-sensing wipers, front and rear reverse sensors, ABS/ESP, eight airbags, and tyre pressure monitors. Asking price for the sedan is $64,990; the wagon is $2000 more. To both those prices, you need to add $600 for 33 percent Luxury Car Tax. (For more about VW’s approach to the LCT, see below.*)
A Dynaudio 600W 10-speaker stereo, automatic tailgate (wagon), electric sunroof, sat-nav, reversing camera, and four colours are the only big options to choose from.
Where the Passat range was applauded for its standard features and safety credentials in our 2006 COTY, twitchy on-road behaviour such as fidgety suspension tune and over-servoed brakes held it back from the top spot. In the sporty R36, a more sensitive, less supple ride can be overlooked or even ignored. In other words, while the R36 is still nervous over surface imperfections at suburban speeds, it is forgivable given its application, and lends it a more alive, alert attitude.
And those brakes are brilliant. There’s still not a lot of ‘feel’ through the pedal, but it’s at least graduated rather than oversensitive.
The car is surprising swift off the mark. This Passat again hits a sweet, subtle spot between the aural thrum of the R32 and the turbo thump of the R50 - simple, fast, effective performance. Blistering without bluster, if you will.
Skidpan exercises revealed agile, neutral handling with some leniency in the slide department through a switchable (but at a wet Phillip Island, always-switched on) ESP system. Hurtling around cones and track in a 2.5-tonne R50 SUV is testament to VW Individual's skill for making even the heaviest, largest car quick.
Roaring down the track with a jet-fuel resonance to its induction, the R36 builds speed and confidence through its well-sorted chassis and a 4-Motion AWD system that isn't afraid to use its rear wheels. Through pounding rain and residual oil from last weekend's track meet, all three R series cars resonate with their less flashy counterparts' message: well-developed, well-built, and capable of getting on with it when you’re in welly-to-the-firewall mode.
Passat R36 Sedan, 6-speed DSG - $64,990 (Add $600 for 33% LCT)
Passat R36 Wagon, 6-speed DSG - $66,990 (Add $600 for 33% LCT)
Prices quoted are Recommended Retail Prices (RRP). Excludes dealer delivery charges which may vary from dealer to dealer and stamp duty, compulsory third party insurance and registration charges which vary from state to state. Where the RRP shown is above the threshold of $57,180 it is inclusive of Luxury Car Tax (LCT) of 25%. Individual prices for factory and dealer fitted options quoted separately do not include LCT. If the total price of the vehicle including options exceeds the LCT thereshold, the total RRP is required to be recalculated with the LCT applied to the net costs of any amount above the LCT threshold. The Australian Government has legislated to increase the LCT retrospectively by 8% to 33% from 1 July, 2008. That legislation must be approved by the Senate which will not meet to consider the proposed increase until late August 2008. The prices therefore quoted may be subject to an increase in the LCT. Please enquire at your selling Dealer for further details. This is a manufacturer’s advertised price only and new vehicles must be purchased from dealers.
