With over 15 million cars sold worldwide, the Volkswagen Passat has emerged one of the most successful automobiles in the world since its debut in 1973.

Almost 40 years later, boasting a total redesign and a raft of new features, the new seventh generation Passat has once again become the car to watch and admire.

Since launch, the Passat has always closely followed the course of technological progress and never has this been more apparent than with the ‘Seventh Passat’ where the overall range of technological innovations has reached a scale previously found only in upper and luxury class cars but for a fraction of the cost.

The award-winning Passat features a range of world ‘firsts’ such as the revolutionary fatigue detection system that helps the driver on long journeys and recommends taking a break when necessary by detecting deviations from the driver’s normal driving behavior.

Whilst the new Passat is clearly underpinned by some of the most state-of-the-art 5-star safety features, the attention to the car’s finesse and head-turning aesthetics has also seen amazing developments with new features such as ‘ ‘Park Assist II’ which, at the press of a button, can ‘see’ parking spaces parallel and perpendicular to the road, and upon request can automatically steer the car into them with ultimate precision.

Brian Stevenson, Managing Director of ATL Autohaus, the exclusive distributor of Volkswagen and Audi automobiles in Jamaica commented, “The advances in both technology, workmanship and the quality of the material used in its construction has put the Passat light years ahead of its competitors With prices starting from just J$4.17m, the Passat gives best value for money in the mid-size sedan segment and you’re buying world class German engineering at a fraction of the cost of other German brands. It’s little wonder it was recently named Motor Trend Car of the Year 2012”.

The Passat’s quality is tangible thanks to the high end materials used in the car’s interior such as new seats, door trims and ambience lighting. An especially elegant effect is produced by the modified centre console and redesigned accents in the instruments that are visually appealing and pleasing to the touch.

On the road, new insulating materials specifically integrated in the dashboard area and doors filter out exterior and engine noises making the Passat extremely quiet whilst a new acoustic film is embedded in the front windscreen and is available as an option for the front side windows which helps to block out additional noise.

Progress has been made in the area of safety as well. The previous model already attained an impressive 5 stars in Euro-NCAP crash testing but further advances have seen such features such as seatbelt fastening detection for the rear seats and head restraints that now also adjust horizontally on the front seats introduced. The new head restraints for driver and front passenger reduce the risk of whiplash injury in an accident and new assistance systems such as Side Assist optimize safety.

When it comes down to sustainability, the Passat ticks all the boxes once again offering up to 18 percent more fuel efficiency on all engines making it the most fuel efficient Passat in the car’s illustrious history.

ATL Autohaus, a division of ATL Automotive, is the exclusive distributor for Volkswagen and Audi in Jamaica stocking award-winning models at its state-of-the-art showrooms in Kingston and Montego Bay.