VW Passat R36: Track attack report from Australia

Nice track attack report here of the VW Passat R36.

220kW for $64,990. That’s $295 per kilowatt. On a bang-for-buck basis, Volkswagen’s new Passat R36 sedan is impressive for a premium European performance sedan.

While the performance version of VW’s large 4WD is the company’s most powerful vehicle (258kW) , the Passat R36 is the quickest Volkswagen in the world.

In our longest track stint of about 10 laps, the brakes provided excellent pedal feel as well as consistent stopping performance – the latter crucial for the kind of heavy braking required on parts of Phillip Island’s challenging track.

The R36’s 3.6-litre V6 plays its part, too, delivering an engaging exhaust note and an eagerness to rev smoothly. Acceleration is strong rather than spectacular, though, and the engine delivers a better punch in its mid range rather than top end, thanks to peak torque (350Nm) that is flat all the way from 2400-5300rpm.

The DSG transmission can be left in auto Sport mode, where downshifts will be accompanied automatically by throttle blipping.

Related news: GermanCarBlog, P4MR, VW Passat R36

Source: Drive

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