Sure, VW’s CC may have been born as a shapelier version of the Passat, as reflected in its Passat CC name. But for the 2013 model year, Volkswagen the brand took VW Canada’s lead in dropping the Passat part of the CC’s name, and will soon add a number of features that will push it up in feature content as well as price when the refreshed model arrives in May.

It’s still a fine-looking four-door, no matter how the marketing folks would like to misname it a “coupe.” Its front- and rear-end have been sharpened, with a chrome grille to differentiate it more from the Chattanooga-built Passat, and to give it more cues shared with the upscale Phaeton, which is still sold in Europe, and obviously not seen as a flop as it was in North America.

Volkswagen says the CC, which will start at about 35 large, may also tempt those looking at practical two-doors such as the Altima and Accord coupes, but the CC’s new standard five-seat layout suggests that stylish but practical cars like the Regal and Lexus IS would be more realistic rivals.

From the inside, the CC feels like a polished Volkswagen of years gone by: no cheapened interior materials here, built to a price point to lure in buyers. Rich two-tone colour schemes on the seats combine with new standard features that include LED lights front and rear, automatic climate control, rear-view camera and swivelling headlights, on top of carryover niceties on every CC that includes heated and powered front seats, rain-sensing wipers and an eight-speaker stereo.

The turbocharged 200-hp base model not only comes with the same engine as in the VW GTI, closely related to the Audi A4’s 2.0-litre turbo unit, but also features a six-speed manual as standard, which serves to highlight its European genes. A six-speed DSG automated manual is a $1,400 option, and comes with paddle-shifters to give back some of the sporty quotient you sacrifice with the loss of a true shifter and clutch pedal.

A six-speed Tiptronic automatic is also available, but only on the range-topping, 3.6-litre 4Motion, which as its name implies, comes only with a 3.6-litre V-6 and adaptive all-wheel-drive. Starting at $48,475, or about 13 grand higher than the base CC, it includes every option that’s available on the entry Sportline model: a navi system, panoramic sunroof, leather, 600-watt DynAudio 10-speaker sound system and satellite radio, and also adds a rear power sunshade. That’s a lot of equipment, but it’s also a lot of money for any mainstream-brand vehicle.

As with the Phaeton, Volkswagen is once again pushing its price boundaries up into luxury car territory, unlike the strategy it’s pursuing with its less costly Jetta and Passat. The latest Chattanooga-built Passat may be priced $7,000 less than a 2008 Passat, but the Germany-built CC goes up in price for 2013 to reflect the greater equipment.

We didn’t get a chance to sample any 3.6 CC at the launch event in France, as this all-wheel-drive CC won’t be available until the fall. But the fact that the 280-hp V-6 it comes with is rapidly aging compared to more powerful V-6s near its 50-grand price point (Infiniti G37, Lexus IS350), and even appears dowdy compared to turbocharged fours that approach its output (hello Koreans and Buick Regal GS) at a much lower price, the four-cylinder CC is clearly a much better value.

At the front, a redesigned grill is flanked by standard Bi-xenon headlights, with LED daytime running lights.  LED illumination is also featured in the rear tailamps.  Inside, the look is timeless with elegant touches of luxury throughout.  The sculpted power driver’s seat provides perfect ergonomics and along with the newly redesigned rear bench creates a true five passenger environment.

Powertrain options will include Volkswagen’s award-winning 2.0L TFSI engine or the available 3.6L V6 engine, which features 4MOTION all-wheel-drive.

The 2013 Jetta Hybrid was also shown to Canadians for the very first time.  Set to arrive later this year, the addition of a hybrid powertrain brings to five the number of engine choices available in the popular sedan.

A 1.4L TFSI gasoline engine is coupled with a unique electric motor, capable of driving the car in pure electric mode, or enhancing the gasoline engine for excellent acceleration.

Either way, the new Jetta Hybrid promises spirited performance and superb fuel economy in a package that is comfortable and spacious.  Various aerodynamic and weight-saving technologies have been implemented to take full advantage of the potential of this powertrain.

Also on display in Toronto is the “Bulli” concept.  With styling reminiscent of the original Volkswagen van, and design cues first seen on the Microbus concept from 2001, the Bulli combines a compact exterior with a spacious interior to create the perfect people-mover for both urban and commuter lifestyles.

With room for six, the Bulli is able to tackle most any journey, and do so with minimal impact on the environment.  It is powered by a lithium-ion battery which supplies energy to the electric motor.  The result is a range of up to 300 km and a top speed of 140 km/h.  The design of the vehicle is such that alternate drivetrains could also find their way under the hood in future applications.

Unmistakably Volkswagen, and ready for the drivers of the future, the Bulli represents Volkswagen’s vision of the ultimate people mover in a modern age.

The Canadian International Autoshow in Toronto runs until February 26^th.

Volkswagen said that the initial EV output at its two JV’s – Shanghai Volkswagen and FAW Volkswagen was expected at a few thousand vehicles, rising to 100,000 by 2018.

Volkswagen China president and chief executive Karl-Thomas Neumann said he is convinced e-vehicles will be a success in China because it is desperately needed.

“E-vehicles have so far been limited by cost batteries, and a lack of economies of scale and models considered appealing to car buyers and they were needed to reduce China’s pollution and reliance on oil,” Neumann said.

By 2015 the German carmaker plans to launch nearly 50 new models in including its first plug-in hybrid in China, where it already has a market share of 16%.

The $1 billion production facility makes the 2012 Passat. The plant earned 52 of a possible 69 points to earn the Platinum designation, the highest in the LEED rating system.

Green Features include:

• Certification of the paint shop facility. Previous assembly plants have excluded their paint shop in the LEED certification process because of the complexity of the manufacturing process and the challenge of getting them certified. VW’s sustainably designed paint shop will save more than 50 million gallons of water a year.
• The construction team salvaged or recycled nearly 78% (4,602 tons) of construction and demolition waste.
• 48% of total building materials were manufactured using recycled materials.
• Through low-flow water closets and urinals, the plant achieves a 58% reduction in potable water used for sewage conveyance. Rainwater harvested from the roof is used in the sanitary waste system. Together, these strategies save 1.7 million gallons of potable water a year. Low-flow showers, lavatory and kitchen faucets further decrease potable water usage, resulting in total savings of over 3 million gallons of potable water each year.
• A white, reflective roof reflects heat, lowering cooling costs and saving energy.
• All exterior lights at the facility provide only the minimum lighting required for safety to ensure that light does not spill into the night sky, adversely affecting the surrounding nocturnal environments through excessive glare.
• Measures to promote environmentally friendly commutes include the provision of bike racks for visitors and employees, availability of showers and lockers for employee use and preferred parking for those driving low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles and for those who carpool to the site.

The Volkswagen Academy, which trains people for work at the manufacturing plant, is also certified LEED-Platinum, earning 54 of 69 points.

Engineering and construction firm, SSOE, built the project. The company, listed among Inc. magazine’s fastest growing firms, also constructed the first LEED-Gold facility in Ohio and has over a dozen projects underway at various stages of the LEED certification process.

Last August, Volkswagen announced it would invest nearly EUR 1 billion in renewable energy for its plants worldwide.

VW announced late Tuesday that it built the 50,000^th 2012 Passat, an optioned-out SE model with the 2.5-liter, 170-horsepower inline-five engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. It took VW just over eight months to reach that number: the plant officially opened on May 24, 2011, and the 50,000^th car rolled off the Tennessee production line this week.

We should note that this doesn’t mean that 50,000 VW Passats have been sold yet: the figure includes various cars that haven’t yet been sold, including training cars and testers, dealer courtesy cars, and cars that were exported to other markets. At last count, Volkswagen had sold 29,097 of the new-for-2012 Passat sedans in the United States and 1961 in Canada, which means roughly 19,000 cars were either sold outside of the U.S. and Canada, or are on dealer lots/in special fleets. VW’s estimated inventory stands at about a 70-day supply.

It’s certainly a good sign for the Passat, who has already eclipsed two of its competitors in the mid-size sales war. It’s averaging between 6000 and 7000 units per month over the past three months, enough to beat competition in the form of the 2012 Mazda 6 and Dodge Avenger sedans.

In hopes of continuing the upward movement, VW has already announced expansions of the Chattanooga, Tennessee plant that builds the car: the automaker said it would add 200 manufacturing jobs to the plant, which currently employs 2500 people.

VW is predicting fuel economy of 29 mpg city, and 39 mpg highway. That’s slightly off the ratings for VW’s own Jetta TDI, which manages 42 mpg highway, but the EPA’s ratings have been quite conservative with that car so the Beetle could prove to be particularly frugal in real-world driving.

The Beetle’s 2.0-liter, turbocharged clean diesel engine makes 140 horsepower and 236 pounds-feet of torque, so performance should be sprightly.

Counterweights on the crankshaft reduce that traditional diesel rattle and balancer shafts help further smooth out the engine.

A choice of six-speed manual or VW’s DSG six-speed dual-clutch transmission will be available.

To differentiate the exterior from other models, the TDI gets a new 17-inch alloy wheel design, TDI badging and a chrome trim line along the side window line. Inside, TDIs gain a supplementary instrument pod with oil temperature and turbo boost gauges, and a stopwatch.

The 2013 Volkswagen Beetle TDI will join the 25 mpg, 5-cylinder and turbocharged gasoline variants from summer this year. The 2012 Chicago Auto Show gets underway in just under a week.

“If that could come into the market at some point in the future, that would be great,” Jonathan Browning, VW’s U.S. chief executive officer, said Thursday in an interview at the auto show in Washington. There is as yet no plan to bring it to the U.S., or a mid-priced sport-utility vehicle he said he’d also like to import.

Volkswagen, which has its U.S. headquarters in Herndon, Va., introduced a Bulli electric concept vehicle last year.

“Our first focus is very much making sure we expand the footprint of the existing products,” said Browning, who said there is a “high probability” of the company making its 500,000-vehicle sales target in the U.S. this year. “We’re growing the business with Passat right now.”

The carmaker sold 444,178 vehicles in the U.S. last year, up 23 percent from 2010, according to Autodata Corp., the industry researcher based in Woodcliff, N.J.

Volkswagen, based in Wolfsburg, Germany, sees the Jetta and Passat, which it is building in the U.S., as the “pillars” of U.S. sales growth, Browning said.

In case you missed it last week, the video features a chorus of dogs barking and howling the Darth Vader march first featured in the Star Wars movies. Some of the dogs are dressed up as Star Wars characters, like CP3O, shown at right, Chewbacca or our personal favorite, a whippet that shows up at the end dressed as an Imperial AT-AT Walker.

To make the video, Advertising Age says the dozen canine actors were chosen from about 40 that were auditioned. For the most part, they were not picked for their barking ability, but rather how closely they looked like the characters.

Some of the barks were real. Others were synthesized. Then came the problem of matching the barks, some of which were from sound archives, to the dogs. A Chihuahua can’t sound like a sheepdog.

Now that the teaser is a hit, can the actual ad be just as good? We’re just going to have to wait.

Of the 235,000 being recalled by manufacturer BMW, almost 30,000 Mini Coopers have been affected in the UK and about 89,000 in the US. This recall follows months of complaints from motorists who say their vehicles have burst into flames, usually while they are unattended or parked. Others complained of smoke and flames coming from under the bonnet.

BMW originally insisted that there wasn’t a specific problem, but the company confirmed in an unexpected statement that officials worldwide were investigating the issue. The probe will be centred around the Cooper S and John Cooper Works versions of the car, which were manufactured between March 2006 and January 2011. Apparently the malfunction has to do with a computer circuit board that controls the turbocharger cooling system. The water pump can begin smouldering if the system fails, which could lead to a fire in the engine.

In the UK, there are only seven known cases of this issue, but only two are being investigated by the VOSA, the motoring watchdog. However, twelve of these incidents are being probed in the US. In the coming weeks, Mini Cooper S and John Cooper Works owners will be sent a recall notice.

A spokesman for Mini insisted that the cars are still safe to drive, as there is a very low chance of an incident happening. In the worst cases, heat could build up in the wiring, causing smouldering. It could potentially cause a fire, but they aren’t aware of any injuries or accidents related to the issue. What’s important is that owners simply go to their dealer when they get the recall notice and get a new water pump if they have a problem.

A VOSA spokesman confirmed that they have received two reports of fires in Mini Coopers, and they are investigating the issue with the manufacturer. A spokesman for Mini also confirmed that it is liaising with the motoring watchdog and its US equivalent. They will conduct a detailed investigation into any issues that customers alert them to, he added.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Volkswagen, which is the biggest car maker in Europe by sales, says that the company started to recall vehicles with diesel engines last October due to potential issues caused by cracks in fuel-injection systems. The car owners have been notified. The models affected include VW’s Tiguan, Jetta, Golf, Passat and others built since 2009; while other brands affected include Seat, Audi and Skoda.

Frankly, I was working up a hate-on for this car, featuring “the new look of Volkswagen.” The only saving grace was the 2.0-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder under its hood, easily the best engine of the 2012 Passat’s three-motor lineup (a 2.5L gasoline five-cylinder and  a 3.6L V6 being the others).

Then I took a deep breath. Look at it from Volkswagen’s point of view, I said to myself. Like every other automaker, it wants to increase its market share, especially in the United States, where previous Passat models haven’t exactly set the world afire — too small and too expensive. If the masses want bigger, simpler and more generic, then that’s what it’s going to get — with a few unique VW touches thrown in.

And the best touch is the 140-horsepower turbodiesel four. It’s always been a paragon of fuel efficiency; it now adds a quiet and a smoothness that enhances the new Passat’s driving pleasure — perhaps a little too much. On at least a couple of instances, I found myself cruising at what I thought was regular highway speeds (110 to 120 kilometres an hour depending on traffic and road conditions) only to glance at the speedometer and see in excess of 130 on the clock. Yes, the engine is that unobtrusive.

It also has enough oomph to it when required for passing situations, thanks to its 236 pound-feet of torque, which is available from a low 1,750 rpm. Oh, the hard numbers aren’t that impressive — 10 seconds to accelerate to 100 kilometres an hour and 7.4 seconds to get from 80 to 120 km/h — but the car, which weighs a solid enough 1,541 kilograms, feels quicker.

THE SPECS

Type of vehicle: Front-wheel-drive family sedan
Engine: 2.0L DOHC four-cylinder turbodiesel
Power: 140 hp @ 4,000 rpm; 236 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750 rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manumatic
Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS
Tires: P215/60R16
Price: base/as tested: $28,875/same
Destination charge: $1,365
Transport Canada fuel economy L/100 km: 6.9 city, 4.9 hwy.

As for fuel economy, I averaged seven litres per 100 kilometres in an even mix of suburban commuting and in-town traffic. For those who place fuel economy high on the car shopping list, remember that the diesel engine is most efficient on the highway, not in stop-and-go — the opposite of hybrids. At 120 km/h, the four-cylinder is turning over at a lazy 2,100 rpm.

The optional six-speed automatic is well suited to the engine, shifting cleanly and taking full advantage of the engine’s grunt. It also comes with a manumatic mode, operated through the centre console-mounted shift lever. Given the torque-rich nature of the turbodiesel, I can’t fathom why someone would feel the need to self-shift, but the option is there. The one annoying feature of the tranny is that there is no detent for Drive, allowing the shifter to slide into sport mode if one is not paying attention. (That would be me — once.)

The new Passat has lost some of its handling edge, although it hasn’t turned into a barge by any means. Steering feel remains sharp and it doesn’t wallow in harder turns such as highway on-ramps. There is some lean, though, and the ride is far more compliant. The only element I actively disliked was the mushy brakes — too much pedal travel before they grabbed, and then they grabbed hard.

Not that the previous Passat was the epitome of style, but it at least had a familial connection to the rest of the Volkswagen lineup. The new version, however, has a generic anonymity to it that blends in with the crowd, especially when viewed in profile. The sedan could easily pass for a Ford, GM or Honda four-door. The horizontal lines in the sheetmetal emphasize the Passat’s length, which, at 4,868 millimetres, is 88 mm longer than its predecessor. The upside of the increased dimension is a cabin that will fit five adults without complaint, not to mention allowing for a cavernous 15.9 cubic-foot trunk.

While on the subject, the cabin layout shows the same restraint as the exterior design. Unlike the high-tech layout of Hyundai’s Sonata, the Passat displays a conservatism that is likely to excite few while offending none. There’s a lot of dark plastic, but it’s the soft-touch kind and displays a nice grained texture. The instrument panel is wide and uncluttered, the controls are logically placed and the cloth seats are comfortable and, since the tester was the Trendline+ trim level, heated as well. However, considering the tester was also $28,875, the fact that the seats are manually adjustable and not powered strikes me as a poor decision on the part of the planners.

I’d be lying if I said I was blown away by the new Passat. It’s good, but it has lost a good deal of its predecessor’s personality. Still, after driving it for a week, it obviously makes a far better family sedan than the previous models ever did and will definitely add more to VW’s corporate coffers.

Equally, the TDI version is a must for those wanting superior fuel economy. Diesel technology might not be as sexy or as eco-friendly as hybrid powertrains, but one cannot fault its frugality. In Volkswagen’s Passat, it comes close to brilliant.