Wave. Volkswagen Passat CC

A smooth line runs across the hood, glides over the windshield, pauses for a moment at the highest point of the roof — and, gaining momentum, dissolves, leaving behind red streaks of the taillights. The length of this wave is four meters and eighty centimeters, and its name is Volkswagen Passat CC.

— So where are the photos? Where's the convertible? — marveled Mikhail Mandrika, the executive secretary of Autoreview. — Why did they even send you to Munich?

Oh, the folks at Volkswagen messed up... We're used to the abbreviation CC meaning Coupe Cabriolet. But the Volkswagen Passat CC is not a convertible at all. And not even a coupe. So what is it then?

The rear-view camera is hidden under the emblem on the trunk lid, protected from dirt and vandals. The emblem still works as a button to open the lock, but then the camera stays inside. The image on the touchscreen can be supplemented with one of two "hints" — for parking parallel to the curb or at a right angle

By all classic standards, this is a true sedan. Four doors, seats — not five, but four, although the rear bench has a fold-down armrest, and in a pinch, three can squeeze in. But for such a body with a lowered roofline and frameless doors, marketers four years ago coined the term "four-door coupe" — that's what they call the Mercedes CLS. And in the Volkswagen Group, their sedan based on the Passat was dubbed the "comfort coupe" — Comfort Coupe, or CC for short.

The interior is impeccably finished: even the aluminum on the center console is real. But why the Germans updated the climate control unit is a mystery. The temperature is now shown not on a display, but in small digits with internal backlighting	The front seats are a bit firm, the side bolsters have become slightly more pronounced, but far from sporty ultimatum. Ventilated seats are available as an option
The wheelbase of the Passat is the same — the rear is comfortable. But if the passenger's height exceeds 185 cm, the top of the head will definitely meet the ceiling	Frameless windows lower by 13 mm when the doors open. According to the Germans, this happens a quarter faster on the Passat than on any other car with such doors

You can joke about the "coupe-ness" until the Passat CC becomes a two-door, but comfort is serious business. The springs on the Passat CC are slightly softer, the trim is richer, and the list of optional equipment is more impressive than that of the flagship Phaeton!

The springs of the "comfort coupe" are 15% softer than the sedan's, and shock absorbers can be ordered with active DCC control. The computer, receiving data on wheel travel, accelerations, and steering angle, changes the cross-section of the shock absorber valves, adapting them to the road. The driver has three basic modes — Comfort, Normal, and Sport. When Sport is selected, the electric power steering algorithm also changes. The Passat CC with the "six" gets DCC as standard

Take the shock absorbers, for example — electronics control them in three modes: Comfort, Sport, and Normal. Under the front emblem hides the radar of the active cruise control ACC — the same as on the updated Touareg, with automatic braking to a full stop (deceleration no more than 0.4 g). From under the rear emblem, when reverse gear is engaged, a dirt-protected camera emerges, and its image on the display can show hints for "parallel" or "perpendicular" parking. You can even trust the "electronic parking attendant" Park Assist — as on the Touran minivan (see AR No. 23, 2007).

In the cozy interior, much is familiar from the regular Passat: the same dashboard, the same wide seats, though with slightly more pronounced side support. The new steering wheel with two "joysticks" is good, and the door panels have changed. But the main thing is the new instrument cluster. Just like the old joke: "How to make a person feel good? Make it bad, then return it as it was." Light backlighting instead of blue, a white-black display in the center instead of bright red... And how convenient it has become!

The instruments are magnificent — simple and clear! If only the onboard computer could speak Russian...	Active cruise control ACC — like on the Touareg SUV. The radar's "viewing" angle is 12 degrees. If the car ahead disappears from the "field of view," the Passat CC will start accelerating to the set speed only after it confirms it has reached a straight. For this, the ACC even has a gyro sensor! Whether such cruise control will appear on Russian Passats is still unclear

Compared to the regular Passat, the roof of the "comfort coupe" is 50 millimeters lower, but the edge of the glass doesn't "press" on the driver. In the rearview mirror, there's a low window opening, but the view into the distance doesn't suffer. It seems they learned the lessons of the Mercedes CLS well in Wolfsburg: even on the rear bench, you don't feel trapped in a dungeon. Except that a tall passenger's head hits the ceiling. And this is despite the sunroof not sliding back but only tilting up, so as not to take away the last centimeters from passengers.

Initially, the Passat CC will be offered with three engines to choose from. The hit in Europe promises to be the 140-horsepower two-liter turbodiesel, already meeting Euro-5 standards, while in Russia, the new 1.8-liter gasoline turbo engine TSI with 160 hp will "sell" best.

But I first took the top version — with the 3.6 engine producing 300 hp from the Passat R36. In Europe, such cars are equipped only with the six-speed robotic gearbox DSG and all-wheel drive with the updated fourth-generation Haldex clutch.

The 300-horsepower Passat CC accelerates smoothly, like an express train. But without expression. The same 5.6 seconds to 100 km/h in any "real" sports coupe feels much sharper. There's no sharpness in handling either — the "coupe" is comfortable! But reactions are extremely precise, the steering wheel pleasantly weights up with speed, and the grip reserve of the Continental SportContact3 tires is enormous — at least on dry asphalt. When the tires can no longer hold the road, the Passat CC simply slides outward with the front end.

And what about the Passat CC with the 1.8 TSI engine? With the six-speed manual, it's only slightly slower and, imagine, not a bit more boring! The loss in power and torque (250 Nm vs 350 Nm) is compensated by the front-wheel-drive car's lower weight — as much as 200 kilograms! So it has plenty of dynamics — especially since the torque "shelf" begins soon after idle.

The small plastic shields on the rear wheel arches are not for aerodynamics, but so that the optional 18-inch tires don't protrude beyond the body perimeter when viewed from above: such are the certification requirements	The trunk lost about 30 liters, but 532 liters is still a good figure. The folding rear seat backs are