24/08/2008 07:10. Turning a Volkswagen Passat into a svelte and elegant coupé
seems an odd thing to do. Almost from the moment it was born, the
Passat has embraced its role as an all-purpose workhorse without
apology. There’s nothing flash about a Passat, nothing
glamorous: Passats don’t stir the soul or weaken the knees
– they just get on with doing everyday tasks to the best of
their usually considerable abilities. What on earth, then,
possessed Volkswagen to slip it into a slinky evening gown and send
it down the automotive catwalk?
The Mercedes CLS, that’s what. The inspired saloon repackaged
as a coupé brought a swathe of new image-conscious buyers to
the sober executive car market in 2004. Volkswagen, forever trying
to break free of its homespun image, saw a great idea and, er,
nicked... //
Times Online 