Volkswagen Passat Variant
The Volkswagen Passat Variant (sometimes referred to as the 5th generation Passat), built on the B5 platform, was launched in 1996 in Europe and 1998 in North America. It marked a major shift for Volkswagen, as they began to move their products upmarket, popping a gap between their mainstream offerings and the premium cars. Furthermore, it brought a new and improved level of interior quality and sophistication to the mainstream market - the kind that had previously been reserved for premium cars.
At a price of £16,000 in the UK, the Passat was £1,000 more expensive than its contemporaries, such as the Ford Mondeo. However, the price difference was reflected in its impressive features and luxury feel. The fear from rivals was that the Passat's arrival meant they needed to raise their own interior quality to keep up with the competition. And by 2000, the Ford Mondeo had taken those steps and other contenders had followed suit. Nowadays, there is no difference in quality between mainstream brands and premium cars in this class. As a result of the success of the Variant, the Mk IV Volkswagen Golf was then released into the class below in 1997.
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