ShareThisAfter driving the new Volkswagen CC with the VR6 engine, one has to wonder: Who really needs Audi, after all?
For that matter, who needs BMW or Mercedes?
Perhaps we should keep them around as role models. There are still some luxury benchmarks VW has not achieved.
With its swept roofline arching nearly the length of the car, the CC (Comfort Coupe) in black paint could easily be confused with a Mercedes-Benz.
Positioned atop the food chain after the passing of the late, great Phaeton, the CC covers a broad range of buyers, from $26,790 for the 200-horsepower, turbo-charged 4-cylinder Sport version to $39,300 for the V6-powered, all-wheel-drive VR6 4Motion.
I took a spin in the latest version of CC, the VR6 Sport, which is well loaded with luxury features at a base price of $38,300.
As an evolutionary four-door version of the Passat, the CC is an extraordinarily aerodynamic front-drive sedan designed to resemble a coupe with seating for four passengers in a compact body.
The clean profile is enhanced by frameless doors and flowing character lines, while the front is emboldened with a larger chrome grille.
The VR6 is distinguished by its V6 engine, with the cylinders arranged in a narrow "V" configuration that takes up less space than the traditional V6. The engine is positioned sideways in the engine bay and linked to a six-speed automatic transmission with a Tiptronic system that can be operated manually.
The 280-horsepower power train can propel the sedan from 0 to 60 mph in about 6.6 seconds, with the top speed electronically limited to 130 mph.
Fuel economy is decent at 18 city miles per gallon and 27 highway mpg for a combined 21 mpg, though we suddenly don't have to care so much since oil is about $100 per barrel below its peak of five months ago.
The CC's ride and handling are worthy of the luxury competitors, with good body stiffness and strong, supportive springs. The disc brakes are typically Germanic, with solid stopping power and great pedal feedback.
All CC models ride on sport suspension and electromechanical power steering with dual-pinions for performance oriented ride and handling. The front McPherson concept suspension has a triangular wishbone design with coil springs, telescopic self-leveling shocks and stabilizer bar. A fully independent four-link rear features coil springs, telescopic shocks and stabilizer bar.
The Electronic Stabilization Program works through four-wheel anti-lock brakes with vented front and solid rear discs. Anti-Slip Regulation and yaw control come standard with Brake Assist and Electronic Differential Locking.
Basically, you'll have a hard time losing control of this car. But if you do, your epidermis and internal organs will appreciate the air bag system, which includes two up front, side chest protectors and head-curtains across all seating positions. A rear passenger side-chest airbag system with safety belt pretensioners is optional.
If you like seeing the road at night, you'll love the bi-xenon headlamps with Adaptive Forward Lighting System.
The interior is comfortable and luxurious, with 12-way power adjustable driver's seat, leather upholstery, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and ventilation controls and a leather armrest. Especially appealing is a large panoramic power vent sunroof that reaches out to the roof rails and covers the entire forward portion of the roof.
The split folding rear seats are separated by a center roll-top covered fold-down console for drinks and an emergency medical kit. They could have made this a five-passenger car, but VW made comfort a priority.
The 2009 model comes with a new navigation system with MDI (Media Device Interface) with color touch-screen control of sound and sensory systems. A rear parking assistance system displays rearview camera images with yellow tracking lines that bend as you turn the steering wheel.
VW's warranty includes 24-hour Roadside Assistance for four years or 50,000 miles, plus five-year or 60,000 mile power train protection, three-year or 36,000 mile warranty for other parts and 12-year warranty against corrosion and perforation.
Volkswagen's Carefree Maintenance Program requires no charges for the scheduled maintenance for three years or 36,000 miles.
Engineers at the VW-owned luxury brand Audi must be a little steamed at the presumptuous parent's encroachment on its luxury turf. A CC with V6 engine and all-wheel-drive undercuts a similarly equipped Audi A4 by $4,000.
The CC is 3.7 inches longer than the A4, 0.4 inch wider and 62 pounds heavier. In comparisons, Motor Trend magazine cited the CC's matching handling and quicker times on a figure-eight course, which contributed to its candidacy as a 2009 Car of the Year.
WHAT'S NEW: New model for 2009, VR6 engine.
PLUSES: Performance, safety, styling.
MINUSES: Four-passenger seating may not suit some families.
BOTTOM LINE: Audacious challenger to world's best brands.
(E-mail Richard Williamson at motorfriend(at)sbcglobal.net)
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