The Volkswagen CC, originally marketed as the Volkswagen Passat CC in its first generation, is a variant of the Volkswagen Passat that trades headroom and cargo space for a coupé-like profile and sweeping roofline. The CC debuted in January 2008, at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and was discontinued after the 2017 model year. Volkswagen said the name CC stands for Comfort Coupe, recognizing its combination of a coupe-like profile with four rather than two doors. While based on the Passat, and sharing its wheelbase, the CC is longer, lower, and wider than the Passat. While the CC has been replaced by the Arteon in most markets, the latter vehicle retains the CC nameplate in China.
Market launch
At its launch in 2008, Volkswagen forecast 300,000 sales over a period of seven years. The automaker expected that 60% of these sales will come from the market of the United States. In China, the CC was released by FAW-Volkswagen on July 15, 2010, and was available in 1.8TSI and 2.0TSI trims. With the revised version, Volkswagen promotes the CC as having "sports car" dynamics, but road tests indicate that "calling the CC a sport sedan is completely misleading." Compared to other midsize sedans in the marketplace, the 2013 Volkswagen CC was evaluated by Edmunds as "attractive and higher quality alternative... though its smallish backseat and trunk may be deal-breakers... the sport tuned suspension is on the firm side." Automotive journalists describe the CC sedan's ride as "nearly sports car firm, with every bump and undulation sent directly to your backside."
Specifications
The car has a wheelbase and was available with a 1.4 L E85 TFSI, 1.8 L petrol inline-four, 2.0 L petrol inline four, a 2.0 L inline four TDI engine in various drivetrain configurations, as well as with a 3.6 L VR6 engine producing with 4motionfour-wheel drive and a six speed Direct-Shift Gearbox transmission. The North American market had the 2.0T I4 and 3.6 L VR6 engine as options. This version of the VR6 engine produced and of torque in both front wheel drive and 4MOTION versions, while the 2.0T produced . Manual transmission was available in the 2.0T engine option only. It also came with automatic transmission. On the European market, the CC was offered with 4MOTION four-wheel-drive on the 2.0 L TDI engines. The model came with manual transmission and the model with Direct-Shift Gearbox. An AdBlue version offering named BlueTDI was also produced. Availability varied by national markets. For the 2011 model year, the 2.0T in Europe was upgraded to by using the engine variant introduced in the Golf VI GTI.
Facelift
A facelift to the CC was presented at the LA Auto Show, and production started in January 2012. The front and rear were revised to make the CC look similar to the then current Volkswagen design, while the midsection was unchanged. Interior changes included a minor updates to the center console along with an updated ACC control panel. This design was also used in the Passat Alltrack. Features included:
European engine options remain the same as for the 2011 Passat CC. Transmission options were carried over from the previous version, but the diesel automatic transmission now has with a free wheel function that is claimed to reduce fuel consumption by disengaging the clutch, when the driver lifts their foot from the accelerator. The XDS electronic differential brake that was also used in the Golf GTI was available on the CC as standard or optional equipment. Initially available only in V6 as an AWD alternative, but diesel versions became available during 2012. Availability of diesel 4WD varied by market. In January 2013, the optional 2.0 TDI was replaced by an uprated version with. The torque increased from. In 2015, this was again uprated to, this time from the new EA288 engine complying with the Euro 6 emissions standard that replaced the previous EA189. Maximum torque remained at. The was uprated to. The transmission with the V6 in the North American market was a traditional hydraulic automatic transmission, whereas in other markets, it was a DSG transmission.
With only 3,900 units sold in 2015, the CC was one of the lowest selling models in the Volkswagen range, and in need of replacement. It was scoring at the bottom of the rankings even with one of the lowest price points in its target market segment. During November 2016, Volkswagen announced the CC replacement would be the Arteon, in its effort to target a more premium market segment. In May 2017, Volkswagen Australia announced the specifications for its new Arteon to replace the discontinued CC at the top end in the car maker's model line up. China, however, will continue production on the CC name starting in August 2018 for the 2019 model year.
