VOLKSWAGEN has effectively wiped £1,900 off the price of its Passat family model with the introduction of new R Line versions.
They cost £600 more but come with £2,500 worth of additional equipment and are available in both saloon and estate formats.
The current Passat line-up of S, Highline, Sport and SEL is replaced with a new line-up of S, R Line and Highline but the eco-friendly BlueMotion and sporty R36 designations continue unchanged.
The R Line trim is based on the entry-level S model and is available with the same engine choices and prices starting from £17,040.
The key exterior changes are the addition of 17-inch alloy wheels and an 'R' styling pack. This adds front, side and rear skirts plus chrome louvres and grille surround to create a sportier appearance.
Inside the R Line gains cruise control, height adjustment and lumbar support on both front seats, a front centre armrest and leather multifunction steering wheel plus an electronic tyre pressure monitoring system.
These come on top of the standard Passat's specification that includes electronic stability programme, front, side and curtain airbags, climatic air conditioning, remote central locking with alarm and a radio/CD player with MP3 compatibility and a socket for connection to an external multimedia source.
Like the S model, the R Line is available with a choice of 1.4-litre and 1.8-litre petrol engines plus two 2.0-litre common rail TDI units. The higher powered diesel is offered with the option of a six-speed DSG automatic gearbox. All other engines come with a standard six-speed manual gearbox.
Prices are £17,040 for the 1.4, £18,550 for the 1.8, £18,150 for the 110bhp diesel and £19,295 for the 140bhp diesel with manual transmission. The same 140bhp diesel model with DSG transmission costs £20,565.