Volkswagen to feature new Passat and Golf Alltrack in Paris

Plenty of new models will be on display at Volkswagen's stand at the Paris Motor Show, from the latest Passat to the Golf Alltrack (in a world premiere), as well as the restyled Polo GTi and Touareg.

The German manufacturer's eighth-generation Passat will debut in Paris, at the same time as a restyled version of its major rival, the Peugeot 508. In its latest iteration, the family car sold over 22 million times is more lightweight and available for the first time with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. A choice of 10 turbo direct injection motors ranging from 120hp to 280hp will also be offered on the new Passat, which is the first Volkswagen with a head-up display and Active Info Display screen. In the superior 'Highline' trim package, the latest Passat also includes LED headlights as a standard feature. The model is slated to arrive at dealerships in sedan and station wagon versions directly after the Paris Motor Show.

The event in Paris will also see the world premiere of the Golf Alltrack, which spans the gap between a station wagon and an SUV. Expected to go on sale in spring 2015, the Alltrack is the 12th new variation on the Golf over the past two years.

Also due to bow in the French capital is the next-generation Polo GTi, with 12hp more than the outgoing version thanks to its new 1.8-liter TSI engine at 192hp. The German manufacturer is touting 0 to 100km/h acceleration in 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 236km/h. Slated to go on sale in 2015, the model features special shock absorbers, a new spoiler, red GTi badges, a sports steering wheel and sport seats.

In the SUV segment, visitors in Paris will admire the restyled Touareg, which intros a new steel spring chassis and comes with standard bi-xenon headlights. An interesting feature on the Touareg V6 TDI is its 'coasting' function, in which the automatic transmission is disengaged from the motor to use kinetic energy and reduce fuel consumption. A hybrid version is also offered, combining a 333hp V6 TSI fuel engine and a 46hp electric motor. The new Touareg is now available for order, priced from €53,570.