VW Passat is 50 Not Out, says RAY MASSEY

The first Volkswagen Passat was launched more than 50 years ago in 1973 — a year of platform shoes and flared jeans when Slade, Sweet, and T.Rex were riding high in the charts along with David Bowie’s Life On Mars.

Just in time for summer and flaming June, I’ve been driving the latest ninth-generation version which, for the first time, is available only as a family five-seater estate version with a large flexible boot, and not as a traditional saloon.

The launch model is the frugal 150 horse-power 1.5 litre turbo-charged TSi mild-hybrid petrol with either a six or seven-speed automatic gearbox. With prices starting from £38,490, there are three trim levels: Life; Elegance; and R-Line spec, which I drove, costing from £42,850.

Mine was well-stocked — including heated front sports massage seats, voice control, LED matrix lighting, and heated windscreen washer jets — but added ‘extras’ pushed the price up by more than £5,000 to £48,265.

These included: a tilt-and-slide panoramic sunroof (£1,200); a driver assistance pack including lane and emergency assist and an electronically operated child-safety lock (£620); a Harmon Kardon sound system (£800); a larger 15-inch screen infotainment pack including head-up display (£850); metallic paint and enhanced upholstery (£745); and a folding towbar with trailer assist (£1,050).

Riding on 18-inch alloy wheels with sports suspension, my front-wheel drive Passat estate proved a comfortable ride with decent performance — though don’t expect a sports car — with 0 to 62 mph acceleration in 9.8 seconds, a top speed of 138 mph, and CO2 emissions of 129g/km. There are four drive settings — sport, comfort, normal and individual.

Expect more oomph from two new plug-in eHybrid petrol-electric models (with 204hp and 272hp) from £44,090 blending the 1.5 litre engine with an electric motor, a 19.7kWh battery and an electric-only range of up to 77 miles. Both are available to order ahead of deliveries mid-summer.

Streamlined, aero-dynamic, and 5.5 inches longer than the previous model, it has two inches of extra rear legroom and plenty of space in the boot which can expand from 690 litres (an increase of 40 litres) to 1,920 litres (up by 140 litres).

The new Passat also promises a quieter drive thanks to effective noise insulation including a standard acoustic windscreen and double glazing with an acoustic film on side windows.

Elegance and R-Line trim versions have new ‘ergoActive’ front seats which include lumber support adjustment and a pneumatic massage in the seat backrests.

Buttons on the steering wheel can be used for a variety of dashboard graphics: classic (round dials); progressive (square); navigation (showing maps) and R-Line with a gear-change indicator and speed rpm displays.

Time to put some Bowie on the turntable.

Britain’s very own Motown celebrating 10th MotoFest

The free event this weekend is dedicated to the motoring heritage of Coventry — spiritual home of Jaguar and now UK headquarters of Stellantis, which includes Peugeot, Citroen, Vauxhall, Fiat and Jeep.

Having attracted more than 200,000 visitors last year, this time promises a turbo-charged programme within and beyond the high-octane sprint circuit, created from the city’s ring road, including live motorsport demonstrations, classic cars, manufacturer displays, live music, art, film, and fairground rides. See coventrymotofest.com.

Fancy an automotive summer garden party in the heart of the capital? 

Visit the London Concours, which runs from June 4 to 6 in the grounds of the Honourable Artillery Company, with supercars and classics from McLaren and Ferrari to Jaguar. 

For details, visit londonconcours.co.uk.