WHILE other manufacturers have spent the last few years trying to catch up with the Volkswagen Passat, VW has now introduced a significantly enhanced new model. The news was strong enough to secure 2,500 orders even before prices were announced in December, or before anyone had driven UK versions of the car.

Revealed at the 2000 Paris Motor Show, the revised Passat has now reached our shores and is bound to have a big impact on the upper medium segment. Among the highlights is the 1.9 TDI PD 130 tested here, complete with a new high-powered version of Volkswagen's renowned pumpe duze engine, and priced at ú17,785.