Skip advert
Advertisement

"VW employees are the cleverest folk in the car business"

VW's employees are busier, cleverer and hungrier than we thought, says columnist Mike Rutherford

VW Passat opinion

It has long been apparent that VW’s work hard/play hard employees are busy, clever, hungry people. But it seems that they’re even busier, cleverer and hungrier than we’ve been led to believe. In 2014, I rate them the busiest, cleverest and hungriest folk in the business of car design and building.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The all-new, eighth-generation Passat – available in January from £22k – illustrates my point. When the company gave me the keys to a fleet of them the other day, my immediate reaction was ‘Wow, this car has grown’. On a stark, one-acre blob of tarmac and with no other vehicles to compare it with, I swore I was eyeing something a minimum of five metres long – giving it enough physical bulk to win a place in territory that’s occupied by the 5.2m Mercedes S-Class.

But the truth is that at ‘only’ 4.77m, the Passat 8 isn’t as long as the Passat 7. Yet its wheelbase and front passenger area are longer, elbow, shoulder and rear legroom is more generous and boot space is greater.

How come? Brilliant proportions and fine architectural work courtesy of the busy, clever, hungry employees at Volkswagen’s design department which rarely, if ever, closes. How do I know this? Because Klaus Bischoff told me. Who is he? He’s head of design for the Volkswagen brand, and daddy of the seemingly longer, but undoubtedly shorter Passat 8.

The Bisch and his design boys and girls are among the best in the world at tricking the eye into thinking certain models are bigger than their spec sheets prove they are. And he’s almost as good with words as he is with a box of crayons. “It’s a value car, not a prestige car, or a premium car,” he says unapologetically.

“But because it’s a Volkswagen it’s not a normal car. It’s honest. It has a design that’s more than skin deep. With Passat 8 the buyer gets advanced technology in a designer suit.”

Globally, these buyers will purchase 3,000 Passats a day, or one million annually. It has long been – and will continue to be – the best-seller for Volkswagen. This you can bet your life on because the busiest, cleverest, hungriest VW employees have decided this is the way it’s going to be. And they’re rarely, if ever, wrong.

Are VW employees the busiest, cleverest and hungriest folk in the car business? Let us know what you think in the comments below, or on Twitter or Facebook.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Chief columnist

Mike was one of the founding fathers of Auto Express in 1988. He's been motoring editor on four tabloid newspapers - London Evening News, The Sun, News of the World & Daily Mirror. He was also a weekly columnist on the Daily Telegraph, The Independent and The Sunday Times. 

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Best cars for £5,000 or less
Best cars for £5000 - header
Best cars & vans

Best cars for £5,000 or less

Got £5k burning a hole in your pocket? These are the best used cars for your budget
8 Mar 2024
New Volkswagen Passat PHEV 2024 review: the most versatile estate VW has ever made
Volkswagen Passat PHEV - front action
Road tests

New Volkswagen Passat PHEV 2024 review: the most versatile estate VW has ever made

Pricing will be key, but for now the plug-in hybrid Volkswagen Passat is an impressive all-round car
5 Mar 2024
New Volkswagen Passat 2024 review: VW’s trust in Skoda was a wise move
Volkswagen Passat - front
Road tests

New Volkswagen Passat 2024 review: VW’s trust in Skoda was a wise move

The new Volkswagen Passat has been developed by Skoda alongside the new Superb and it’s all the better for it
5 Mar 2024
New 2024 Volkswagen Passat on sale now and it’s estate or bust
Volkswagen Passat - front
News

New 2024 Volkswagen Passat on sale now and it’s estate or bust

The ninth-generation VW Passat is available exclusively as an estate car, with plug-in hybrid versions to follow later in the year
25 Jan 2024

Most Popular

Huge Audi new car blitz to bring us 9 models in 2 years
Upcoming Audi models - four-way image
News

Huge Audi new car blitz to bring us 9 models in 2 years

After a quiet few years, the German giant is gearing up for its biggest product onslaught to date
25 Mar 2024
Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power
Dacia Sandero - front
News

Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power

Both the Sandero and Sandero Stepway ranges have been tweaked, gaining more safety features to meet the latest regulations
26 Mar 2024
Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay
Road tax documentation
News

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay

Drivers with newer cars can expect to be paying roughly £10 more per year, a although the biggest gas guzzlers will fare the worst
26 Mar 2024