The Volkswagen New Midsize Sedan (NMS) is the preliminary name for a new saloon of the same size as a Volkswagen Passat and targeted for the mid-size car markets in China and North America. In the North American market, the vehicle was designed to compete against the dominance of Japanese and Korean imported cars.
The NMS will not be exported to Europe, where a new Passat model has just been launched. In an April 2009 interview with Automotive News, Stefan Jacoby, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, stated that the NMS will be available in Spring 2011, and will have a price tag in the range of $20,000. He also mentioned that the design of the NMS has been finalised, and is assumed to be based on the leaked sketch that has hit the internet recently. By presenting our exclusive spy-shots we can confirm Jacoby’s statement.
Hybrid
Initially, the vehicle will be fitted with the 2.0-litre diesel and 2.5-litre 5-cylinder and 3.6-litre VR6 petrol engines that can currently be found in the fifth generation. Future engines are likely to include the acclaimed 1.4-litre TSI. Company officials have announced that by the summer of 2012, the New Midsize Sedan will also be available as a hybrid.
