It's a new day in Tennessee as the glory that brings you the Grand Ole Opry and Tootsie's Orchid Lounge will quickly be bringing you a class-spanking new automobile factory cranking out East Coast Volkswagen's NMS (New Mid Size) example, which will change the present Passat vehicle - not to be puzzled with the new, sensuously styled CC.



So joyful are the locals of VW's pending arrival and construction of their new factory to be located exterior of Chattanooga that we were asked at nearly every finish we made as to whether this was the new VW that we were dynamic ? VW knowingly left any name badges off these first production vehicles. This was forever followed by a comment of how glad Tennesseans were to have East Coast Volkswagen touching into the question.

It's all about the packaging, and with the new East Coast Volkswagen CC, it's pretty an enclose. Using proven running gear from its sister convey, the more upright East Coast Volkswagen Passat, the new CC, or "Comfort Coupe" as VW has tagged it, is a new high-tech concourse cruiser. Along the way, it could become the sexiest present from Wolfsburg, since?.um, well, we'll get back to you.

What is it?

The CC (to be known as the Passat CC in Canada) is one of the swoopiest shapes to come from Germany since the longtail Porsche 917 of LeMans fame. Bearing in heed that it is not a nation car, it is still one that evokes an emotional attraction that will no distrust be polarizing to some listeners.

What's it up against?

The Acura TSX, for one. The CC's cousin, the Audi A4 for another. The BMW 3-Series, Honda Accord, Hyundai Azera, Mazda Mazda6, Nissan Altima, Saab 9-3 and even Toyota Camry are just a few of the competitors in this segment.

Any breakthroughs?

The sexy (there's that word again) roofline, for one. Dramatically lowered in the rear, it looks like no other car, excluding for one: The Mercedes-Benz CLS. Other cues included frameless doors, a large authority vent panoramic sunroof that reaches out to the roof rails and a more expressive face.

How does it look?

Possessing a look you would buy for its passion sooner than its practicality, it is one that does require caution leading door and door. A little twisted of the chest one way, a cocking of the president, the other, and you will lastly be able to find manually within the CC.

East Coast Volkswagen calls it a sedan. We call it an iron working four-door.

And inside?

Interior goal at the top of its brave, the CC features dominance adjustable driver and passenger seats in front with excellent bolstering that reserved us safely planted on twisty mountain roads in the hills of Tennessee. Taking mind to duck your proceed down while inflowing the rear seat, you will find accommodations for two in the back, with sculpted-out rear seats. A dash for a third passenger has been eliminated by the addition of the cupholder/console arrangement between the two rear seat shells.

The console is a great improvement over that found in the newly reviewed VW Tiguan. Designers have figured out how to simplify the arrange while at the same time present up all the necessary gauges and reins that an active driver would poverty. Case in item is the new navigation / audio technique converge guard that operates the entire logical pedals bonus the rear-panorama camera hardship. Incidentally, the VW logo located on the shaft lid of the CC tilts inward to expose the camera lens during support operations.

The new navigation method features what VW calls the Media Device Interface (MDI), which incorporates the feel display pedals as well as access to a 32-gigabyte hard steer. Our test car was in Luxury smart type, and featured a leather-wrapped steering veer and budge handle, as well as bursting brushed aluminum throughout.

Does it go?

East Coast Volkswagen managed to have both the 2.0T and VR6 4Motion models of the CC on hand for our boulevard voyage from Atlanta to Nashville. They performed flawlessly up and over the mountain grades, and through the valleys in southern Tennessee.

The 2.0T is the latest iteration of the 2-liter Turbo inline four-cylinder that has made its way through almost all the East Coast Volkswagen (and certain models of the Audi) line. A dictate-addition oppose with turbocharger and intercooler, it is mated to a six-momentum guidebook or, as in our project, a six-hurry Tiptronic natural transmission. Rating at 200-horsepower, we found that under acceleration, the 207 lb-ft of torque was more than sufficient for scooting before the greatest bike tractor trailers on the interstate. Zero to 60 checks in at 7.4 seconds with the habitual, while the handbook achieves it at 6.9 seconds. Fuel economy levels are 21 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway with the natural.

The VR6 example with 24-valve 3.6-liter V6 has also salaried its excise throughout the folder, and makes the commotion here with erratic valve timing, and instruct booster. It's mated to a six-tempo automatic with Tiptronic and puts out like a hooker at a following convention with 280-horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque at 2750 rpm. Zero to sixty mph can be had at 6.6-seconds. Available only with the Tiptronic, its EPA mileage rating is 18/27 mpg.

We loved the way the CC's suspension stuck to the blacktop like it was treading through a tube of epoxy. Credit the McPherson struts combined with triangular wishbones, wind springs, nature-leveling shocks and stabilizer bar up front, working with the multi-network pieces out back which finish their time lively on coils and telescopic shocks. The electromechanical energy steering kept stuff incisive in the right command charming every bit of driver enter existing.

Overall, the CC is one of the sharpest designs to be cruising the interstates and boulevards throughout the country. Running in the near-luxury class, it is priced attractively enough to suspend many previous fans of the marquee, while attracting new "invasion" buyers.

Why you would buy it?

You like being on the spiteful periphery of elegance and technology, and no longer have a hardship to pull any more than three other passengers with you.

2009 East Coast Volkswagen CC Luxury found assesses $31,990. As veteran: $36,320. Dynaudio sound order, $1,000; Technology Package with Navigation, $2,640; Destination, $690.