16 – Autonews - AA Club of Kenya magazine
new vehicle review
Volkswagen CC gives the German brand much needed flair
Love it or hate it , the vehicle you drive is an extension of your social and / or corporate brand . It tells us where you are in your journey of life , and hints at where you are going . It also illustrates how much you know about cars . Michael Mwai explores this with the CC .
VW Group has given the world some amazing vehicles . In case you are not yet aware , they design and manufacture Porsche , Bentley , Seat , Skoda , Lamborghini , Bugatti as well as MAN , Scania commercial trucks and Ducati bikes . In Kenya Volkswagen is under the DT Dobie dealership that also markets Mercedes , Dodge and Jeep brands and have over 65 years local automotive experience . Their backing from Africa ’ s largest automotive group , CFAO , now owned by Toyota , does inspire confidence . The brass at DT Dobie / CFAO believe the production of the Polo Vivo locally will present a great opportunity for Kenyans to access high quality new cars at affordable prices . This will hopefully create new jobs for the country as well as attract much needed direct foreign investment . This article however is about a vehicle , not policy . The Volkswagen CC , formerly known as the Passat CC , is coupe shaped fourdoor saloon . It is certainly a headturner targeted at that rare individual that wants to be as unique as his / her character . It has not found many takers because it is aimed at a person not shy of standing out or being described as different . The Volkswagen CC was designed to deliver a sportier ride than its shyer siblings . Sliding behind the steering wheel one is greeted by the pleasurable sight of a two-tone leather interior . The sporty ribbed seats
‘ The suspension is slightly lower than in the Passat and this is pleaseanly evident in corners and swift bends ’
had me reaching out for the start button . This car surely tags at the heartstrings of retired petrolheads . It ‘ s output is modest at 160hp ( 118kW ) and the 250Nm of torque is made available at 1500rpm . Nothing earth shattering but do not frown upon this numbers . They translate to very quick progress on the open road . Before setting out for a tour of our counties , I decided to give it an aquatic rub down . Its sleek aerodynamic body smiled as the water dripped down its svelte
panels . It glistened with appreciation and soon this would be confirmed as we sliced through the wind on our drive toward Naivasha on the Nairobi / Nakuru highway . The suspension is slightly lower than in the Passat and this is evident in corners and swift bends . The braking is aptly aided by a long list safety features like ABS , Electronic Brake Pressure Distribution ( EBD ) and Electronic Stability Control ( ESC ). It was immediately evident that the leather wrapped steering wheels is speed sensitive . As I picked up pace it firmed up , giving me the courage to watch the speedo edge steadily to the right to an undisclosed and mouthwatering speed . The thrill of driving this vehicle is guaranteed to have you taking the long route to work in search of every bypass available . There is little need to remove your palm far from the steering wheel or gear lever . This is thanks to Bluetooth connectivity and easy access to all important buttons and switches I thought the low profile 17 inch tires would send some feedback