The slow-selling Volkswagen CC premium sedan — a model you’d be forgiven for forgetting — has reportedly ended production in Germany.
In happier times, the model added a dash of upscale panache to the squeaky-clean brand. Now, Volkswagen has cast off the aging, underperforming model as it seeks to reclaim lost market share and revenue with the CC’s shadowy replacement.
Sources tell Britain’s Autocar that assembly of new CCs has ceased as the automaker preps an all-new entry to slot above the midsize Passat. Don’t worry about supply drying up overnight, however. Given the model’s slow sales, there’s likely enough inventory to hold the company over until the replacement shows up next year.
Not that buyers are flooding dealer lots in search of the coupe-like CC. After reaching a sales high in 2011 with 29,502 U.S. sales, demand for the model slipped to just 6,276 units in 2015. The first 10 months of 2016 saw only 2,595 sales.
Launched in 2008, the model bowed as the Passat CC before dropping its sister car’s name during its 2011 redesign. The CC name isn’t likely to appear on the model’s replacement. The same sources claim Volkswagen wants to drop the name like a hot potato, preferring something new and distinctive that takes buyers’ minds off the past (especially the recent past).
There’s a number of spy photos floating around that claim to show the CC’s replacement. If those photos are indeed of the unnamed successor, expect a lengthy sedan with a fastback-like profile. The automaker has reportedly selected its Sport Coupe GTE concept car as inspiration, which could signal a high-performing hybrid variant.
[Image: Volkswagen of America]
They had no idea what to do with this in terms of any styling evolution. So they glued on more bits over the years, and here we are today. The front grilles by the way, fight each other for style dominance with their opposite directions.
It’s like a horizontal stripe shirt paired with vertical stripe pants.
I belive that’s the R line face. The base model has more harmonious rectangular fog/cornering lamps.
My only real complaint is I find the front bucket seats a bit narrow across the shoulders. That and the totally anonymous name. When I tell friends I bought a CC, they invariably reply “A what?”
Ah, I do see the R there now.
I’ve liked the styling of these things since day one. I also appreciate that you can get it with a V6 and AWD. No manual like that though but no one does that anymore.
But, as with all other VAG products, my previous Audi ownership experience soured me on ever owning one of them again.
My brother in law has one. It seems it’s been decent for the most part, only leaving him stranded on the side of the road a handful of times.
Edit: I just did a quick search and it appears the V6 AWD 2016 is nearly impossible to find.
I liked the styling of these too, at least before they were facelifted. These new horizontal chrome bar grilles are boring, and remind me of the first-gen Kia Optima.
The model naming was confusing, starting out as the Passat CC, and then becoming simply the CC.
I do see them fairly frequently, so at least some people in DFW like them.
What part of DFW are you from?
They’re nice, but they’re also basically a slightly larger B6 Passat with less useful space and a higher price tag. If you really wanted to pay more for a slightly nicer, slightly smaller Passat, why not just buy an Audi?
I assume this won’t be sold in the US? Considering the hole VW has dug itself in here, I don’t see them chasing a dying segment in a country that looks on them as the worst example of corporate malfeasance in recent history to be a sound business idea.
I had one of these (an ’06).
It was a competent sedan, in a European way, but I returned it early by driving it through the dealership’s front plate glass window, and onto their lobby floor, with the following note left under the wiper blade:
“Dear Suburban Volkswagen & VW North America:
I am returning this vehicle to you and stopping any further payments, as I disagree with your official position that consumption of 1 quart of synthetic oil every 700 to 800 miles is ‘within normal specification.’
Sincerely,
DeadWeight
p.s. Go F*ck yourselves”
Still the champ.
Made me think of BTSR.
Maybe it just needed a Hellcat version.
I drew my inspiration to do so from those ‘Discount Tire’ TV ads that said “[I]f you are ever dissatisfied with your purchase please feel free to return it at anytime.”
/golfclap
At least you didn’t get pepper sprayed.
An ’06? The Passat CC debuted in 2009.
It was a Passat back then, which was a true, European CC, before VW ‘Americanized’ the Passat, by decontenting it and super-sizing it.
So, yes, true; it was a “Passat” by badge, but CC in reality.
Details, details.
The way he just explained that so he ended up being “right,” makes me think maybe he IS a lawyer after all.
You’re a curious & shrewd bunch!
I bet he’s an Of Counsel and like 97 years old.
ah yes, the wonderful “Suburban Collection.” I made the mistake of going to their “overflow” used car lot on Van Dyke, and I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. most of the salesdudes seemed to be frat-boy college kids, and the sales manager fit every stereotype of a used car salesman.
They have 80 dealerships now, mainly in Michigan & Florida.
They bought what was Jerome Duncan Ford out of bankruptcy in 2010 for pennies on the dollar, which is now the 2nd highest volume Ford dealer in the country.
The one son looks like Will Ferrell.
Is that headline an attempt at irreverent Millennial humor?
As with human attraction, it would be helpful if the least reliable cars weren’t so good-looking.
Tell me about it. I still miss my Golf, and love the feel of a German car, but long term ownership scares me.
I don’t see anything attractive from VW.
Ferrari may be good looking and unreliable. But VW is ugly and unreliable.
Full disclosure, I bought one in August to replaced my totaled Jetta TDI. Like it a lot so far. Since I was a TDI owner and they were discontinuing it, there was a very good deal on offer. I cross shopped it with an Audi A3 (too claustrophobic) 3 series (too common) and Chrysler 300C V8 (too thirsty).
Always thought these were great looking cars. It was the last true European Passat in North America since the eighth generation Passat got Americanized.
I guess they’ve got to make room in their model line up for all of the hot selling SUVs they are soon going to offer.
A7 better watch its back. I can see the Bentley grill + bumper kits now.
All I wanna know is if this replacement will come with a V6. Actually, the fact that the CC comes with that 3.6 VR6 piques my interest.
My oldest son is leasing a 2014 CC and he hasn’t had any issues with it. It looks pretty well constructed and the materials are top notch. His experience has certainly been better than friends and colleagues had with their VW products back in the early to mid-2000s, per my recollection.
Like a Toyota?
Maybe they should try a really cool name, like Phaeton!
Oops. That would be the model name on a series of 1979 Cadillacs.
VW cannot tread in the same waters as Cadillac.
Make Cadillac Great Again!!
I always liked these, but the market proposition never made much sense. If you want a cut-rate German four door coupe with polarizing styling, might as well just get a CLA and enjoy the badge snobbery.
Also, the resale on these was hilariously bad. Didn’t help that my local VW dealer had to practically give the leftovers away for $7k off sticker every year.