CC RIDER

CC RIDER By Harold Osmer A luxury car from Volkswagen? Didn't they try that already? Well, they did a fine job this time around with the CC Luxury. Outward appearance is very important with any car. It's the first thing anyone notices. There are three views, front, back, side. You're lucky to score on two out of three but the CC Luxury hits all three out of the park. The grill, headlamps, and hood design flow nicely. Side lines are sculpted into an attractive, sleek shape reminiscent of other (pricier) German marques. The rear glass, deck lid, and tail encourage your eyes back to the front for yet another look. Drag coefficient measures in at a slippery 0.284.

Once inside, the CC envelops you with contoured seats at all four positions. Average sized people will find ample room. Six footers will find it on the tight side. EPA classifies the CC as a Compact. Interior fit and finish has a precision feel. Black and silver abound. Controls are positioned logically and are simple to operate. Our CC came equipped with a 2.0L turbocharged inline four-cylinder DOHC engine coupled to an automatic 6-speed transmission with manual Tiptronic® (means you can shift it if you want to) option on the console mounted shifter. The arrangement is front drive. An optional 3.6L VR6 (280hp/265lb-ft) is available. We found the 2.0's 200 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque adequate for the CC's 3,300 pounds.

There is no noticeable turbo whine nor any power lag associated with the CC's standard engine. The engine revs smoothly up and down the range of normal driving and engine braking is evident. Shifting to Sport mode grants access to additional revs for more aggressive driving. Volkswagen employs a fully electronic engine management system with fly-by-wire throttle controls. Learning this helped explain how and why the CC reacted with such precision to driver input. Steering, again, is precise with an electromechanical power unit handling the chores.

Brakes are 12-inch vented disks up front with 11-inch solid disks on the rear. VW's Electronic Stabilization Program applies braking power to specific wheels to increase brake efficiency. The brakes work very well. Driving the CC around town is a blast. It goes when you ask it to. It stops when you ask it to. Stereotypical fine German engineering appears at every step from first outward glance to fit and feel of the controls, to operational characteristics.

The CC reacts with predictable manners. It responds like a much lighter car yet is solid and secure. At 6'2", I could use a larger seat. I could also do without some of the automated functionality/convenience features that are non disableable such as the interior Reverse warning tone and auto door locks. Volkswagen has created an eye-catching car that will rocket you around in style. They call it the CC Luxury.

SUMMARY JUDGMENT For less than half the price of a Mercedes CLS, Volkswagen delivers all the four-door coupe goodness in one seductive package. For more information about Volkswagen products, go to www.vw.com

SPECIFICATIONS Name of vehicle: 2009 VW CC Luxury Price: Base $32,350, as tested $36,090 options include: Navigation System ($1990); Dynaudio Sound System ($1000) EPA mileage estimates City/ Highway: 19/29

Engine type: 2.0L Inline 4 DOHC, 4 Valves per Cylinder, Fly-by-wire control Horsepower: 200 @ 5100 rpm Torque: 207 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm Drive configuration: Front engine / two wheel drive Transmission type: 6-speed Automatic with Tiptronic® Manual

Suspension: Front: McPherson concept with triangular wishbones, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers, stabilizer bar Rear: Four-link independent rear suspension with telescopic shock absorber arrangement, weight optimized anti-roll bar. Axle acoustically decoupled from body. Wheels and tires: 6 1/2J x 16" steel wheels with cover 215/55 R16 97H All-season Brakes: TRW EBC 440, with Electronic Stabilization Program with all-wheel Brake Assist Front 12-inch Vented Disc Rear 11-inch Solid Disc Brakes

Overall length/wheelbase: 188.9 inches/106.7 inches Overall width: 73.0 inches Overall height: 55.8 inches 3 Year/36,000 mile Bumper to Bumper 5 Year/60,000 mile Powertrain 12 Year, unlimited mileage corrosion for all sheet metal panels Performance: 0-60 mph 7.4 seconds top speed 130 mph (estimated)