Passat RSi Coupe Moves Volkswagen Upscale

In recent years, I have found myself being more and more seduced by Volkswagen with every new model it introduces. Beautifully styled cars like the Passat, the Jetta and the new Beetle have put Volkswagen back on the map in a huge way. While very few would view Volkswagen as a high-end manufacturer, some interesting acquisitions have demonstrated that they are indeed committed to this market. But now it seems that the Volkswagen marque itself is ready to be moved upscale. The Passat may be one of the most successful sedans in North America but how would you feel about a Passat coupe? How about a 400 hp turbocharged V8 to power it! This is exactly what Volkswagen may have readied by the model year 2001. Following in the footsteps of BMWs’ performance branding of “M Series” and Mercedes’ AMG, Volkswagens’ performance cars are to be badged RSi like the new Super Beetle RSi concept car unveiled at the North American Auto Show earlier this year.