Passat is part of a grandiose VW plan to sell 800,000 VW models annually in the states by 2018 – 1,000,000 with Bentley and Audi included. In the U.S., all VW Group brands delivered 360,300 units during 2010, corresponding to growth of 20.9% – but a long way short of the goal.

The VW brand sold about 257,000 of those units, its best year since 2003 with only a little over 12,000 of the sales comprised of old model Passat sedans. Since 1987 more than 700,000 Passat sedans have been sold in the U.S. The Japanese Big Three sell that many of their similarly sized family cars – Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, and Honda Accord – each year. VW’s U.S. market share is now a mere 2%. The plan calls for 6%.

The new Passat is larger, with a length of 191.7 inches (4,868 mm), wheelbase of 110.4 inches (2,803 mm); and a width 72.2 inches (1,835 mm). VW is making much of rear seat room. VW is also taking a page from the original Japanese play book, most recently used by Hyundai on its Sonata sedan, by cutting the price of the new Passat, which will start under $20,000 – a relative bargain given its size.