Volkswagen Passat CC Eco Concept at SEMA

While most cars at the SEMA Show can be characterised as chrome-dipped, gold-plated and diamante-encrusted examples of styling gone amok, it’s easy to forget that there are still a few show cars hidden in those giant Las Vegas halls that don’t provoke strong bouts of nausea.

Islands of common sense and tasteful restraint in a sea of gaudiness and bling, these cars are the most realistic, the most usable and the least objectionable examples of modified autos. Now while we may (occasionally) pour scorn on the jacked-up donks and be-winged Tiburons favoured by so-called “tuners”, we give a hearty thumbs up to the more reserved show cars of SEMA.

Volkswagen’s Passat CC Eco Performance Concept is one such car. Already beautiful enough in factory form, VW has chosen not to mess too much with the CC’s bodywork, instead fitting a new front and rear bumper, sideskirts and a very subtle rear wing. Custom 20-inch aluminium rims round out the rest of the exterior modifications, while the CC’s sleek sheetmetal is painted a sumptuous (yet pleasantly understated) shade of pearl grey with some low-key graphics.

The interior carries over that theme of subtle sportiness, with the piano black dash inserts providing a classy accompaniment to the leather-wrapped Recaro racing seats.

It’s not all about looks though, for the Passat CC (or just CC, as it’s known in the ‘States) flaunts more than enough mechanical mumbo to get that bangin’ body moving. Under the bonnet lies VW’s ubiquitous 2.0-litre TSI engine, which has been gifted with a stage-3 turbo kit and stainless steel exhaust by VW tuners APR. The driver can switch between three different ECU tunes: with the penny-pinching Eco mode producing 166kW, the middling GT mode bumping out 188kW and the chest-thumping (and aptly named) Full Power mode generating an impressive 232kW and 424Nm. Surprisingly enough, VW says all three modes return better fuel economy figures than the stock CC.

Brembo brakes and 355mm floating rotors haul up the CC, while an H&R coil-over suspension kit and 245/30R20 Yokohama rubber gives the shapely saloon sharper handling, acceleration and braking. Unfortunately, the show car is equipped with the standard slushbox and forgoes VW’s great 4Motion AWD system. Dang.

While we doubt the standard CC’s somewhat older target demographic will ever venture down this path of modification, it’s comforting to know that modified cars and good taste can still exist in perfect harmony. Nice work VW.