Due to be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October, the eighth-generation Passat saloon and estate range will feature fuel efficiency improvements of up to 20% thanks in part to an 85kg reduction in weight and a marginal decrease in size, despite a larger cabin.

The engine line-up will include a high-performance, four-cylinder, 2.0-litre, bi-turbo diesel delivering 240PS and 500Nm of torque from 1,750rpm. This engine will be available only with a new seven-speed DSG gearbox and 4MOTION all-wheel drive. 

There will also be a plug-in hybrid that will share its drivetrain with the Golf GTE, pairing a 156PS 1.4 TSI petrol engine with a 108PS electric motor. This offers a 31-mile electric range from its lithium-ion battery, and a maximum combined range of around 600 miles, while producing 211PS and reaching 100kph in under eight seconds. The charging port is concealed behind the grille badge.

New technology will include a new version of Park Assist that can drive forwards into perpendicular spaces, a 360-degree overhead view, remote control via a smartphone app and the latest autonomous emergency braking and cruise control functions.  

Little has been revealed design-wise other than the early sketches (above) but VW has said that all new Passats will feature LED tail-lights, while headlights will be halogen or LED. In conjunction with Dynamic Light Assist, one of the two LED headlight options automatically adjusts the beam for maximum illumination of the road without dazzling other traffic.

Further details and first pictures of the Passat will be available in early July, ahead of the car's public unveiling at the Paris Motor Show in October. 

UK sales will start before the end of the year, with first deliveries expected in early 2015.