later this year, buy Golfs and Jettas when they need new cars, bemoan the loss of the practical, roomy vans that were

once a company mainstay. Vocal as they can be, however, VW enthusiasts are not a numerous bunch.

There's another, larger group whose members wouldn't recognize a current VW if it slid down their chimneys wrapped

in a neat bow. The latter are the potential customers the company is targeting with a complete reworking of its midsize

Passat sedan.

In its quest to generate sales, VW has taken two major steps. The first, and most obvious, is a move away from the Click here to read more