The Passat CC has received an outstanding customer reception here in the U.S. so Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn is urging his team to move the Passat facelift to next year instead of 2010 - a total redesign of the Passat has been brought forward from 2014 to 2012 according to CAR.

Don’t expect any radical changes to the facelift for the Passat. According to CAR, the facelift for the sedan will features a lot less chrome, new headlamps, a new front and rear bumper and a lot more technological features. However, CAR says that the redesigned 2012 Volkswagen Passat will be so radical that it will make us think twice about buying a BMW 3-Series or an Audi A4.

A more powerful 204-hp 2.0 TDI diesel is in the works for the European market and we wouldn’t cancel any plans for it to make it to the U.S. since Volkswagen is already considering a diesel Passat CC for the U.S.  Passat will never go the V8 route so don’t expect the current V6 lineup to change much either.

The 2012 Volkswagen Passat will make its world debut in early 2011.

Source: CAR