Volkswagen has tweaked its Passat saloon and estate ranges by introducing a new model and discontinuing others.

The new R Line version gets a sporty makeover, including 17-inch alloy wheels and a styling pack with front, side and rear skirts, along with chrome front grille trim.

R Line trim comes with a £600 premium over entry-level S trim models, but VW says you get an extra £2470 worth of equipment. Extra kit includes cruise control, height adjustment and lumbar support for the front seats, a front centre armrest, a tyre pressure monitoring system and a leather-trimmed multi-function steering wheel.

Buyers can choose between 1.4 or 1.8-litre petrol engines and 2.0-litre diesels with 108 or 138bhp. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard for all models, but the higher-powered diesel is available with VW's DSG semi-automatic transmission.

The model range has been trimmed down, too; entry-level S trim remains, as does the high-spec Highline model, but Sport and SEL versions have been dropped. As before, the Bluemotion 'green' version and the R36 performance model remain as stand-alone trims.

Prices for the new R Line models – which are on sale now - start at £17,040 for the saloon and £18,210 for the estate.