Passat clean diesel model to draw Volkswagen’s focus in 2014 after 2013 drop in sales

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By Mike Pare January 4, 2014 3 min read

Larry Mutz dusts off a Volkswagen Passat at the Southern Automotive Conference at the Chattanooga Convention Center.

A Volkswagen employee prepares to install a back-up camera on a 2013 Passat at the Chattanooga plant.

PASSAT U.S. SALES* 2013 – 109,652* 2012 – 117,023* 2011 – 22,835* 2010 – 12,497Source: Volkswagen

With Volkswagen Passat sales off for December and 2013, VW this year plans to tell potential buyers more about the Chattanooga-made sedan’s clean diesel model to jumpstart growth.

“It’s something unique to the industry and that segment,” said Mark McNabb, Volkswagen of America’s chief operating officer. “We’ll talk more and more about the TDI.”

Last year, VW sold 34,963 Passat TDIs, up from 26,469 in 2012.

But, total U.S. sales of the Passat dropped 36 percent in December as the midsize sedan suffered from a comparison against a huge month in 2012, according to the company.