Volkswagen Passat R36 (2006): first official pictures

By Phil McNamara First Official Pictures 17 November 2006 10:13 VW Passat R36: the lowdown Volkswagen has pulled the wraps off its 'R' flagship Passat – and the five-door is the fastest estate VW has ever made. Scooped by CAR Online a few weeks back, the R36 puts out 296bhp, which launches the estate fromk standstill to 62 in 5.8sec. Available as a saloon, too, the R cars go on sale in early 2007, with prices starting at an estimated £28,000.

One Lap of the Web: Fastest burger in the West

-- Orange Coast Magazine has a profile on the mysterious Lynsi Snyder, CEO and heiress to the greatest hamburger in America, In-N-Out Burger. (If you dispute this, I will come to your house and stomp on your perennials.) Fun fact: she is also an accomplished drag racer, racing an nine-second Dodge Dart in the NHRA's front-drive SS/HA class; she also splits her seat time between a 1970 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda and a 1984 Chevy Camaro. In-N-Out also sponsors Melanie Troxel's Dodge Charger R/T funny car, which we assume emits the tantalizing aroma of an Animal Style Double-Double as it races down every quarter mile.

Businessman opens private toll road

THE BUSINESSMAN behind a private toll road by-passing a closed commuter route is confident he will not have to sell his home if the venture fails. Mike Watts, 62, has until Christmas to recoup his £300,000 investment or face losing his house. He is charging motorists £2 per journey to use his bypass made from rolled chippings and avoid the closed section of the A431 between Bath and Bristol.