Art of Gears
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Why this 2003 Volkswagen Passat Is a Sought After Used Sedan

By Barnell Anderson

CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 18: A Volkswagen Passat is offered for sale at a dealership on September 18, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has accused Volkswagen of installing software on nearly 500,000 diesel cars in the U.S. to evade federal emission regulations. The cars in question are 2009-14 Jetta, Beetle, and Golf, the 2014-15 Passat and the 2009-15 Audi A3. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 18: A Volkswagen Passat is offered for sale at a dealership on September 18, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has accused Volkswagen of installing software on nearly 500,000 diesel cars in the U.S. to evade federal emission regulations. The cars in question are 2009-14 Jetta, Beetle, and Golf, the 2014-15 Passat and the 2009-15 Audi A3. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) /
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Volkswagen is a pretty respected automaker, and one of its most popular rides is the Passat. However, it has never really been the most interesting car on the market. Of course, this is the case with one big exception.

There also exists the Volkswagen Passat W8, which is a bit of a legend because it is rare compared to other Passat cars. It’s truly a special option, as it delivers pretty exciting performance. This version of the well-known Volkswagen debuted in 2001, but the automaker discontinued it, along with the W8 engine, in 2004. Sadly, Volkswagen only produced about 11,000 units of the Passat W8 4Motion

Nowadays, the car has a bit of a cult following among car lovers who either remember when it was in production or learned about the short-lived ride later. Many now call it one of Volkswagen’s best used sedans.

The 2003 Volkswagen Passat W8 delivers striking performance

The Volkswagen Passat W8 only lasted a few years but left a lasting mark on the automotive industry. The vehicle didn’t change all that much while in production, but the 2003 model seems to be one of the most discussed. The 2003 Volkswagen Passat W8 4Motion has a 4.0-liter W8 engine with a maximum output of 270 horsepower and a torque of 273 lb-ft. According to reports, it accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour in an impressive 6.5 seconds.

For those wondering, the Volkswagen W8 was an eight-cylinder piston engine that used four banks. Each bank used two cylinders, and the design created a W layout. It offered comparable performance to the more widespread V8, but people regarded it for providing a much more smooth ride. Unfortunately, sales were not high enough to justify continuing to produce cars with the W8, so Volkswagen replaced it with the 3.6-liter VR6.

It should also be noted that most considered the W8 engine unreliable. In fact, it has been said that many auto mechanics won’t even work on the car.

The Volkswagen Passat W8 is among the best used sedans

As previously mentioned, Volkswagen only ever made 11,000 W8 Passat models. While not the rarest ride on the market, it’s defiantly not the most widespread model. According to Kelley Blue Book, the car is worth between $2,494 and $3,705. However, at the time of writing, CarGurus has a 2003 Volkswagen Passat W8 on sale for $13,995. It has a little over 107,000 miles on the odometer.

Likely, the Volkswagen Passat W8 is one of those cars that owners hold on to. It offered formidable performance for a Volkswagen, and its discontinuation made people take care of these rare vehicles. Of course, as people know, the Passat ended production after the 2022 model year despite still being popular.

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