VW Passat GL5 | Spotted
You thought it was '5' for five speeds - it's actually for five cylinders...
Of all the VW nameplates that lived, or continue to live, for 50 years or more - think Beetle, Golf, now Polo as well - the Passat doesn’t seem to command quite the same affection as some. Its image has never been so desirable, nor its appearance effortlessly cool. That being said, the Passat must have been doing something right for more than half a century to keep rolling on. Plenty has changed from the '70s, but the Passat’s role as a dependable family bus endures to this day. The latest version is really good, in fact, solid and spacious and with a good hybrid offering.
Indeed, VW could never be accused of not giving Passat buyers plenty of choice over the years. While the 21st-century W8 and R36 are the more recent cult heroes, there have been all manner of weird and wonderful Passat powertrains over the years, from fuel-sipping diesels to large and lusty petrols.
It’s a shame that so few survive. Without the enormous global appeal of something like a Golf, or a sporty side like a Scirocco, not many will have seen the Passat as something worth preserving. They were family cars disposed of at the end of their lives, which is understandable if a little disappointing given how important the Passat has become to VW’s history. When did you last see, for example, a B3 or B4 from the early-to-mid '90s? It introduced fuel injection and V6 power to VW’s family car, and must have sold well, though has now basically vanished.
This Passat is an even older B2, the first one of its kind we’ve seen in ages, and is another Passat notable for the engine under its big bonnet. See you might assume that the GL5 badge denoted the inclusion of a five-speed gearbox, which was still something of a big deal in the '80s, but instead the badge is for a five-cylinder engine. So even more interesting now. It isn’t some fire-breathing Quattro for all the family, sadly, the 1.9-litre ten-valve mustering just 115hp. But it has to be a more interesting configuration than the usual four-pot, and must make this an even rarer version of the B2 Passat. Plus it will sound cool. There is a five-speed manual, too, so the badge is doubly appropriate.
There’s more to this old Vee Dub than just the rarity and a mildly interesting engine, too. Because the previous owner has spent a good amount keeping it very nice indeed, with a host of parts renewed or replaced in the past four years. Note the Blaupunkt Bluetooth stereo, a really sympathetic upgrade that sits inside perfectly. In fact, the whole interior is full of lovely old VW touches that so many of us will recognise, from the chunky switches to the fonts and the design of the steering wheel.
This is from the very end of the B2 run as a 1988 car (production stopped that year), which, along with GL5 spec, might help explain the generous standard kit: four electric windows, headlight washers, a sunroof and front foglights were big ticket items. It’s a real case of ‘find another’ here, with both paint and upholstery very smart indeed and fewer than 70,000 miles recorded. The seller admits the front brakes might benefit from replacement, and there isn’t ages left on the MOT, so there’s potentially even some wiggle room on the £8,995 asking price. But imagine what a five-cylinder Golf of the time, if they’d existed, might command by comparison. For a slightly different take on retro VW charm, the old Passat looks like a winner. Just try to resist the temptation to lower it on some BBS, if at all possible.
SPECIFICATION | VW PASSAT GL5
Engine: 1,921cc, 10-valve five-cylinder
Transmission: 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 115@5,900rpm
Torque (lb ft): 114@3,700rpm
MPG: c. 30
CO2: N/A
First registered: 1988
Recorded mileage: 69,000
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £8,995
Money on this one seems a bit much, but find another.
It was the first car I drove after passing my test, quite a rocket ship for an 18 year old.
The engine is the smaller five cylinder that was also found in the lower spec Audi 100 of the time, a lovely smooth, gutsy thing. Sounded great when pressing on and cruised effortlessly.
It hung on well in the corners, while pitching in a typical period VAG manner. Steering was very light with little feel. The Sierra I owned afterwards had a better handling/ride balance but didn’t have the quality feel, or the drivetrain refinement of the Passat.
Our GL5 went onto a mechanic friend who ran it for the next 20 years or so, they were well built cars for the period.
In the late 70s my dad bought one of the original 3 door Passats for my Mum, it was v orange. He thought it would be a step up from her usual old Mini, but as soon as she set eyes on it she hated it and made him sell it only a week or two later.
There was a whiff of the suburban hippy about them back then, and that wasn't my mum's thing at all.
Otherwise, much to like.
They were very solid cars and quick enough. The carburettored version of the engine was better than the fuel injected (the family dog wagon at the same time was a GLS estate). The engine had much more life at the top of the rev range with carbs, mine with its Bosch system lacked oomph at high rpm by comparison.
My car collected Ford Fiestas. It think that back then they were the preferred chariot of the drink driving loser and being young I'd be out when they were attempting to pilot their way home. I recall one reversing into me at traffic lights because he'd picked the wrong gear. No visible damage to the VW quite a bit to his fiesta. Another just drove into the back while I was parked outside a corner shop. No visible damage to the VW, his grille and lights gone. The final one was a bloke who just drove into the back of it while I was waiting as the only car at red lights. His first words were that he hadn't seen the red lights. I asked him whether he had really needed the traffic lights to inform him of the presence of a large, stationary car but the chap simply did not understand. It was shortly after that he began crying after seeing that no visible damage had been done to the VW but his Fiesta was f
ked and pissing itself. Ironically, exactly like the sorry tt who owned it. The Passat even ran over a cyclist on the Isle of Skye with the chap rolling over the bonnet. No visible damage to the car and the cyclist was very grateful for the lift to the village hospital to start sorting out the funny angle of his foot. The bike looked pretty bent.
I did finally manage to put a dent in the metalwork but it took something more substantial than a Fiesta. An airborne motorway traffic cone, escaping the underside of lorry. The weighted base put a dent in the leading edge of the bonnet.
Was a disturbingly solid wagon. Comfortable (later models had fractionally less rock hard seats), great fun engine which used to lift the front of the car up like a speedboat during full acceleration in the first few gears. Lovely gearbox. No clutch needed for pottering around London. Not really had a car since that drove so nicely and easily without the clutch.
Needed to replace a couple of CVs but don't recall it being at all costly to run. The issue I remember was the fault warning LED coming on and having to pay VW to inform me that the fault was the fault warning.
Understeered like a b
d. Not as bad as a 911 of the time with an empty fuel tank but handle that car did not. Was an absolute hoot down home country country lanes and through London but a lot of that fun was due to the handling. In the wet you really had to focus crossing roundabouts which tended to also have plenty of grease. Bad handling. Built like a brick privvy. Great engine. Aston Martin rear lights.
£9k seems punchy but find another.
I know it is wrong but would love to see it lowered on better wheels
£9k seems punchy but find another.
I know it is wrong but would love to see it lowered on better wheels
Photo attribution: David Wright - P1200052Uploaded by oxyman, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10...
I very nearly bought one once, to use on a trip to the south of France. It was traded in against a Peugeot 405 and was the same colour as the one above. It looked to be in amazing condition. The interior was lovely and the engine sounded great. As it only had a short MoT, I asked the workshop to do a quick T&R (test & report).
A piece of paper was handed to me later in the day, featuring the words "Pole", "Touch" and "Barge", but not in that order. Apparently it was as rotten as a pear underneath and probably shouldn't have had an MoT.
I bought a SAAB 900 instead, and went on to own SAABs for a further 23 years.
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