Easy to forget in a more buttoned-down, post dieselgate era, but two decades ago Volkswagen was capable of some genuinely impressive flights of fancy. Under Ferdinand Piech's leadership, the firm flexed its engineering muscle in several ways that could be called fearless. The Phaeton - famously a Piech pet project - is the oft used example, but Volkswagen also found the time to develop one of the most peculiar petrol engines of the 21st century. Which it nonchalantly fitted to a Passat. The B5-gen saloon was the world's first - and last - production car to use a W8.
Essentially two V4's set at 72 degrees from each other on a common crank, it displaces 4.0 litres so it was brooding and made an interesting sound, bringing an air of luxury to a car which had no real claim to the description. The engine produced 275hp and 273lb ft of torque, numbers that were strong but nothing to shout about even in 2001. Yet it was decreed worthy of sign off and delivery to mildly perplexed customers.
With 4Motion all-wheel drive, performance is best described as secure, but the 32-valve engine is characterful enough and has the muscle to haul a Passat to 62mph in 6.5 seconds and into a 155mph limiter. It was never able to compete with BMW's six-pot E46s for outright involvement, or Mercedes's C-Classes for luxury. But the Passat W8 earned the novelty reputation its novel engine decreed, and was certainly capable of tackling any challenge laid down by a B5 buyer.
Still, sales were never particularly good with even the optimistic NEDC tests quoting 21.9mpg economy and a 299g/km CO2 output. As such, VW never found reason to extend the model's existence beyond the facelift, with total global production reaching about 11,000 after three years of sale. But the car's place in history is well established, not least because the W8 was developed in a family that also produced the W12 that went into the Phaeton, Audi A8, and Bentley Continental GT, as well as Bugatti's W16 engine. Quite the lineage.
We're not sure whether that link will add any value to W8 Passats anytime soon, but certainly there's been a firming up of prices in recent years thanks to their growing rarity. Today's Spotted, a 2002 estate, is a strong survivor, appearing as clean under the bonnet as it does outside and in. So understressed is that engine that 102,000 miles needn't be much cause for concern - at least for the block itself, that is - and it's available for just £6.5k. No little amount for a twenty-year-old Passat. But a small price to pay for originality.
SPECIFICATION | VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT W8
Engine: 3,999cc, W8
Transmission: 5-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 275@ 6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 273@ 2,750rpm
MPG: 21.9mpg
CO2: 299g/km
First registered: 2002
Recorded mileage: 102,000
Price new: £38,000
Yours for: £6,490
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