VW Passat GL5 | Spotted

You thought it was '5' for five speeds - it's actually for five cylinders...

By Matt Bird / Wednesday, 13 August 2025 / Loading comments

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