Highlights

• An entirely original example of the amazing Passat W8, one of just 250 ever reaching the UK
• A low mileage and low ownership car with a luxurious, full leather interior
• Complete with a fastidious background of “no expense spared” maintenance
  
  

The Appeal

The concept was a simple one. Deploying the innovative W8, eight-cylinder engine in the nose of the accomplished and popular B5 Passat. A conservative family saloon with a 275 bhp eight-cylinder engine, 5 speed Tiptronic transmission and 4Motion all-wheel drive, after all, is a petrol-head’s dream.  A true factory prepared Q car for the discerning enthusiast.

The History and Paperwork

• Like the vast majority of the UK cars this example was initially registered to VW UK
• Likely to have been a demonstrator or senior employee car and registered in April 2002
• The car covered around 8,500 miles in the year of its first ownership
• In April 2003 the car was sold to its first and only private owner via Windrush VW
• The private owner paid a total of £20,405 for the car at that stage
• The car has remained in the same ownership for the subsequent 18 years and 50,000 miles
• The car has been fastidiously maintained by its owner during that period
• The car comes with an extensive paperwork archive, a sample of which we have photographed
• Included in the V5 and the numerous hard copy MOTs
• The original book pack and Passat document folder are present
• Numerous invoices are on hand detailing the fastidious maintenance schedule of this car
•  The car appears to have been regularly serviced to coincide with its annual MOT
• The car will be sold with a new MOT

The Interior

• The sumptuous leather interior of the W8 appears to be in pristine, original condition
• The interior is dressed in black leather and has a ambiance more common in an Audi than a VW
• The seats are deeply sculpted and luxuriously box pleated
• The front seats are heated
• The rear bench seat is equally luxuriously trimmed and in the same pristine condition
• Carpets, headlining, and door cards are all in an equally fine fettle
• As part of the W8 specification there are areas of wood veneer around the cabin 
• This features on the centre console, dash, and door cars for an additional upmarket feel
• The car features VW’s Climatronic climate control with LCD readout
• The car is fitted with the factory, Gamma stereo head unit with 6 CD changer
• The boot is well trimmed in carpet and houses a space saver spare wheel and tool set
  
  

The B5 Passat was always a roomy family saloon and well fitted and finished for its class. The W8 specification takes that to a new level with its full leather interior and numerous upmarket refinements. Much more reminiscent of a range topping Audi than a Passat, it is very easy to forget you are in a Volkswagen when ensconced in the cabin of the W8.

The Exterior

• The Passat W8 presents very well in this rare Petrol Pearl Effect colourway
• The paintwork and bodywork are both in very good condition throughout
• A couple of small impact dents were noted on the bonnet edge and roof
• The light lenses are clear and undamaged
• All cabin glass appears original and in fine condition throughout
• The 17-inch, Phoenix, six spoke alloy wheels are the original W8 fitment
• The wheels are in good overall condition but may benefit further from refurbishment
• The wheels are fitted with quality Pirelli tyres in a 225/45 configuration
• The W8 is fitted with quad, chromed exhaust tailpipes 
  
  

The W8 looks great in its Petrol Pearl Effect paintwork and the panel gaps and “thunk” of the closing doors are all indicative of the engineering values employed during the production of this rare Volkswagen.

The Mechanics

• The W8, eight-cylinder engine is a key facet of this car’s appeal
• An innovative design, it is basically two VR4, four-cylinder engines used in unison
• The overlap of the two banks makes the engine smaller than an equivalent V8
• This is the key to being able to fit the engine to a B5 Passat
• The engine is 4L in capacity and originally rated at 275 bhp
• In order to deploy this power in all conditions a torsen style four-wheel drive system is fitted
• Power is fed to all wheels via a five speed, automatic “Tiptronic” transmission
• At launch, this configuration was good for a 7 second 0-60 time and a limited 155 mph
• As you will see the car has been very well maintained throughout its life
• This combined with its low, original mileage makes for a mechanically sound proposition
• The current owner attests to the mechanical condition being in fine fettle throughout
  
  

The fun fact associated with this remarkable and innovative W8 engine is that the Bugatti Veyron’s W16 is basically two W8 engines grafted together. Not many Passat owners can claim that their car features half a Veyron engine and that is one of many remarkable facets of the W8’s mechanical specification.

Summary