Oddball cars is definitely what we no longer have. So its fun to watch how manufacturers used to cater to niche markets. Instead of building cars that had mass appeal and comittee designed features that made them all very similar to the competition. Bring back oddball cars. Particularly fast wagons :D
This was the era where VW didn't give a shit and would make anything they fancied just because they can, W8 Passat the 5.0 V10 TDI Pheaton and Touraeg and arguably the most ridiculous thing to ever leave Germany the Audi Q7 with a 6.0 V12 TDI, the Passat R36 was also really cool.
@@gravemind6536 all of those junks never last 10 years nor 100k km here in north america, it was the worst era of vw products, i worked on a pheaton once and never believed at what trash level it was conceived, vw group makes half decent products since 2013 when they realised that every single of their engines was complete garbage and made revisions of it, i still replace 4-5 2.0t per week tho, bmw, mb, jag and lr are even worst but at least i have work 7 days a week
@@gravemind6536 I guess it was the time when Volkswagen AG was at its prime and they felt invincible. Just a few years later Porsche made their coup attempt and were instead swallowed whole.They had plenty of money to throw around and made ridiculous things, like the ones you mentioned, or the Golf W12 one-off. Now that was ludicrous. They built it just for showing off at the most popular German VW fan meeting at Wörthersee.
I have the same car, but it’s a wagon version. Got it back on the road last week after 5 months of graft. Such a sleeper car & being 6 speed manual makes for a great driving experience.
The wagon is the most practical obviously but the sedan is a bit quieter :P You could also probably swap the W8 to an Audi A4/A6 and put on some double glazed windows too which existed for the S6 at least.
@@rkan2 Having had both in the past (sadly not the W8, just the 2.0 TDi PD) I think the estate is a better looking car than the saloon. Switched to Mazda for a couple of years driving that pig but now back in a Passat estate. Happy days!
One of the last cars with soul and meaning. Simple electronics/mehanics not like cars in nowadays. I have the same model like in this video but 2.0 liter engine, in Europe this car is called a German tank, parts are cheap and everything is easy to change if something breaks. And you can upgrade some parts to look it more beautiful, like LED headlights front or back. Im completely in love with this car, the best german engineering.
VAG's golden era ended when Ferdinand Piëch stepped down. I have the W12 iteration of this engine concept. Brilliant. Before that a VR5 Passat and still have a VR6 Corrado, so yeah, I'm a VR fan 😄
This manual 6 gearbox was really fantastic: quick, precise and pleasant to use. It was offered on a lot of VAG models, petrol or diesel and it was perfect
I am a proud owner of W8 passat. Love the stealth look (looks like regular TDI) but with 4 exhaust pipes. Unfortunately previous owner changed original rims. It is a fast car, can do nice pulls which glues you to the seats. Downside is its very hard to maintain it because parts are expensive. I wish i had a garage to keep this piece in better conditions than parking lot where people scratch the car, rain, leaves and dirt buildup. Anyways fuel prices are also driving us insane. 😢
This is the precursor to all modern "W" engines found on the Bentley, Bugatti etc. Performance wise any BMW or Mercedes-Benz of this vintage was far quicker but this was the 'car' to propell VAG into the future. We know the results.
I too am glad that you had a chance to experience driving one of these very rare cars, especially considering the rarity in your country. Watching you smile from ear to ear as the never-ending torque just built power and speed, all while listening to that very unique (Wookie-like) growl of that VR6-derived all-aluminum block W8. How do I know how enjoyable these are to drive? My husband and I own SIX (6) Passat W8's ranging from 2002 to 2004, three sedans, three variants, of which three are 6-speed cars. Luckily one of our Variants is a 6-speed, obviously leaving two sedans (one Reflex Silver like the one you tested, and the other one being Black). We enjoy them for all the same reasons you described in your review. The power, comfort, sound, and uniqueness. We are lucky to have them. Beating up on unsuspecting Mustang or Challenger owners is something we do quite often.
And where are you from? I'm from Holland (next to Germany, many cars here are imported from Germany) but they not easy to find (I've seenn one I think just one time and that one had a German plate (it was a Variant i.e. a Wagon)
Had a 1.8T B5 Passat 15 years ago, ended in a 400HP Garret GTX28 Turbo Upgrade since Volkswagen used Audi S2 Rods in the first engine code AEB 1.8T engines which can handle more than 400Hp. Combined with a VW Golf 4 AGU Engine Management System which got an open enginge Management System to easy modify engine managment since the old AEB doesn't support OBD2. Old storys, great cars.
I have the wagon version of this car, manual with the W8 and it is an absolute blast. I have exhaust cutouts I can open if I want it to be louder, makes for an awesome sleeper!
I had no idea they EVER made this car with a clutch! I kind of really want one now. 32 valves and 4.0L should be worth a lot more than 276 hp, though. Probably needs different camshafts and long tube headers with an X-pipe. The exhaust is easy to do custom, but getting cams welded up and reground would be a quest.
@@KiwiCarLife Fair point, the 1UZ-FE ranged from 256hp to 300hp, and the W8 got discontinued in 2004 so it didn't get the development time it deserved.
@@MrWilliam.Stewart The big issue with that swap is the sound, those do not sound particularly good (at least not in my opinion), and a VR6 or a W8 certainly does. But sure, absolutely wish this engine made more power. Some have apparently supercharged their W8's, but might require a lot of DIY stuff to make it happen, guess there aren't any kits available for a niche engine.
There was actually development done by Skoda to increase the power of this engine to 299hp. Unfortunately, it never made it to production, but it impressed Piech enough that Skoda kept their engine development center and now develops for whole VAG.
I have a 2004 here in Australia except mines a Auto as that's all that was offered here. Also have a 2001 Bora V6 4motion Manual. Owned both of them for close to 18 years now. Brilliant cars. Love the W8s noise and the subtle ride.
I have very fond memories of the B5.5 1.8T I had, learned to drive manual on that. I always wondered what it would be like to drive the same car with twice the cylinders. But the cost to replace that trick multi-link front suspension, sludging that eventually reared it's head, faulty timing chain tensioner that I had to buy OEM and oil leaks galore (gotta love a timing belt and chain setup) made me finally give up and switch teams to manual Acuras and Hondas. Haven't looked back since haha
I've had my 1.8t 4motion Passat with a 5speed manual for 100Kmi and 12 years (it's now at 172K) and never have had any sludge problem. You can't baby these cars. Every time you drive it you have to get the engine up to temp to boil off any condensation in the crankcase. I've been driving it like I stole it, and I mean hard every time all this time and the car loves it. New timing belt, waterpump, idler, tensioner every 70K and a cam cover gasket at 150K. Oil and filter change every 3K with good synthetic and the big filter. Did a K04 turbo upgrade hardened TIP high flow cat and 3" midpipe and now the short 1st gear is *really* short. Love my Passat, gonna keep it forever.
@@KYoss68 i still have the 2.0 version almost 300k on the clock and the thing is still not done doing my 6500 RPM pulls every day. Things build like a tank i swear
If you mean Renault Clio V6 it was a "normal" V6, not VR6. Basically same engine from PSA as in Citroen C5 / Peugeot 407 even it is Renault built car. It has modifications to push power a bit higher but not really anything too wild... well except that the engine is located where rear seats were. :D
Good score for a review, they're an interesting sounding car. I almost got an auto version but found the fuel consumption just a tad too high. I ended up with a V5 Bora which is unique sounding in it's own right, a lot cheaper to daily but not nearly as fast. Did it feel a lot nicer to drive over the VR5 Golf that you reviewed?
@@Pascal-rs6vt I didn't think so, but yeah, those 2.5 IT cylinders sound decent with watermarked exhaust, they're just underpowered. Slap a turbocharger and some low compression pistons on it and you've got a decent setup.
I know this road, off East Coast Bays. Used to be one of my favourite local test track roads when I would stay out in Stillwater for the summers. Good times, great road.
Just wanted to let you know, one of the sister cars to this lives in christchurch. I spoke to the owner earlier this year,he informed me he purchased it from a guy in Queenstown where it had been for many years. Same color and manual. He believes there is 4 in NZ and knew of one other in the south island. Although it could be anywhere now. Hopefully a bit of info for the owner of this car.
@@keeshectors8261 Hi! No I don't. But I've seen it around my area a couple of times since. He's local to me, so next time I see it I'll note the plate for you. That's an interesting Passat you have there. Not so much my thing, I've been into air-cooled VW's since the late 80s. But a very cool 'conversation piece' nonetheless.
@@mikesievers1482 That would be awesome! Much appreciated! Yeah she's certainly an interesting one - probably the only modern(ish) VW I'm interested in haha. Would love something air-cooled, preferably with a Porsche badge! They're just so expensive...
Sweet! these are not around in Canada anymore, super hard to find, especially the wagon, and manuals are non-existent. Very clean car, and it sounds great Thanks for reviewing one
Loved my '03 W8 6-spd. Very few manuals were imported into the states. It was quick but I had to rely more on driving skills to defeat fast cars. It suffered the characteristic cam position sensor failure but luckily it was under CPO warranty and was covered free of charge. Other than that it never had a hiccup. It certainly was a unique ride. I miss it dearly
My father in law has a W8/Manual Passat and the head of a local VW tuner here in the NW US who I know well (I have built many VW's over the last 30 years) had a Loden Green W8 Wagon but I believe it was a slush-box not a manual. Never knew they were that rare, it's a. fun car and really nice aside from the usual electrical issues VW has come to be known for and an interior that had some issues over the years.
I love the colour coded lower body on this car! I’ve always wondered what the Passat would look like with that, and it looks great! Too bad these W8’s are notoriously difficult and expensive to work on. Would love to own one, preferably a manual
Had the chance to buy one of these from New York in black but didn’t have the money at the time. Would love to have one one day as there aren’t many here in the states either but certainly more than 3.
@@KiwiCarLife I know right? Especially since I was a part of a Exclusive Volkswagen Club in Las Vegas. They went crazy over my slammed 99’ Cabrio with Chrome Porsche 928 rims so this would have been quite the show stopper.
You want to get hold of a VW Phaeton with either the 6L W12 or the 5L V10 turbodiesel. Looks just like a slightly larger Passat and shares a floorpan with the Bentley Continental. Or if you are into SUVs an Audi Q7 with the 6L V12 turbodiesel.
OMFG THATS STILLWATER AT THE END YOU BLASTED DOWN, the east coast road turnoff!!! I knew I recognized it!! That's insane haha I live in stillwater and I'm telling you that road all the way to the bottom is one of the best/funnest roads I've ever driven, and drive daily haha. Didn't know you were in Auckland dude. What a cool video I remember seeing this car a few times too. Never knew what a gem it was. Alot of cool cars down stillwater village, there's a Ford Sapphire Cosworth I drive passed everyday too that'd be an amazing car to review. Again epic video and so random you were in stillwater hahahahaha.
@@KiwiCarLife Epic bro damn. Love the vids got notifications on. Keep cooking man. Just so crazy to see you in Stillwater lol such an unusual uncommon place.
I have a B5.5 2.0 TDI Passat with front wheel drive and an Audi Avant Quattro 2.0 TFSI. The Audi wagon is well planted to the road, with sustained pickup power and great in corners and declines with out a doubt, although total cost of ownership is the kicker 4 me. Somehow the B5.5 Passat (a VAG Audi A4 by any other name) for me at least is the one I can drive, and drive it how it was made to be driven. The tiptronic transmission is a for me a sweet spot betwixt manual and semiautomatic. They do not last forever is the biggest complaint I hear about them, and if you have a sTDI it is to be expected the engine will out live and out pace the transmission because it is simply that good. I have driven Audi's starting with the 500's V8 / V6 / Quattro / 4Motion, VW Golf / Rabbits, GTI's and Cabriolets (All manual's up to the point), as well as Jettas's and Passat's. Give me a Passat or Audi TDI with any transmission, and see why it is a drivers car. I drive the BC coastal mountains in and from Vancouver as well the Rocky mountain range highways both in BC and Alberta. The esp on the 2.0 TDI Passat remapped or not combined with fuel economy and engine reliability makes it for me a keeper.
My friend has one of these but wagon version. I have driven it a couple of times it drives amazing. I mean we live in Germany so I could test the speed of the W8 on the autobahn 😅
Great episode! I bought one of these in a beautiful dark green metallic back in 2013. It was an auto sadly, but still sounded mint and really shifted. Much better than the 2007 R32 engined Passat I traded it in for.
Had a used one on our VW lot that I absolutely just ABUSED for a year and a half, it was basically my demo when I sold VeeDubs. 275 whole HP! A lot of people will tell you that you can't get all 4 of those 4 motion wheels going at 1 time, I'm here to tell you that you absolutely can with some effort.
Great review young man. Fellow Kiwi here, just stumbled on your video and I enjoyed your natural and very professional presentation. Subscribed. Keep it up buddy, you are doing a good job.
VW's/Audi's dilemma back in the days always was not being able to fit Inline-6 or regular V-8 engines in. Their general design never allowed a big engine and rear wheel drive as their competition BMW and Mercedes. This is also why they came up with Quattro. Or Procon-ten when Mercedes already offered Airbags. BTW, the first Airbag was available in a Oldsmobile Toronado in 1977. It's sad that we won't see oddballs like this anymore. Manufacturers "play safe" and profit is more important than ever before.
I had an auto, never got a manual in Australia, thirsty one, 16l/100, took 9.5l of oil in the sump, was slow made a nice noise though and was smooth as silk.
@@KiwiCarLife Can only imagine with a manual and in wagon form, I would daily it even with the poor economy. One I had had over 200k on it, no issues. I just couldnt handle the auto more a manual guy.
Sounds like the flat plane crank Ford Voodoo V8. I can definitely hear some VR6 in that too. Supposedly these were not even firing, so that explains the sound.
Does it rev up quickly because the engine is 2 small halves instead of 1 big block engine ? That's a surprise to me, never thought of W engines this way
I almost bought a wagon W8 some years ago that was on eBay. I only shied away from it because the mileage was kind of high. The VW engine design has a known kind of quick wear rate due to the way the cylinders are angled. It's spendy to refresh. It's kind of the same deal with the W12 Phaeton, just 12 instead of 8. They're cars you want to buy into at lower miles. Like he started with the RS4, or even the S4, gets you a V8 option with manual too. Passat sedan to S or RS4, it's a little hard to lean towards Passat. The Audi had a little more displacement and power. And the RS4 did even more so, plus a more rear biased awd setup that I don't think the Passat nor S4 ever got.
I own one but it's automatic 03 124k miles I'm gonna save it this will be worth 1M one day engine just needs spark plugs car held up extremely excellent gonna do videos on it soon
I nearly bought an estate version of this It is a 4 liter version of the Bentley 6.7 Its not a one off as you state, there were a small number produced for the euro market
I got my USA spec W8 sedan with the coveted 6-speed manual from the kid next door. I paid $1,000 cash with 98,000 miles! Oh and he bought it from an Audi dealer! 😂😂😂
VAG for the last 30 years: Function follows form. The quality of used cars of this era is shit. But respect to the few engineers who managed to came up with these solutions like the W-engines.
In the UK yiu get a choice of roughly 3-4 in the market at any one time. It’s one of my saved searches on Autotrader but it will need to be an estate with a manual.
I live inAustria and could get one of theese for 5k with 220k km, but i cant get one of those for my first car, the insurance would be 3000/year or more i think
brilliant german engineering used to find an solution for less oversteer at torsen awd platform which have by construction understeer character because of engine entirely in the front of the steering axle. That w8 is the SHORTER 4.0 engine ever build.
The all wheel drive is basically quattro, wich is basically Subaru symetrical on steroids! I mean instead of viscosity clutches in center differential it uses Torsen mechanical differential. And of course it has symetrical driveshafts like Bubaru. So it's the best AWD ever. (Not 4x4 but AWD! Remember!
Hi bro,you are from NZ,right?I really want visit NZ and see local car meets and motosport events.Now idk if you are into these meets and events,but if you are,can you please reply with few names of good events(North and south island,doesn`t matter,i`l probably visit both)?🙂
Oddball cars is definitely what we no longer have. So its fun to watch how manufacturers used to cater to niche markets. Instead of building cars that had mass appeal and comittee designed features that made them all very similar to the competition. Bring back oddball cars. Particularly fast wagons :D
Yeah absolutely
This was the era where VW didn't give a shit and would make anything they fancied just because they can, W8 Passat the 5.0 V10 TDI Pheaton and Touraeg and arguably the most ridiculous thing to ever leave Germany the Audi Q7 with a 6.0 V12 TDI, the Passat R36 was also really cool.
@@gravemind6536 all of those junks never last 10 years nor 100k km here in north america, it was the worst era of vw products, i worked on a pheaton once and never believed at what trash level it was conceived, vw group makes half decent products since 2013 when they realised that every single of their engines was complete garbage and made revisions of it, i still replace 4-5 2.0t per week tho, bmw, mb, jag and lr are even worst but at least i have work 7 days a week
@@gravemind6536 I guess it was the time when Volkswagen AG was at its prime and they felt invincible. Just a few years later Porsche made their coup attempt and were instead swallowed whole.They had plenty of money to throw around and made ridiculous things, like the ones you mentioned, or the Golf W12 one-off. Now that was ludicrous. They built it just for showing off at the most popular German VW fan meeting at Wörthersee.
I feel like the 90s to early 2000s were the prime of cars. So many incredible cars that were made during that time.
I have the same car, but it’s a wagon version. Got it back on the road last week after 5 months of graft. Such a sleeper car & being 6 speed manual makes for a great driving experience.
Awesome! Yeah the wagons are even rarer. In nz?
The wagon is the most practical obviously but the sedan is a bit quieter :P You could also probably swap the W8 to an Audi A4/A6 and put on some double glazed windows too which existed for the S6 at least.
@@rkan2 Having had both in the past (sadly not the W8, just the 2.0 TDi PD) I think the estate is a better looking car than the saloon. Switched to Mazda for a couple of years driving that pig but now back in a Passat estate. Happy days!
One of the last cars with soul and meaning. Simple electronics/mehanics not like cars in nowadays. I have the same model like in this video but 2.0 liter engine, in Europe this car is called a German tank, parts are cheap and everything is easy to change if something breaks. And you can upgrade some parts to look it more beautiful, like LED headlights front or back. Im completely in love with this car, the best german engineering.
@@Rezisorss you really are a comic guy 😂😂😂
VAG's golden era ended when Ferdinand Piëch stepped down. I have the W12 iteration of this engine concept. Brilliant. Before that a VR5 Passat and still have a VR6 Corrado, so yeah, I'm a VR fan 😄
Haha awesome
You said vag, uhu uhuhuh huhuhuh huhuhuh
@@jamesbell7246 settle down Beavis 😁
@@jamesbell7246 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft shortened to VAG
VR fan for life.
This manual 6 gearbox was really fantastic: quick, precise and pleasant to use. It was offered on a lot of VAG models, petrol or diesel and it was perfect
Absolutely man
This was the 01E Transmission, right?
I am a proud owner of W8 passat. Love the stealth look (looks like regular TDI) but with 4 exhaust pipes. Unfortunately previous owner changed original rims. It is a fast car, can do nice pulls which glues you to the seats. Downside is its very hard to maintain it because parts are expensive. I wish i had a garage to keep this piece in better conditions than parking lot where people scratch the car, rain, leaves and dirt buildup. Anyways fuel prices are also driving us insane. 😢
Nice man! Yeah the cost of running is probably the only downside, they are nice cars
I see one of these every few days driving through my city and it just sounds sooo good. I kinda love it
Nice!
I always liked the look of this generation passat beautiful design .
Lovely car
Same thing here
I don’t know I can call it truly beautiful
BUT it does look just as a saloon car should. And that’s brilliant as it is
This is the precursor to all modern "W" engines found on the Bentley, Bugatti etc. Performance wise any BMW or Mercedes-Benz of this vintage was far quicker but this was the 'car' to propell VAG into the future. We know the results.
Yeah it’s a very interesting engine for syre
It isn't actually... the first car with a W12 engine was sold early 2001 (Audi A8), the first car sold with the W8 was late 2001.
@@micglou Wow didn't know that. Thank you for the heads up.
I too am glad that you had a chance to experience driving one of these very rare cars, especially considering the rarity in your country. Watching you smile from ear to ear as the never-ending torque just built power and speed, all while listening to that very unique (Wookie-like) growl of that VR6-derived all-aluminum block W8. How do I know how enjoyable these are to drive? My husband and I own SIX (6) Passat W8's ranging from 2002 to 2004, three sedans, three variants, of which three are 6-speed cars. Luckily one of our Variants is a 6-speed, obviously leaving two sedans (one Reflex Silver like the one you tested, and the other one being Black). We enjoy them for all the same reasons you described in your review. The power, comfort, sound, and uniqueness. We are lucky to have them. Beating up on unsuspecting Mustang or Challenger owners is something we do quite often.
Cool man
And where are you from? I'm from Holland (next to Germany, many cars here are imported from Germany) but they not easy to find (I've seenn one I think just one time and that one had a German plate (it was a Variant i.e. a Wagon)
Had a 1.8T B5 Passat 15 years ago, ended in a 400HP Garret GTX28 Turbo Upgrade since Volkswagen used Audi S2 Rods in the first engine code AEB 1.8T engines which can handle more than 400Hp. Combined with a VW Golf 4 AGU Engine Management System which got an open enginge Management System to easy modify engine managment since the old AEB doesn't support OBD2.
Old storys, great cars.
That’s awesome man
really cool that you reply to literally everyone. the kind of interaction that gets lost on larger channels
I try my best!
I have the wagon version of this car, manual with the W8 and it is an absolute blast. I have exhaust cutouts I can open if I want it to be louder, makes for an awesome sleeper!
Awesome!
I had no idea they EVER made this car with a clutch! I kind of really want one now. 32 valves and 4.0L should be worth a lot more than 276 hp, though. Probably needs different camshafts and long tube headers with an X-pipe. The exhaust is easy to do custom, but getting cams welded up and reground would be a quest.
Not really, same power as an ls400
@@KiwiCarLife Fair point, the 1UZ-FE ranged from 256hp to 300hp, and the W8 got discontinued in 2004 so it didn't get the development time it deserved.
Nothing a Honda K swap couldn't fix 🤣
@@MrWilliam.Stewart The big issue with that swap is the sound, those do not sound particularly good (at least not in my opinion), and a VR6 or a W8 certainly does. But sure, absolutely wish this engine made more power. Some have apparently supercharged their W8's, but might require a lot of DIY stuff to make it happen, guess there aren't any kits available for a niche engine.
There was actually development done by Skoda to increase the power of this engine to 299hp. Unfortunately, it never made it to production, but it impressed Piech enough that Skoda kept their engine development center and now develops for whole VAG.
I’m a big Audi/VW fan. I had an Audi B6 S4,manual, I miss that car. I love your accent and the way you say Passat. Cheers from Canada.
Thanks man! And yeah it’s literally how everyone in NZ says it
Which car do you have now? 😊
I have a 2004 here in Australia except mines a Auto as that's all that was offered here. Also have a 2001 Bora V6 4motion Manual. Owned both of them for close to 18 years now. Brilliant cars. Love the W8s noise and the subtle ride.
Nice!
I have very fond memories of the B5.5 1.8T I had, learned to drive manual on that. I always wondered what it would be like to drive the same car with twice the cylinders. But the cost to replace that trick multi-link front suspension, sludging that eventually reared it's head, faulty timing chain tensioner that I had to buy OEM and oil leaks galore (gotta love a timing belt and chain setup) made me finally give up and switch teams to manual Acuras and Hondas. Haven't looked back since haha
Yeah honestly that’s probably a good idea
I've had my 1.8t 4motion Passat with a 5speed manual for 100Kmi and 12 years (it's now at 172K) and never have had any sludge problem. You can't baby these cars. Every time you drive it you have to get the engine up to temp to boil off any condensation in the crankcase. I've been driving it like I stole it, and I mean hard every time all this time and the car loves it. New timing belt, waterpump, idler, tensioner every 70K and a cam cover gasket at 150K. Oil and filter change every 3K with good synthetic and the big filter. Did a K04 turbo upgrade hardened TIP high flow cat and 3" midpipe and now the short 1st gear is *really* short. Love my Passat, gonna keep it forever.
Yep, same story. 1.8T, two engines, 4 turbos.. Now I'm in Honda... :D
@@KYoss68 i still have the 2.0 version almost 300k on the clock and the thing is still not done doing my 6500 RPM pulls every day. Things build like a tank i swear
@ThaGVPSon I actually daily drive a 2008 6MT TL Type S. I've had it for almost 4 years, I absolutely love that car
back in the days they made individual cars like the vr6 renaul clio, focus rs 5zylinder and cars like this, miss those times
Yeah me too
If you mean Renault Clio V6 it was a "normal" V6, not VR6. Basically same engine from PSA as in Citroen C5 / Peugeot 407 even it is Renault built car. It has modifications to push power a bit higher but not really anything too wild... well except that the engine is located where rear seats were. :D
This but a wagon. Maximum everything, visibility, passenger capacity, cargo, speed, ride quality. A dream!
Absolutely!
Good score for a review, they're an interesting sounding car. I almost got an auto version but found the fuel consumption just a tad too high. I ended up with a V5 Bora which is unique sounding in it's own right, a lot cheaper to daily but not nearly as fast. Did it feel a lot nicer to drive over the VR5 Golf that you reviewed?
Yeah definitely rode better. Both very interesting cars
WTF? There's a VR5 Golf?! I'm assuming it didn't come to the NAM? North American Market.
@@jesterokjones4954 yeah I did a review on one
@@jesterokjones4954 No not in NA, but you got 2.5 Mark 5 and 6 Golf and also the Jetta.
@@Pascal-rs6vt I didn't think so, but yeah, those 2.5 IT cylinders sound decent with watermarked exhaust, they're just underpowered. Slap a turbocharger and some low compression pistons on it and you've got a decent setup.
I know this road, off East Coast Bays. Used to be one of my favourite local test track roads when I would stay out in Stillwater for the summers. Good times, great road.
Yesss good road
Check engine light gang!😅
Lol
Dude it’s just an o2 sensor.
That's the only way to find a VW meet. Look into the sky and find a glowing orange.
@@UA-camHandlesAreStupidmuffler deletes as far as the eye can see 😂 that’s the only reason my lights on
🙋♂️😂
You can hear the VR6 in the engine note when you get on it. So cool. I really want one.
Yeah it’s sick aye
Just wanted to let you know, one of the sister cars to this lives in christchurch. I spoke to the owner earlier this year,he informed me he purchased it from a guy in Queenstown where it had been for many years. Same color and manual.
He believes there is 4 in NZ and knew of one other in the south island. Although it could be anywhere now.
Hopefully a bit of info for the owner of this car.
Thanks and yep there is 4 as it happens. The other one was deregistered. It’s now owned by the owner of this w8
Hi! I’m the owner of the W8 in the video. You don’t happen to know the plate combination of that car you mentioned by any chance?
@@keeshectors8261 Hi! No I don't. But I've seen it around my area a couple of times since. He's local to me, so next time I see it I'll note the plate for you.
That's an interesting Passat you have there. Not so much my thing, I've been into air-cooled VW's since the late 80s. But a very cool 'conversation piece' nonetheless.
@@mikesievers1482 That would be awesome! Much appreciated!
Yeah she's certainly an interesting one - probably the only modern(ish) VW I'm interested in haha. Would love something air-cooled, preferably with a Porsche badge! They're just so expensive...
@@keeshectors8261 no problem. Enjoy that passat 👍
here in usa not a passat fan but this one is just wow sleeper roomy simple powerful as f manual truly rare
For sure man
Even in germany this W8 cars are pretty rare.
And the sound of this one you drove, reminds me to 6.2l corvette C7.
Anyways, greetings from Germany.
Nice! And guten tag
Sweet! these are not around in Canada anymore, super hard to find, especially the wagon, and manuals are non-existent. Very clean car, and it sounds great
Thanks for reviewing one
All good
Love the camera near the exhaust clip!!
Thanks
Loved my '03 W8 6-spd. Very few manuals were imported into the states. It was quick but I had to rely more on driving skills to defeat fast cars. It suffered the characteristic cam position sensor failure but luckily it was under CPO warranty and was covered free of charge. Other than that it never had a hiccup. It certainly was a unique ride. I miss it dearly
Nice!
Audi and vw had alot of problems with coils these years aswell. Changed so many coils on my early 2000 vw's 😂
My father in law has a W8/Manual Passat and the head of a local VW tuner here in the NW US who I know well (I have built many VW's over the last 30 years) had a Loden Green W8 Wagon but I believe it was a slush-box not a manual. Never knew they were that rare, it's a. fun car and really nice aside from the usual electrical issues VW has come to be known for and an interior that had some issues over the years.
Cool man!
This car needs some love on the exterior😬
Well maybe a little? It’s done well over 200,000km
@@KiwiCarLife oh yeah that is a couple.
I love the colour coded lower body on this car! I’ve always wondered what the Passat would look like with that, and it looks great! Too bad these W8’s are notoriously difficult and expensive to work on. Would love to own one, preferably a manual
Yeah man not reliable but very cool!
My neighbour has a Passat W8 wagon. VW was putting out some cool stuff in the early 2000's!
Absolutely!
Had the chance to buy one of these from New York in black but didn’t have the money at the time. Would love to have one one day as there aren’t many here in the states either but certainly more than 3.
Ah dang would have been awesome
@@KiwiCarLife I know right? Especially since I was a part of a Exclusive Volkswagen Club in Las Vegas. They went crazy over my slammed 99’ Cabrio with Chrome Porsche 928 rims so this would have been quite the show stopper.
You want to get hold of a VW Phaeton with either the 6L W12 or the 5L V10 turbodiesel. Looks just like a slightly larger Passat and shares a floorpan with the Bentley Continental. Or if you are into SUVs an Audi Q7 with the 6L V12 turbodiesel.
Yeah hopefully one day
OMFG THATS STILLWATER AT THE END YOU BLASTED DOWN, the east coast road turnoff!!! I knew I recognized it!! That's insane haha I live in stillwater and I'm telling you that road all the way to the bottom is one of the best/funnest roads I've ever driven, and drive daily haha. Didn't know you were in Auckland dude. What a cool video I remember seeing this car a few times too. Never knew what a gem it was. Alot of cool cars down stillwater village, there's a Ford Sapphire Cosworth I drive passed everyday too that'd be an amazing car to review. Again epic video and so random you were in stillwater hahahahaha.
Cool man! Yep coming up to Auckland again this weekend. Every few months I’m up here
@@KiwiCarLife Epic bro damn. Love the vids got notifications on. Keep cooking man. Just so crazy to see you in Stillwater lol such an unusual uncommon place.
The engine note is super interesting. It's like if a v8 dressed down in PJs but still wore a Rolex Day Date.
Yes
I have a B5.5 2.0 TDI Passat with front wheel drive and an Audi Avant Quattro 2.0 TFSI. The Audi wagon is well planted to the road, with sustained pickup power and great in corners and declines with out a doubt, although total cost of ownership is the kicker 4 me. Somehow the B5.5 Passat (a VAG Audi A4 by any other name) for me at least is the one I can drive, and drive it how it was made to be driven. The tiptronic transmission is a for me a sweet spot betwixt manual and semiautomatic. They do not last forever is the biggest complaint I hear about them, and if you have a sTDI it is to be expected the engine will out live and out pace the transmission because it is simply that good. I have driven Audi's starting with the 500's V8 / V6 / Quattro / 4Motion, VW Golf / Rabbits, GTI's and Cabriolets (All manual's up to the point), as well as Jettas's and Passat's. Give me a Passat or Audi TDI with any transmission, and see why it is a drivers car. I drive the BC coastal mountains in and from Vancouver as well the Rocky mountain range highways both in BC and Alberta. The esp on the 2.0 TDI Passat remapped or not combined with fuel economy and engine reliability makes it for me a keeper.
Very nice
I’d love to have this car. I used to have a regular 1.8T Passat and even that was pretty fun.
It’s something special for sure
I actually know someone that had one of these and they lost crazy amounts of money on it. It was the biggest money pit I've ever seen.
Well yeah I mean it’s a one of one engine haha
Kia ora - just the birds chirping in the background make me miss New Zealand already.
Classic
My friend has one of these but wagon version. I have driven it a couple of times it drives amazing. I mean we live in Germany so I could test the speed of the W8 on the autobahn 😅
Nice! How fast did it go? 260 odd?
@@KiwiCarLife 270 👍
Perfect! Now, I want one
Haha cool
👌💯🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 That sound is amazing
Ooh yes
Great episode! I bought one of these in a beautiful dark green metallic back in 2013. It was an auto sadly, but still sounded mint and really shifted. Much better than the 2007 R32 engined Passat I traded it in for.
Mmm good car
Had a used one on our VW lot that I absolutely just ABUSED for a year and a half, it was basically my demo when I sold VeeDubs. 275 whole HP! A lot of people will tell you that you can't get all 4 of those 4 motion wheels going at 1 time, I'm here to tell you that you absolutely can with some effort.
HAHAHAHA
looking at you talk about gear change how you can feel gears meshing together reminds me of my golf mk 4
Yeah well probably a very similar gearbox
Great review young man. Fellow Kiwi here, just stumbled on your video and I enjoyed your natural and very professional presentation. Subscribed. Keep it up buddy, you are doing a good job.
Thanks so much man!
Can’t unsee how low the headrest is
Lol
awesome review
Thanks man
Sounds good!
Very unique sound huh
VW's/Audi's dilemma back in the days always was not being able to fit Inline-6 or regular V-8 engines in. Their general design never allowed a big engine and rear wheel drive as their competition BMW and Mercedes. This is also why they came up with Quattro. Or Procon-ten when Mercedes already offered Airbags. BTW, the first Airbag was available in a Oldsmobile Toronado in 1977. It's sad that we won't see oddballs like this anymore. Manufacturers "play safe" and profit is more important than ever before.
Lovely
Hey man. Can I ask what watch are you wearing ? Really like the look of it 👍
Casio Ediface ECB-900
@@KiwiCarLife Great stuff ! Thanks so much man. Surprised no one else asked 😄
This is rad!
Sure is!
I had an auto, never got a manual in Australia, thirsty one, 16l/100, took 9.5l of oil in the sump, was slow made a nice noise though and was smooth as silk.
Yeah I mean they’re not great cars to own but certainly great to drive
@@KiwiCarLife Can only imagine with a manual and in wagon form, I would daily it even with the poor economy. One I had had over 200k on it, no issues. I just couldnt handle the auto more a manual guy.
Sounds like the flat plane crank Ford Voodoo V8. I can definitely hear some VR6 in that too. Supposedly these were not even firing, so that explains the sound.
Yeah it’s an interesting sound for sure
@@KiwiCarLife Great video! A woman had an automatic station wagen/estate car near me, but she sold it.
This and the 2004 GLI 🔥 good looking car's
Good strong cars
I would like a AWD W8 wagon... I have a B5.5 Passat 5 speed wagon with a 1.8T currently
Would be really cool aye
imagine steeringwheel on the wrong side.
Right side
Makes a very nice sound 😮
Absoluteyl
Does it rev up quickly because the engine is 2 small halves instead of 1 big block engine ?
That's a surprise to me, never thought of W engines this way
Yeah just drives and revs like a normal v8 with a more unique sound
Nice car there is an estate version of w8 4motion 6speed, sounds good in near by village to about 1mile away from me .Regardss .Shaun from Wales
Very cool!
I almost bought a wagon W8 some years ago that was on eBay. I only shied away from it because the mileage was kind of high. The VW engine design has a known kind of quick wear rate due to the way the cylinders are angled. It's spendy to refresh. It's kind of the same deal with the W12 Phaeton, just 12 instead of 8. They're cars you want to buy into at lower miles. Like he started with the RS4, or even the S4, gets you a V8 option with manual too. Passat sedan to S or RS4, it's a little hard to lean towards Passat. The Audi had a little more displacement and power. And the RS4 did even more so, plus a more rear biased awd setup that I don't think the Passat nor S4 ever got.
Yeah agree the W8 is a unique car to drive but not so much to own
I'm from Germany and never heard anyone pronounce Passat like this! Even though I got used to howw its pronounced in the US!
Great review!
Yup nz accent is different
Yes it does sound funny 😅
would shortshifter make it more engaging?
Maybe but there’s other things I’d do first
I’ve seen a few of these here in New Mexico. We have a ton of Germans here.
Oh yes very nice
the proper manual, pre-DCT, era was the best era
Oh yesss
Would have been a pleasure to watch the gauges while you were driving..if you only had turned the lights on^^
Oh mate they’re so dim it wouldn’t have made any difference haha
I own one but it's automatic 03 124k miles I'm gonna save it this will be worth 1M one day engine just needs spark plugs car held up extremely excellent gonna do videos on it soon
Very nice man
I nearly bought an estate version of this
It is a 4 liter version of the Bentley 6.7
Its not a one off as you state, there were a small number produced for the euro market
Nah as in the engine is only used in this car
This is wonderful. Is this engine diesel powered or petrol?
Cmon man… you should know this… obviously patrol. It revs to 6500rpm for starters
I got my USA spec W8 sedan with the coveted 6-speed manual from the kid next door. I paid $1,000 cash with 98,000 miles! Oh and he bought it from an Audi dealer! 😂😂😂
Oh brilliant!
VAG for the last 30 years: Function follows form. The quality of used cars of this era is shit.
But respect to the few engineers who managed to came up with these solutions like the W-engines.
Yeah it’s quite cool
Crazy timing just saw a wagon version in otaki yesterday !
Very nice!
Saw one for sale on Kapiti road mate
No way 😲
sounds a bit like the e39 m5. very nice
Good noise
In the UK yiu get a choice of roughly 3-4 in the market at any one time. It’s one of my saved searches on Autotrader but it will need to be an estate with a manual.
Cool
I live inAustria and could get one of theese for 5k with 220k km, but i cant get one of those for my first car, the insurance would be 3000/year or more i think
Jeepers
this was my first car in the early 2010s. it was totaled by a 98 year old who ran a red light and t-boned it.
@@jojothetasmaniansassmonkey8866 holy hang that’s quite the story!
@@KiwiCarLife didn’t realize how rare it was when I got it. It was just a used Passat at a good price. Was nice to drive. This video makes me miss it.
Are you from NZ?
driving on the awsome Ara Weiti Road!
Yesss
This car is a 2nd cousin of either a Audi B6 or B7 S4/RS4 (B7) only. Since the B6 didn’t have a RS4.
Yup
So first the Accord DIESEL, now this? I’m learning all sorts of new engines hidden by manufactures. Whats next a V4? Haha
Yeah man so many weird cars out there haha
@@KiwiCarLifetheSaab Sonnet from the 70s had à V4! 😆.
The Lancia Fulvia has a V4, incredible machine
@@geoffoakland Was gonna say , ford (?) built one for Saab in the 70s 😀
Yeah , Ford had the Corsair V4 in the late 1960's. I hired the 2000E auto version to go to a wedding, wooden dash etc.
brilliant german engineering used to find an solution for less oversteer at torsen awd platform which have by construction understeer character because of engine entirely in the front of the steering axle. That w8 is the SHORTER 4.0 engine ever build.
Yes
The all wheel drive is basically quattro, wich is basically Subaru symetrical on steroids!
I mean instead of viscosity clutches in center differential it uses Torsen mechanical differential.
And of course it has symetrical driveshafts like Bubaru. So it's the best AWD ever. (Not 4x4 but AWD! Remember!
Yeah it’s decent
For me they gotta be manual couldn’t imagine not having one
Yeah same
These would be wild with a super charger 😊
Oh yeah for sure
What a rare specimen!
Indeed
Can you review an accord euro r compared to a ford focus xr5 turbo please
That would be interesting actually
Here in Europe most cars have manual gears. VW Passat as well.
W8’s tho?
So the W12 Phaeton is even freakier I guess.. :D
Yeah not manual though
Definitely a rare car didn’t know they made a V8 Passat did we every get this in the States?
I believe so
Hi bro,you are from NZ,right?I really want visit NZ and see local car meets and motosport events.Now idk if you are into these meets and events,but if you are,can you please reply with few names of good events(North and south island,doesn`t matter,i`l probably visit both)?🙂
I don’t really know any good meets sorry man I sorta keep to my own friend group
This is literally my dad's Passat on steroids lol😂
It think there is a W12 and maybe a W16 version too if I'm not mistaken?
Nah that’s the continental gt and bugatti veyron
@@KiwiCarLife Oh,I thought they were on the Passat too,it would have been crazy if they were🤣
There was the W12 VW Phaeton but not sure if that car made it to production
0:57 and the longer fenders than all other Passat 😉
True
good old times where VW made something interesting and pleasant to drive.
Yuuurs
great cars these passats, my gf drives a 1.8t. :-)
Nice
That is certainly an interesting car and rare as rocking horse poop!
Absolutely! And the owner might be buying another one haha
Why and how they can drive on the other side???
I could ask the same to you!
I've seen a few W12 Phaetons but I don't think I ever saw a W8 Passat. Very cool !
Was there a W8 A8 or A6 too ? Can't remember
Nah I don’t think so they would have used the 4.2L Audi v8
@@KiwiCarLife you're right !
Dunnow what I love more - tha car or the accent lol
lol
I love the W8
Good engine
For people in certain places:
1 N-m = 0.7375 lb-ft
370 N-m = 273 lb-ft
Thanks