Passat “R GT” styling package is go…

Newswheel staff :: 20 April 2006 :: Filed under Saloon, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Passat, US

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…but for North America only

Hey! VW! We’re over here in Europe. You remember, the home of cheese eating surrender monkeys, desiccated olde-worlde business practices…and your biggest market. Recently, the self-styled maker of cars for the people has had something of a US fixation. The “Moonraker” project was set up to investigate how VW’s products could be made more attractive to US buyers. Then a senior VW exec recently suggested that the company is willing to compromise its premium pricing strategy to improve its US sales prospects for the Gen 5 Golf (to be know once again as the Rabbit, Stateside). And now the German outfit has announced an aggressive package of styling and chassis tweaks for the Passat. And it’s for American eyes only…

At last year’s SEMA tuning show in the US, VW wheeled out the lean ‘n mean Passat R GT concept, complete with a twin-turbo, 3.2-litre narrow-angle V6. Well, fans at the show simply lapped it up, leading to the decision to productionise the concept - the styling and chassis mods at least . Sadly the blown V6 hasn’t made the transition to production. Still, the package includes full front and rear bumper upgrades complete with honey-combe grille insert, side skirts, a rear lip spoiler, 18-inch rims and fancy exhaust trims. Oh, and a set of slammed springs. Yours for a piffling $4,500 as a dealer-fit option. On second thought, perhaps not such a loss to European buyers after all…

The package goes on sale at US Volkswagen dealers this autumn