Volkswagen Passat W8
Volkswagen isn’t a company that likes experimenting and introducing overly advanced models with unique features. They are famous for “middle of the road” cars with regular engines and decent driving characteristics. That’s why their introduction of the Passat W8 in 2001 surprised everybody in the car industry (via RAC).
With the restyling of the current B5 generation of the mid-size sedan, Volkswagen introduced a special edition with top-of-the-line technology. It had an advanced 4.0-liter W8 gasoline engine and a four-motion all-wheel-drive system. Customers got a selection of manual and automatic transmissions. Also, this top-of-the-line model had all luxury features standard. The result was a perfect sleeper/German muscle/performance car in an unassuming Passat body. The compact-yet-powerful W8 engine delivered 270 HP and 270 lb.-ft of torque.