Factory code: 3B/3BG (B5) Saloon / Type 3B/3BG (B5) Estate
In the summer of 1996, the time has come: the Passat B5 is unveiled, a completely new development and an outstanding car in terms of technology, appearance, and quality.
The design is remarkably striking, balanced, and characterised by understated elegance. “Beautiful to the point of arrogance,” is how one press quote puts it. The saloon has a very distinctive look thanks to its front arch, known as the “Warkuß arch” – named after Volkswagen’s chief designer Hartmut Warkuß. For the first time, a Passat generation also boasts "business genes" and, as the Variant TDI, is a trendsetter for frequent business drivers. A drag coefficient of just 0.27 allows economical driving even at higher speeds.
With the fifth generation, Volkswagen returns to close cooperation with its Group partner Audi. The new Passat shares its platform and powertrain with the Audi A4. The engines are therefore once again installed longitudinally, the front axle is a four-link design for fine suspension, and the rear features a twist-beam design with separate springs and shock absorbers – resulting in a larger load compartment width.
There is one tiny area where the B5 falls short of its predecessor: its level of interior comfort remains unmatched, and the interior is slightly shorter. The build quality is noticeably high, the body is fully galvanised, and the minimal gaps enhance the visual quality. The high-quality feel is topped off by silicone-damped grab handles.
The Passat B5 is manufactured in Emden and at the new production facility in Mosel near Zwickau in Saxony.
The equipment lines are Trendline, Comfortline, and Highline.
The engine range initially includes the petrol engines 1.6 litre 8V (74 kW/100 PS), 1.8 litre 20V (92 kW/125 PS or 110 kW/150 PS), 2.3 litre VR 5 (110 kW/150 PS), and, as a diesel, the 1.9 TDI (66 kW/90 PS and 81 kW/110 PS).
In 2000, the VW Passat B5 undergoes a major product upgrade, featuring extensive visual changes to the front and rear. In 2001, the top-of-the-range Passat W8 is launched with a completely new engine design. Its key data are 4.0 litres displacement, 275 PS maximum power, 250 km/h top speed, and top-of-the-range equipment.
